Big ten is the best basketball conference, football not so much and didn't play the champ.

for a Big Ten title, perhaps even win it. A lot of people expected the football team to go 6-6, 7-5, 8-4. A lot of people didn't think we'd win a BCS game in Hoke's first year as head coach, especially with the defense we had returning.

All year they broke their huddle with "Big Ten Champs" and no one took them seriously.  I guess they really weren't kidding.

Football.

both! AND hockey too!

I like 'em both.

Equal. We're Michigan fergodsakes! In all seriousness though, great seasons for both teams. Congrats to Coach Beilein and the boys!

Yes.

We won the conference in basketball and beat Sparty. We failed in both of those missions in football and allowed Sparty to physically batter is in the process.

I think both teams had tremendous seasons that deserve high praise. The bar has been set, however, so next year will be either ecstatically tremendous or disappointing in both sports. Mitch? Ondre? You listnin?

Have to say fb. Bb team did great this year but hoke and co. Did what they did with RR's kids, bb are all Belien's kids. Either way color me happy.

I think it's basketball, but honestly, I think these two programs are feeding off of each other right now.  That's sometimes in tangible ways - e.g., McGary signing on after having a blast at the WMU football game; half of the Midwest signing on after the UM-OSU basketball game - and sometimes in less tangible ones (with evidence from silly little things like Beilein referring to OSU as Ohio and supportive tweets from FB players to BB players and the reverse).

The future is blindingly bright around here.

But the football team was more impressive because of the turnaround from the previuos years record. And to do it all with a totally new coaching staff.

Michigan Fball. Hoke did an awesome job with RR's players

football for two big reasons (plus a few small ones). 

1. Football is football, and beat Ohio and won a BCS game with a first year head coach after three inexplicable seasons. Basketball is basketball, and was probably slightly more on the rise than football seemed to be (established coach, won NCAA tourney game last season)
2. The football season was scintillatiing -- Under The Lights, Denard, Molk/Martin/Hemingway/RVB, beating Ohio, the overtime Sugar win. 

Having said that, the two seasons are VERY similar and awesome and wonderful. Football tends to produce more vivid "moments" than BB ... there was no MBB equivalent heart-stoppage like Denard to Gallon and Roundtree in the last minute of UTL. However BB did also beat Ohio, and did share the B1G title.

The thing I am struck by the most is the group of seniors across both: Molk, Novak, Martin, Douglass, Hemingway, Van Bergen. It feels right just mixing their names together like that. These guys ALL stepped up with great leadership AND huge plays in the clutch. What amazing seasons. Thank you. You'll be missed. 

(Now of course MBB overtakes FB if they win, say, a tourney or two). 

I'm thrilled with both! But football is my heart.

1986 folks, 1986. It's been a loooonnnggggg time coming, and it feels great. These guys did something today that the Fab 5 never did, that Rumeal Robinson and Terry Mills never did.

Has to be football. Only thing comparable would be if Johnny B accomplished this same feat in year one with all of Amaker's recruits. Can't say enough how remarkable the job Hoke and the staff did this year

This is like picking between a nice pair of tits or a great ass. There is no bad option, so I will say both.

football. But this is kinda like saying which is the better option at Alinea...the Tasting menu or the Tour menu?

football. But this is kinda like saying which is the better option at Alinea...the Tasting menu or the Tour menu?

I have to say football.  After the last few years and the uncertainty with the new staff no one saw 11-2.  Basketball has been on a steady rise and even though Burke's play was unexpected, I also didn't think Hardaway Jr. was going to struggle as much as he has. Not taking anything away from the b-ball team, they have been great.  But if I have to pick I say football.

But the way you worded it, "Regular" season, it's basketball. It's all about the 'ships.  Basketball is Big Ten champs...they're got the ring.

Now, it remains to be seen which has the better SEASON. Michigan did win the Sugar Bowl, a championship and a rare jewel.  In the unlikely event baskettball loses it's next two games, it could be up for debate. If Beilein's boys are closing in on the Final Four, there won't be any debate.

I don't and wont even waste my time responding to this question. Wanna know why? Cause they both were great and I could care less which is better cause I got to enjoy both of them with my own two eyes. I say equal and Go Blue

Beilein had a lot of time with his team. Hoke had one season and did what he did. If you had said last year that we'd be 11-2/BCS Sugar Bowl Champs, I'd laugh in your face and tell you to go off your meds. Turn around was amazing. I'll be sad if Hoke doesn't win the Big Ten Championship next season though. That's what happens when you set the bar too high.

But that doesn't mean I'm not proud of the basketball team. Big Ten Champs, they did it, and I love them.

I think both had phenominal seasons, and both Beilein and Hoke did amazing jobs. However, as someone stated earlier, basketball had already come off of a pretty good season, almost beating Duke. What coach Hoke did for the football team was incredible though. We did a complete 180 as we went from the gator bowl (?) loss to a fiesta bowl win. Even if the basketball season may have been good, the football season was more impressive because of the huge turnaround. IMO.

