This time last year, the ACC and Big East were entering the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with a combined record of 14-1 and comprising seven teams of the Sweet 16 field. By contrast, the Big Ten and SEC placed just two teams apiece among the final 16 in 2024 after the conferences earned eight bids each to the Big Dance.

While Iowa State saw its season come to an end on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, four other Big 12 schools advanced to the Sweet 16. BYU, who knocked the Cyclones out of the Big 12 Conference Tournament,

There are a handful of Sweet 16 teams that could even experience the same success when it comes to football season.  While a few of these are a stretch, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that eight remaining basketball programs’ players could be watching their football brethren in the College Football Playoff later this year.