Comparing Basketball and Football Playing Styles at P5 Schools

Comparing the playing styles of the football and basketball programs at Power 5 schools is an entertaining exercise. Some schools are exactly the same, and completely on brand, others are polar opposites, and most are right in the middle. This comparison isn’t designed to compare the quality of the programs at these schools, it is more focused on the styles of play. Here’s some examples of the extremes.

Schools Where Football and Basketball Play the Exact Same Style

· Wisconsin- Both programs play slow and ugly. If you watch a Wisconsin game of any kind there will be minimal points and maximum pain. Wisconsin isn’t afraid to bring the pain, but it will definitely not be aesthetically pleasing.

· Kansas State- Very similar to Wisconsin, slow and ugly. They take their time, and generally make things as hard as possible for themselves. Also both programs are generally good for one big upset per season at home.

· Rutgers- Just consistently awful at both

· Washington- Washington is known for smashmouth, lockdown defense with an offense that is just good enough to get the job done. They will break your spirit with their defense, and find a way to score just enough to win.

Schools Where Football and Basketball Play Completely Opposite Styles

· Texas Tech- It does not get more opposite than Texas Tech. On the gridiron the Red Raiders fly around with their high-powered offense, and partner that with a swiss cheese defense that is just dreadful. On the hardwood, they are an elite defensive squad that has trouble scoring the ball. Being a Tech fan has to be strange.

· Syracuse- As Dino Babers says, “Orange is the New Fast.” The Cuse football squad lights up the Carrier Dome scoreboard, and racks up the offensive numbers. The basketball version of the Carrier Dome sees the Orange stifle opponents with that zone defense, and play 1-on-1 iso offense that can struggle to score.

· Iowa/Michigan State- These schools are grouped together because they both have the same opposite styles. In football it is very ugly, but usually includes a win. We’re talking single digit scores, or prime numbers. Something strange always happens when one of these schools takes the field. In basketball, these teams like to push the pace and play higher scoring games than the rest of the Big 10. An Iowa-Michigan State basketball game is much more aesthetically pleasing than a football game.

· Penn State- Penn State football is all offense. They spread you out and sling it deep. Basketball is a different story. It is defense first and then try to score just enough to win. Surprisingly this doesn’t work very often.