College basketball blue blood tiers: Where do UCLA, Villanova land?

A new season of FOX Primetime Hoops arrives this weekend, with marquee college basketball matchups slated for every Saturday night through the eve of Selection Sunday.

This week features a doubleheader as Villanova hosts UCLA in a battle of two prominent programs at 7 p.m. ET in Philadelphia, followed by the 120th meeting between No. 8 Marquette and Notre Dame at 9 p.m. ET in Milwaukee.

The matchup between the Bruins and Wildcats sparked a thought this week. It's a unique time for both programs, and it's obviously far-fetched to think anybody could do what Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Bill Walton and Gail Goodrich helped accomplish at UCLA under the Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden, winning 10 national championships in 12 years from 1964-75. 

That being said, after three disappointing seasons in a four-year span to end the Steve Alford tenure, UCLA went to former Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin, and he's been really strong since taking over the Bruins, putting them back on the national map. Top NBA rookie Jaime Jaquez and point guard Tyger Campbell had much to do with the return of the Bruins, but the 52-year-old Cronin has established a winning culture rooted in toughness with UCLA reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons, including a trip to the Final Four in 2021. 

So, the times are good at UCLA. But are the Bruins a top blue blood? We'll get to that in a few moments. 

The bigger story is what's happening at Villanova. Look, could we have expected Kyle Neptune to keep the dynasty run of excellence going to the same degree that Jay Wright had with the Wildcats? I don't think anybody will ever truly duplicate what Wright built at a small Catholic school just outside of Philadelphia. Wright had a 263-53 record over his final nine seasons that featured two national championships, three Final Fours and four Sweet 16 appearances from 2016-22.  

But at this very moment, the whole feeling around the program has quickly taken a 180. Neptune, 38, got a pass last year for not having a point guard and having Justin Moore out for the majority of the season with an Achilles injury suffered in the 2022 Elite Eight against Houston. Villanova missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. What occurred in the offseason was a drastic course of major NIL investment to the tune of around $3 million combined with the Wildcats taking as many transfers in one offseason (four) as they did in the previous decade combined.

What has proceeded to occur in this 2023-24 season is nothing short of bizarre. After a loss to Penn, which signaled it could be more of the same in year two of Neptune, Villanova notched four consecutive KenPom top-60 wins over Maryland, Texas Tech, North Carolina and Memphis, the final of which gave the Cats the Battle 4 Atlantis title. 

That vaulted Villanova right back into the top 20 of the AP poll. What's gone on since? A disaster. The Cats finished sixth in the Big Five in humiliating fashion with losses to Saint Joe's and Drexel. They squandered a four-point lead with 1:20 left in overtime and fell to Kansas State on Tuesday night. Now at 6-4, it's as close to a must-win game for Villanova on Saturday night if they're going to avoid panic time when it comes to NCAA Tournament at-large hopes. 

So, is Villanova's powerhouse run solely coach dependent? The NIL resources and the brand of the program are strong, but it has to be accompanied by winning. If Wright's formula was so easy, everybody would duplicate it, but sometimes just because you're a disciple of a GOAT like Neptune is with the Hall of Famer, that doesn't mean the same level of success is going to be able to continue. That being said, losing to Philadelphia mid-major programs is glaring. From 2013-22, Villanova went 31-1 against Big Five schools. This season: 0-3. That's inexcusable. The fact is, the pressure is mounting for Neptune to get Villanova going in the right direction. Saturday is a massive night for this program in primetime. 

With that in mind, here's how I would rank the blue-blood programs in college basketball. The teams are broken down into tiers and in no specific order. I repeat: no specific order! 

NOTE: Team win totals do not take wins vacated by the NCAA into effect.

Tier A: Dominant programs with massive brands, historic coaches over the years and the titles to back it up.

Duke Blue Devils
Total wins: 2,278
Final Fours: 17
National championships: 5

Kentucky Wildcats
Total wins: 2,383
Final Fours: 17
National championships: 8

UConn Huskies
Total wins: 1,752
Final Fours: 6
National championships: 5

Kansas Jayhawks
Total wins: 2,393
Final Fours: 16
National championships: 4

North Carolina Tar Heels
Total wins: 2,350
Final Fours: 21
National championships: 6

Tier B: Strong programs with a rich history that have ruled through eras with big-time coaching names, but have also had their drop-offs at times as well. Yet, they've remained relevant.

Indiana Hoosiers
Total wins: 1,916
Final Fours: 8
National championships: 5

UCLA Bruins
Total wins: 1,994
Final Fours: 19
National championships: 11

Tier C: Programs that have national relevance and have been able to flash championship success, while also having historically strong fan bases.

Michigan State Spartans
Total wins: 1,802
Final Fours: 10
National championships: 2

Louisville Cardinals
Total wins: 1,903
Final Fours: 10
National championships: 3

Villanova Wildcats
Total wins: 1,874
Final Fours: 7
National championships: 3

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.