NCAA Basketball: Texas Tech, Virginia headline new wave of blueblood programs

The 2019 national title game was a sign of things to come. Find out why both Texas Tech and Virginia aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Virginia’s 84-77 overtime victory over Texas Tech in the national championship game really doesn’t mean all that much when it comes to the futures of these two programs.

I mean, yes, the victory means a ton for Virginia, especially after last season’s loss to UMBC. It validates everything about the program, Tony Bennett, and their style of play.

But in terms of the larger picture? It only provides that validation, because both Texas Tech and Virginia are here to stay as two of the country’s rising blueblood programs.

The traditional college basketball powerhouses have consisted of largely the same group forever. Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, and UCLA have been the sport’s marquee programs for as long as any of us can remember, and that group has largely remained untouched.

Sure, Michigan State and Duke took a little longer to wedge their way into the top-tier and a couple (namely UCLA and Indiana) have largely struggled over the past decade, but they’re still at the top of the sport. They’re every other school’s biggest game and are a consistent attraction rather than a simple team.

There have been plenty of other programs that have had periods of sustained success. Georgetown, Florida, Louisville, and UConn (among others) have all had these periods, but they’re just that – periods. Eras. They failed to cross over into that mythical “blueblood” status.

A blueblood is, by definition, something noble. Something that is the highest class. Something that is virtually impossible to assimilate into.

Yet there is a new wave of teams that are starting to enter that blueblood tier, and both the Cavaliers and Red Raiders are at the center of that movement.

Tony Bennett has turned the Virginia program into one of the best of the decade. They have won the ACC regular season title and at least 30 games in four of the past six seasons, emerging as a benchmark other teams judge themselves by. With the burden of NCAA Tournament failure off their backs, their greatness has finally begun to be celebrated in a just manner.

You can criticize their style of play all you want but one thing has always remained true – they’ve been at the top of the standings no matter who they’ve had on the court. That’s not going to change as long as Bennett is in charge.

Chris Beard hasn’t had the longstanding success at Texas Tech that Bennett has had at Virginia (after all, this was only his third season in Lubbock) but has showcased his prowess in his short tenure.

Last year’s Elite Eight appearance was a first in the school’s history and, with a totally new group this season, topped it in a big way. He has quickly given the program an identity and standard of greatness, and there is nothing to suggest that he (or the Red Raiders) are going anywhere anytime soon.

These two met in the national championship game one year after Villanova knocked off Michigan in another game between two of these “new blueblood” programs.

The Wildcats really started the conversation after winning their second national championship under Jay Wright, giving the program three total. Their streak of six consecutive seasons with some form of a conference championship has cemented their place in this rising tier. And, given Wright’s ability as a coach, excellent recruiting classes, and his determination to stay at the school, Villanova is going to remain at the top of the Big East, and the country, for the foreseeable future.

Michigan has yet to win that elusive national championship under head coach John Beilein but they sure have come close, making it to two of the last seven title games and five of the last seven Sweet 16s.

There’s also Gonzaga, the school that has maintained unprecedented levels of success under head coach Mark Few. The Zags have never won fewer than 23 games in a season since he took over in 1999 and have made the Big Dance every year. Like Michigan, they haven’t gotten that elusive national championship, but there’s no doubting their dominance – or their likelihood of winning one in the future.

All five of these schools, save Texas Tech, also have history bolstering their national profile. Virginia has their Final Fours in the 1980s with Ralph Sampson, Villanova has their 1985 national championship, and Michigan has their 1989 national title and the legacy of the Fab Five.

All five also have coaches that are among the very best in the profession and have all turned down numerous offers to stay at their respective schools, giving the indication that all will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

The seven current blueblood programs have all been led by legendary coaches that elevated the profile of those programs and put them in that elite tier. These five are doing the same with their on-court success and the consistency of their greatness.

It’s not just one recruiting class of players dominating or a school having a good five-year stretch – it was the championships and regular season success that earmarked them as bluebloods.

Obviously, the national championships aren’t there for some of these five “new bluebloods” and the tenure is missing for Beard. They’re not there yet. But these five schools have all the signs of programs that will dominate the sport for the next decade for two.

So, for those who were (wrongfully) dismayed by the matchup on Monday night, there’s bad news – neither Texas Tech or Virginia are going anywhere anytime soon.

Except to more championship games.