Four B1G programs appear in ESPN's "top two-sport schools"

It is no question that football and basketball rule the world of college athletics. Ohio State is considered a "top-notch" national powerhouse when it comes to college football, and the same can be said about Michigan State when talking about college hoops.

But what schools are dominant in both sports?

Our friends over at ESPN the Magazine recently published an article titled "The Undisputed Two-Sport Champ," which uses a detailed formula to determine which college programs rule both football and basketball.

The formula takes the following three factors into consideration: On-field success (which accounts for 50 percent of the final score), off-field success (20 percent) and traditions of success (30 percent).

Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin are all listed among the top 10 schools, with the Buckeyes leading the way, ranking No. 2 overall in the country.

The article says the following about Ohio State: "If we combine both sports, the Buckeyes rank top three in all but academics (No. 14). In fact, the 07' NCAA hoops title loss to Florida is all that keeps them from the No. 1 spot."

Michigan comes in at No. 5 overall, followed by Michigan State at No. 6 and Wisconsin at No. 9.

The next Big Ten team to appear on the list is Iowa, all the way down at No. 34.

See the full list here.

My take: Overall, this is an impressive list that showcases the Big Ten from both an athletic and academic standpoint. Those top four teams (Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin) seem to battle it out for both basketball and football supremacy over the past half-decade, so it makes sense to see those elite programs near the top of this list. Iowa is a program that appears to be on the rise in basketball, which could boost the Hawkeyes up this list in the future.

Where other Big Ten programs rank: Nebraska, 36; Indiana, 37;  Illinois, 39; Penn State, 42; Purdue 48; Minnesota, 53; Northwestern, 63.