With all respects to my mother’s Thanksgiving feast, nobody served up a larger plate this past holiday weekend than Syracuse.

The basketball team offered the appetizers, capturing the Preseason NIT crown with impressive victories over Michigan State and Wake Forest.

And while Orange fans were already stuffed with pride, the main meal was yet to come. On Saturday evening, the football team closed out its regular season by basting Boston College, 39-28, and clinching no worse than second place in the Big East.

When the festive weekend ended and the numbers rolled in, the Syracuse football and basketball teams combined for three prime-time television appearances, seven hours of entertainment, 182 points and, most importantly, three victories.

Quite simply, Syracuse proved its worth as an elite athletic school. Few combine excellence in multiple major sports like the Orangemen. What’s more, even fewer schools can pinpoint a single weekend where both teams tie that excellence into one prolific act.

Naturally, what good is all this banter without a system of measurement? After all, Syracuse might not have a place among the finest college football and basketball duos if no such place exists.

Fear not, SU fans. The following poll ranks the top football-basketball combinations.

10. Tennessee – The Vols’ basketball team has advanced to the NCAA Tournament each of the past four seasons. And the football team, well, they’ve made a bowl every year for the past decade.

9. Boston College – Two of the nation’s finest players: William Green and Troy Bell.

8. UCLA – The Bruin basketball team figures to contend for the national championship; the football team was doing the same until a late-season collapse.

7. Michigan State. – Although both its football and basketball teams are mired in slight downswings, the Spartans get the seventh spot based on their strong tradition in both sports. With three consecutive Final Fours and a dude named T.J. Duckett, how can they not make the list?

6. Fresno State – After the football team’s disappointing midseason losses, the Bulldogs salvaged their season with a 10-2 record. The No. 24 basketball team, powered by senior center Melvin Ely, recently defeated Michigan State in the NIT consolation game.

5. Stanford – In both sports, the Cardinal lies on the cusp of greatness. Ranked 12th in football and 11th in basketball, Stanford students certainly have something to take their minds off academics.

4. Syracuse – Annually, Syracuse places both of its teams in the Top 25. And it has lacrosse in the spring.

3. Illinois – The Illini are the third and final school to have both squads currently in the top 10. Illinois’ ranking here suffers for lack of tradition but little else. The football and basketball squads could sweep the Big 10 championships this year.

2. Maryland – Finally, people do fear the turtle. The football program emerged from its shell for the first time in a decade and will play in the Orange Bowl. Two weekends ago, when the team clinched its first ACC championship since 1985, the basketball team kicked off its season with games against Top 25 teams Arizona and Temple.

1. Florida – Every year, both programs, led by equally charismatic coaches Steve Spurrier and Billy Donovan, have national title hopes. This year is no different, as the football team ranks second in the nation and the basketball team fifth. The Gators rose to the top in 1994, when the football team trounced undefeated West Virginia, 41-7, in the Sugar Bowl and the basketball team advanced to the Final Four weeks later.

No. 5 Tennessee (+18) at No. 2 Florida, CBS, 4:30 p.m.

This’ll make a fantastic basketball game, but an even better football game. An early loss to Georgia seemingly eliminated the Vols for title contention, but faster than you can say ‘SI Jinx,’ the Vols were back in the mix. Losses by Nebraska and Oklahoma thrust Tennessee back into the picture, provided it can defeat Florida.

That is no easy task. The Gators, currently second in the BCS, figure to land in the Rose Bowl should they win out. Quarterback Rex Grossman and wideout Jabar Gaffney form a dominating pass presence that is experienced with quality competition – UT marks the eighth Gator opponent ranked at one point this season.

Tennessee might want to think about a full-court press.

Pick: Florida 31-17

No. 1 Miami (-14) at No. 14 Virginia Tech, ABC, 1 p.m.

For the last two weeks, the Hurricanes have lived up to their namesake, blowing past everything in sight. Miami outscored Syracuse and Washington by a whopping 124-7.

More and more, it looks like a close game against Boston College on Nov. 10 awakened the nation’s top team. The Miami offensive line, with five potential future pros, provides mammoth holes for tailback Clinton Portis and plenty of time for quarterback Ken Dorsey.

VT, meanwhile, has less incentive than the Canes, who must win to retain their undefeated season. The Hokies accepted a Gator Bowl invitation Monday, so their postseason standing won’t be affected by the outcome of this one.

Darius Rice pours in 34 as the Canes roll.

Pick: Miami 54-10

Oregon State (+10.5) at No. 4 Oregon, ABC, 4:30 p.m.

Early in the season, this game was highlighted on the calendar as an intrastate showdown with certain national title implications for both teams.

The Beavers, however, choked miserably on the way to a 5-5 record.

How bad have things gotten in Corvallis? The Beavers’ official Web site mentions a ‘one-game Pac-10 winning streak.’

Oregon has more impressive claims. Since getting tripped up by Stanford one month ago, the team is back on a three-game winning streak. With a 9-1 record, the Ducks remain one of the several one-loss teams with national title hopes. There’s not much to brag about here when it comes to basketball, but this one could produce a score that makes you think of it.

Pick: Oregon 61-59

No. 9 Colorado (+8.5) vs. No. 3 Texas, ABC, 8 p.m.

One week ago, few thought these two teams would be playing in the Big 12 championship game. Texas benefited from Oklahoma’s improbable loss to 3-7 Oklahoma State. Colorado ransacked the Nebraska defense with a dominating running game, putting an abrupt end to the Huskers’ national championship hopes.

CU tailback Chris Brown rushed for 198 yards and a staggering six touchdowns. Backup Bobby Purify added 154 yards and one score.

Texas, though, comes in with a six-game unbeaten streak. Plus, the Longhorns have the hook. That, incidentally, has nothing to do with basketball.

Pick: Texas 28-20

Army (-1.5) vs. Navy, CBS, 11:45 a.m.

Enough already. Sure, we can give credit to our country’s brave Cadets and Midshipmen who are fighting overseas in the war against terrorism.

But the most dangerous place to be if you are still at one of those schools? That would be decrepit Veterans Stadium where, in 1998 nine fans were injured when a railing collapsed.

All joking aside, Army has won 10 of the past 15 games in this serious rivalry. Seven of the past nine meetings have been decided in the last minute. Expect more of the same when these two teams meet for the 102nd time in this epic rivalry.

Pick: Navy 19-17

Published on November 27, 2001 at 12:00 pm