Are you a football or basketball school? We’ve got the answers for all Power 4 colleges. If you want to get technical about it, Duke averaged about 15,000 more people at football games than at men’s basketball games last season. But no one would argue Duke is anything but a basketball school. For some Power 4 schools, the question of primary passion — what sport tugs at the heartstrings like no other? — is an easy one to answer. It’s less obvious for others. So after football power Michigan won a basketball title and basketball-centric Indiana won a football title, here’s an attempt to define all 67 in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, plus football independents Connecticut and Notre Dame. Is Indiana a football school? Is Michigan a basketball school? Not quite. Personally, I think that the question of what defines a school as a football or basketball school is a fascinating one, and one that can be answered in many ways. In my opinion, it's not just about the number of people attending games or the number of championships won, but also about the culture and history of the school. For example, Duke may have averaged more people at football games, but it's the rich history of its men's basketball program, with players like Dick Groat and Vic Bubas, that has made it the basketball school it is today. Similarly, Michigan may have won a basketball title, but it's the football program, with players like Red Grange and Dick Butkus, that has made it the football school it is today. What makes this particularly fascinating is that the lines between football and basketball schools can be blurred. For instance, Michigan State is known for its football program, but it's also the Big Ten's winningest hoops coach, with a national title and eight Final Fours. This raises a deeper question: how do we define a school's primary passion, and how does that passion change over time? From my perspective, it's important to consider the context of the school and the culture of the region. For example, Stanford is often referred to as an 'everything school' because of its athletic department's overall performance, but it's also a school that values academic excellence and innovation. In this sense, Stanford is more than just a football or basketball school; it's a school that embodies a broader set of values and traditions. One thing that immediately stands out is that the question of what defines a school as a football or basketball school is not always clear-cut. What many people don't realize is that schools can have strong programs in both sports, and that the lines between them can be blurred. For example, North Carolina has a strong men's basketball program, but it also has a strong football program, with players like Tony Dorsett and Dan Marino. Similarly, Florida State is known for its football program, but it also has a strong men's basketball program, with players like Kenny Anderson and Dennis Scott. If you take a step back and think about it, it becomes clear that the question of what defines a school as a football or basketball school is not just about the sports themselves, but also about the culture and history of the school. In my opinion, the most important thing is that the school has a strong program in the sport that tugs at the heartstrings of its fans. This could be football, basketball, or any other sport, but it's the passion and commitment of the fans that ultimately define a school as a football or basketball school. A detail that I find especially interesting is that the question of what defines a school as a football or basketball school can also be influenced by external factors, such as the location of the school and the cultural context of the region. For example, Nebraska is often referred to as a football school, but it also has a strong women's volleyball program, with a passionate fan base that ranks at or near the top in just about any sport you can name. This raises a deeper question: how do external factors influence the perception of a school as a football or basketball school, and how does that perception change over time? In conclusion, the question of what defines a school as a football or basketball school is a complex and multifaceted one. It's not just about the number of people attending games or the number of championships won, but also about the culture and history of the school, the passion and commitment of the fans, and the external factors that influence the perception of the school. From my perspective, the most important thing is that the school has a strong program in the sport that tugs at the heartstrings of its fans, and that the school embodies a broader set of values and traditions that go beyond the sports themselves.
