The goal of every athletic department is to be a massive player in both college football and men’s basketball, and the schools in CFN’s 11 to 25 ranking were just that.
None of these schools won a national title – and, in an oddity, none of these 15 were in the College Football Playoff – but some won conference championships, there’s a Final Four run in there, and the fan bases all had a ton of fun.
Nov 15, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Hudson Clement (13) reacts after a catch and run during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Memorial Stadium. © Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
(© Ron Johnson-Imagn Images)Hoops and Helmets 2026: CFN Rankings 11 to 25 of the Best Schools in Both Football and Basketball
– CFN’s Complete 2026 College Football Rankings, All 138 Schools
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25 Nebraska
Basketball: 28-7
Football: 7-6
After never winning an NCAA Tournament game, the Sweet 16 run was magical. Football still can’t get the machine in motion, but it was a winning season.
2025: 39 | 2024: 95 | 2023: 114
24 Louisville
Basketball: 24-11
Football: 9-4
It would’ve been nice to get past the second round of the NCAAs, but it was a good year. Football won nine games, but the season was about missed opportunities.
2025: 19 | 2024: 70 | 2023: 101
23 Tennessee
Basketball: 25-12
Football: 8-5
It would’ve been nice to get far more out of the football team after making the CFP two years ago. Basketball was strong with a run to the Elite Eight.
2025: 2 | 2024: 9 | 2023: 7
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22 Hawaii
Basketball: 24-9
Football: 9-4
How fun was that? Basketball wasn’t the best in the Big West regular season, but it won the conference tournament and got to the NCAAs. Football pulled off nine wins and took out Cal in a thriller of a Hawaii Bowl.
2025: 123 | 2024: 110 | 2023: 105
21 TCU
Basketball: 23-12
Football: 9-4
The soul-crushing way the Horned Frogs beat USC in the Alamo Bowl was everything. Getting knocked out of the NCAAs by Duke in the second round was acceptable after a solid season.
2025: 54 | 2024: 73 | 2023: 5
20 Vanderbilt
Basketball: 27-9
Football: 10-3
Diego Pavia was a Heisman finalist for a ten-win football team, the basketball team won 27 games, and overall, it was one of the best sports years in school history.
2025: 23 | 2024: 132 | 2023: 90
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19 BYU
Basketball: 23-12
Football: 12-2
Basketball should’ve done far, far more with the talent in place. Football couldn’t catch a break – it should’ve been in the College Football Playoff. You can see it coming – this was a step-up year to what’s next.
2025: 10 | 2024: 57 | 2023: 46
Mar 19, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
(© Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images)18 North Dakota State
Basketball: 27-8
Football: 12-1
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s the FCS school – that’s the only reason why it’s this low. The Bison didn’t win the national title in football – all it did was lose just that one game, as it came really, really close. The basketball team took the Summit and got into the NCAAs.
That was all good, but nothing was more fun than getting the call to the big leagues, diving into the Mountain West next season.
2025: NR | 2024: NR | 2023: NR
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17 Texas
Basketball: 21-15
Football: 10-3
The football team didn’t get to the CFP, but it won ten games, screwed up Texas A&M, and won a big bowl over Michigan. Basketball made a great NCAA run from the First Four to the Sweet 16, losing by two to Purdue.
2025: 25 | 2024: 20 | 2023: 58
16 Houston
Basketball: 30-7
Football: 10-3
The hoops side was great, but it fell short in the Sweet 16 of the NCAAs. The football team turned a corner with a ten-win season and a bowl win over LSU – it should be far stronger in 2026.
2025: 21 | 2024: 54 | 2023: 14
15 Kennesaw State
Basketball: 21-14
Football: 10-4
Blow off the bowl loss and the early NCAA exit. Kennesaw State won the conference championship in both football and basketball. That’s the dream.
2025: 107 | 2024: 134 | 2023: NR
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14 Virginia
Basketball: 30-6
Football: 11-3
The ACC Championship loss in football soured things, but whatever – the program deserved something special, and it got it. It was a great basketball season, but losing in the second round to Tennessee wasn’t okay.
2025: 121 | 2024: 98 | 2023: 85
13 Iowa
Basketball: 24-13
Football: 9-4
It was an outstanding year without winning anything truly big. Getting to the Elite Eight in basketball and winning nine games in football with a bowl thriller over Vanderbilt – it was a very, very Iowa season.
2025: 51 | 2024: 37 | 2023: 19
12 Illinois
Basketball: 28-8
Football: 9-4
How much fun was Illinois? It was a slight disappointment in football compared to the preseason hype, but it won nine games and took home a bowl win.
The hoops side took over everything – a Final Four appearance meant the world in Champaign – going out with the tough loss to UConn.
2025: 15 | 2024: 52 | 2023: 27
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11 Duke
Basketball: 35-3
Football: 9-5
The epic basketball gag against UConn is all anyone will remember, but Duke is one of a few football/basketball conference champs on the list. (It deserved to be in the College Football Playoff as a Power Four champion.)
2025: 4 | 2024: 10 | 2023: 11
Related: The 10 Best College Football and Basketball Schools of 2026
This story was originally published by College Football News on Apr 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.