The Gators have played in the NCAA tournament often since those championships, even reaching the Four Four in 2014. After missing out on the tournament in 2022 and 2023, Florida returned to March Madness in 2024, but lost in the first round. The Gators returned much stronger in 2025 and could take home their third NCAA championship Monday night.

Florida defeated UConn, Maryland, Texas Tech and Auburn along the way, while Houston dispatched Gonzaga, Purdue, Tennessee and Duke. A matchup projected to be this close requires you to split hairs, but one minor red flag that stands out is that the Gators continue to rely on Walter Clayton Jr. to rescue them when things begin to go awry.