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Interesting Hypothetical

Was just asked by an ND fan of all people.

Which would you rather have.

1- IUBB to final 4 with no guarantee after that, or

2- IUFB wins national championship.

I don't know how to make this a poll.

Football
Not even close. A football natty would make me way happier than a bball final 4 or even bball national championship (although that would be amazing too!). Beyond personal feelings, the impact a football natty would have on the school for years to come far outweighs anything basketball can do.
 
Not even close. A football natty would make me way happier than a bball final 4 or even bball national championship (although that would be amazing too!). Beyond personal feelings, the impact a football natty would have on the school for years to come far outweighs anything basketball can do.


Yes, the more interesting question is BB NC v. FB NC.

The more obvious answer would be, as you state, FB.

For one thing, an IU NC in football would be the most unlikely of any program win since WW2. Dating back before the BCS, which began in '98, there were some claimed championships which look odd today: '52 MSU (1st for MSU); '53 Maryland; '54 UCLA; '58 Iowa; '59 Syracuse; '60 MN and Ole Miss; '64 Arkansas; '76 Pitt; '81 Clemson (1st); '83 Miami (1st); '84 BYU; '90 Colorado & GT; '91 Washington. With the BCS & playoff systems came more clarity and only iconic programs win now. So........an IU football NC would certainly be historic.

But long-term effect?? How long has it been since anyone thought about about Maryland, GT, Syracuse, and Colorado as NC contenders? Similarly, the demographics are just not on IU's side in the long-run. If we DID win a NC in, say '28, would it shock anyone if we were back in the bottom 8 BT programs in '35?

OTOH, it's been 37 years since we won a BB NC........forever, as far as 50% of the population is concerned. BUT, if we DID win another, we'd be back in the top 6 college BB programs in people's minds right away.
 
Yes, the more interesting question is BB NC v. FB NC.

The more obvious answer would be, as you state, FB.

For one thing, an IU NC in football would be the most unlikely of any program win since WW2. Dating back before the BCS, which began in '98, there were some claimed championships which look odd today: '52 MSU (1st for MSU); '53 Maryland; '54 UCLA; '58 Iowa; '59 Syracuse; '60 MN and Ole Miss; '64 Arkansas; '76 Pitt; '81 Clemson (1st); '83 Miami (1st); '84 BYU; '90 Colorado & GT; '91 Washington. With the BCS & playoff systems came more clarity and only iconic programs win now. So........an IU football NC would certainly be historic.

But long-term effect?? How long has it been since anyone thought about about Maryland, GT, Syracuse, and Colorado as NC contenders? Similarly, the demographics are just not on IU's side in the long-run. If we DID win a NC in, say '28, would it shock anyone if we were back in the bottom 8 BT programs in '35?

OTOH, it's been 37 years since we won a BB NC........forever, as far as 50% of the population is concerned. BUT, if we DID win another, we'd be back in the top 6 college BB programs in people's minds right away.
I want to confidently say a Football Natty over a BBall Natty. But I'm not sure my emotions would agree with that in the moment.
 
On paper it’s more likely that basketball can make a final four this coming season, but a national title in football wins over. It would establish IU as a national power, which is more important right now. And if it would happen in Cignetti’s first season, Bloomington’s own Angelo Pizzo (writer of Hoosiers & Rudy) would need to pen a new screenplay called, Hoosiers: The College Football Story.
 
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Indiana winning a national title in football is the ultimate underdog story; a real life Rocky Balboa story!

A football championship carries more prestige, more weight.
 
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Basketball can be put on auto pilot with a good coach. You look at the elite 8 round games last year, only 2-3 of those teams would consider themselves. “basketball school.”
The rest of them are big, big into football. And, I know this is hard to fathom for IU fans, it’s not an either or proposition. You are allowed to show up and support both.

Tennessee is likely the best example.
 
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