Usually, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina are known for their success in March. But this year, those four blue bloods are bringing their winning to the football field.
After each won its most recent game, all four schools are now 3-0 to begin the football season. This is the first time that the quartet have collectively gone undefeated after three games each to begin the football season.
In basketball, these schools have combined for 21 NCAA championships, including seven of the last 14 and eight of the last 17. They also make up three of this year’s Final Four teams, where Kansas beat UNC for the title.
However, when it comes to football, these programs usually take a backseat.
Kansas has historically been one of the worst teams in the Power 5 conferences, having lost at least eight games every season between 2010 and 2021. The Jayhawks are now 3-0, and they haven’t won at least four games in one season since 2009.
For Duke, first-year head coach Mike Elko took over a team that lost nine games in back-to-back seasons. The former Texas A&M defensive coordinator is off to a strong start with the Blue Devils and as they try to get back to a bowl game this year.
North Carolina has the richest football history of the four basketball blue bloods, and re-hiring Mack Brown in 2019 has only continued that fact. The Hall of Fame coach has led the Tar Heels to three straight bowl games and is hoping to bring the program to prominence like he did in the 1990s.
However, the best football team of the four probably belongs to Kentucky thanks to head coach Mark Stoops. The Wildcats, coming off a 10-win 2021 season, were the only ranked team of the group entering Saturday’s games. Despite playing in the toughest conference, Kentucky’s team is good enough to at least give Georgia and Alabama a tough test.
