CBS Sports Graphic
The national championship game that will draw the curtain on the 2025 NCAA Tournament has been finalized after No. 1 seed Florida knocked off No. 1 overall seed Auburn and No. 1 seed Houston rallied to stun No. 1 seed Duke in the Final Four games on Saturday. The Cougars have opened as a 1-point favorite in the game against the Gators, which will take place Monday night at 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS.
For the 11th time in NCAA Tournament history, two No. 1 seeds will meet for the national title. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the marquee matchup between Florida and Houston.
How the Gators got here
Florida’s road to the title game has been full of twists and turns. The Gators had to rally to survive an upset bid from two-time reigning national champion UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and overcame a 10-point deficit with less than 6 minutes remaining against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight to advance. Florida trailed by as many as nine points against Auburn in the national semifinals but advanced to the title game behind stout guard play from Walter Clayton Jr.
Florida in the NCAA Tournament
How the Cougars got here
Houston’s path to the national title game was full of thrilling finishes. The Cougars held off a furious comeback bid over Gonzaga in the second round, eliminated Purdue in the Sweet 16 after Milos Uzan scored a bucket with just over 1 second remaining and pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in NCAA Tournament history against Duke in the Final Four. The Cougars trailed by as many as 14 points with just over 8 minutes remaining before using a huge run to propel the Cougars to the title game. Houston closed the game on a 9-0 run against Duke.
Houston in the NCAA Tournament
How the Gators and Cougars match up: Florida has some of the best frontcourt depth of any team in the country. The Gators can wear teams down because of how many players they can rotate in and out, but Houston will offer a unique test. The Cougars’ frontcourt is gritty and tough, and it’s part of the reason why Houston finished as the No. 1 scoring defense (58.3 points per game).
Houston also has the top-ranked 3-point shooting offense led by sharpshooters LJ Cryer and Milos Uzan. Florida has the best guard in this game (Clayton), and it will take a group effort to contain him. The Gators rank No. 5 in offensive rebounding percentage (38.9%). The team that wins the battle inside the paint will likely be the last team standing on Monday night in San Antonio.
What’s at stake: For the second time in NCAA Tournament history and the first time since 2008, all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four. No matter who won both national semifinal games on Saturday, college basketball fans were due for an epic title game matchup. Florida will be eyeing its first national title since 2007 when the program won back-to-back national championships under former coach Billy Donovan. Florida coach Todd Golden has built this program back up into one of the best in the sport, and winning a national title in Year 3 would do wonders for his resume.
Houston is seeking its first national title in program history. The Cougars lost the national title game twice in the mid-1980s and reached the Final Four in 2021 before losing to eventual national champion Baylor. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson is one of the best coaches in the sport who has yet to win a national title, and a win for the Cougars would go a long way for his legacy and cement him as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.