I think the measuring stick for achievement has to be championships. So I'll say basketball since a B1G championship (and maybe more) is greater than a Sugar Bowl championship.

I think that Brady Hoke and Mattison did a better coaching job turning around the football team and specifically the Michigan defense. It was pretty amazing to watch the unwatchable defense of last year turn into a strong defense of this year.

I'm just happy that both teams are having / had great years!

Basketball, without question.  Football team didn't have to play the champs.  Basketball did and beat both of the co-champs

How awesome is it that we can have this debate?

Go Blue!

If the question is, which team outperformed expectations more, then that's a close call. But as to who had the better regular season: you play for the banner. I betcha 3 double points that Hoke would say the same thing.

But everyone is right: ultimately, it doesn't really matter. Both teams were incredibly fun to watch.

Basketball played a tougher schedule in a tougher conference than the football team.  The QB of the offense for the basketball team was a true freshman and Beilein does not run the easiest system to pick up.  

Both seasons were great surprises, but I think the basketball teams' accomplishments were greater.

yes.

I love that we are having this conversation.  

I think football was more impressive for the simple fact that this season created the notion of a grown man pooping magic.  Coach B is great, but I have never wondered about the content of how bowels and how it might affect the team's play on the court.

Any true Michigan fan has to be thrilled with the seasons that both teams had. Football and MBB are the money sports in college and we were fortunate to watch 2 very good teams this year. That being said, for a greater number of fans overall, football is, always has been and will remain king. I'll take any and all sporting titles our school can earn, but the football wins are my favorites.

Anyone who was surprised by the football team's success was either too dumb to know better or not smart enough to just listen to me for the 2-3 years leading up to it.  They lost nothing off a ridiculously young team and it was just a question of how much better would they be (and a slightly smoother offensive transition would have seen them undefeated).  The schedule also got easier (no Wisconsin) while the competition took a big dip (6-7 OSU).  The staff did a great job keeping everybody together, but the success should have been expected.  The best win of the regular season was over Nebraska at home (they got smoked by South Carolina in their bowl and dropped a kick return or two in the game to help our cause).  The next best?  8-5 Notre Dame (who we had beaten two years in a row) on a miracle finish? 

Basketball just won a share of the best conference in America.  They did it by winning 4 more league games than last year after losing one of the most gifted floor generals in the country (seriously, Darius Morris was the truth) and replacing him with a true freshman.  No other newcomer made any impact at all.  They beat MSU, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, OSU, and Illinois (twice, their record sucked but they are talented as fuck).  They beat Conference USA champs Memphis on a neutral floor.  They beat #3 in the Big XII Iowa State. They won the first Big Ten title at Michigan since 1986!

EVERY YEAR?!!?

I love Hoke, but by his standards this football season failed to meet expectations.  His goal is to win B1G championships.

I guess Beilein aspires to the same goal as that was the players chant coming out of breaks all year long.

So according to the coaches, I would say Basketball was the more impressive season, but the football season surprised ME more.

GO BLUE!

I think we all agree that BOTH teams were GREAT and, as Bob Ufer would have said, bless their Cottin'-Pickin' Maize-and-Blue hearts.

When I look at HOOPS, I see a pretty big talent gap between OSU and MSU and the rest of the B1G pack. Don't get me wrong, we're pretty darn good but OSU and MSU have the 4 and 5 star guys right now. We have scant inside game and still won our 1st B1G title since I was a senior. Beilien did wonders at WVU and has me feel giddy about hoops for the 1st time since '92-'93.

Our FB talent was already pretty good, if not very good. We had abominable coaching on special teams and defense. Only OSU really had more overall talent than Michigan last year. Luckily, tattoogate and a true FROSH QB opened the door for Hoke and his staff to have an outstanding season. Hoke will turn very good talent in to excellent talent soon enough.

It's a damn great time to be a MICHIGAN WOLVERINE!!!!!!!!

Football did a better job of exceeding expectations. We were all shell shocked after being smoked by Mississippi State (let alone all the losses to Ohio.)

However, I ultimately give the nod to Basketball, because of the Big 10 Championship.

As at least one poster already said, it remains to be seen what the Basketball team does from this point out. Should they do well in the Big 10 Tourney, and the NCAA Tourney, it would put all doubts to rest.

Think of it:  they still have an outside chance to get to 30 victories this year. Do I expect it? No, of course not. But is it possible? Win the Big 10 tourney, and get to the Final Four, and the mission would be accomplished.

Regardless, Basketball had a tremendous regular season, as did Football. I am looking forward to the next few years.

Basketball, to me, was like a B+ student getting an A. Football was like a C+ student getting an A-. Sure the basketball team got a better end grade, but the football team made a bigger leap.

The simple fact that this thread exists right now makes me so happy...

Tough call though on which is better.  I guess I'd go with b-ball.  Michigan is about championships.  Both senior classes deserve a lot of credit for what they've been through and what they've done for the university and its fans.  They make me proud to be a 2-time Mich grad (soon to be 3-time), and a Mich fan for life.