Matchday: Gators vs. Houston (CBS, 8.50 p.m. ET) – UF a victory from the third national championship of the program removed

San Antonio-Da was completed the Matchup late Saturday evening, the media tried to frame the national championship game in Florida-Houston in the right context.

Both are No. 1 seed. Both teams are 35-4. Both are at stake, and the Gators win 17 of their last 18 games and Houston has a winning streak of 18 games.

(Read colleague Chris Harry“S comprehensive” Pregame -Stuff “preview by clicking here)

The two programs only met twice, the last time in 1973, long before the massive alamodome – location of today’s March -Madness finals – was even a thought. This game happened for a decade before the Phi Slama Jama Cougar, in one of the most memorable disorders in the history of the NCAA tournament, which are lost in the summer Jim Valvano‘S NC State Wolfpack in 1983.

For long-time Gator fans, their significant memory of a Florida-Houston Rumble took place in 1969 when the outsider Gator made in a game that made quarterback John Reeves and recipient Carlos Alvarez The number 1 of the magazine Playboy in Florida Field annoyed Famous.

Despite the lack of head-to-head history through the programs, the intrigue is never in short supply when a national championship is at stake.

The final.

📍alamodoma
🆚 Houston
@ 20:50 pm est pic.twitter.com/fxnwmuvk8o

– Florida Gators Herrenbasketball (@GatorsMBK) April 7, 2025

Start with the contrast in head coaches, 39-year-old Gators trainer Todd Golden and 69-year-old Cougars trainer Kelvin Sampson. In just his third season in Florida, Golden has a victory from her first national title in 18 years. Sampson is the oldest in his 36th season as head coach who won a national championship if the Cougars were supposed to prevail.

“I saw Tubby (Smith) and Rick Barnes, Tom Izzo, Pop (Gregg Popovich), a few older coaches,” said Sampson on Sunday. “They all had similar news for me. Win one for the old boys, something like that. We were all young at the same time.”

In the meantime, Golden is a figurehead for the new generation of coaches who rely on analytics and deep data dives for a possible border. He spoke high above Sampson on Sunday, but he knows that the players and the contrasting styles of the teams find that the Trophy championship raises afterwards.

The stingy defense of Houston, which was classified in first place in the country, could hinder Florida’s strong offense, which is nationally in the hit.

“Yes, it is funny, analytical, we and Houston, on Kenpom, our efficiency margin is within a point of one of each other over a hundred possessions,” said Golden. “We are an elite offensive team, a top 10 team.

“I think there will be some problems out there for us. If we are not fixed well, we will be in difficulties. We are a pretty offensive team of the elite.
While the contrast in styles can be seen on the square, the amount in the alamodome is another remarkable topic that has appeared continuously in the last 36 hours. The University of Houston campus is less than 200 miles from the alamodome, and the Cougars are expected to have an important crowd advantage.

This will be nothing new for the Gator in this off -season. They defeated Tennessee in the Sec tournament championship in Nashville last month and spoiled the afternoon for the rabid Rocky Topper in the stands.

“I probably kept myself how this environment would look like,” said Golden. “We went in there and it was 80% Tennessee fans. I said:” Man, we have a street game to win the SEC title. “It is only part of what you have to go through to win a national championship.”

Tennessee offers more than a similarity to Houston. Golden said that the Vols were the best comparison with the Cougars that Florida was with. Tennessee is defensively and has a physical style that the Gators overcurred twice this season in the three meetings.

Walter Clayton Jr.The 34 points of the victory on Saturday evening against Auburn had stamped his place in the last four record books, Houston saw from the coming against Duke against Duke.

He was impressed.

“They are good in what they do and they are all defensive on a cord,” said Clayton. “They try to force them to do the things they should do and they play so hard.”

The Gator also play hard, and this is one reason why they are able to claim the program’s first national championship since the successive titles in 2006 and 2007.

Golden came to Florida for possibilities like this evening. If the Gators win, he would be the youngest head coach because Valvano had picked up the Cougars 42 years ago in “The Pit” in Albuquerque.

He was not born. But Houston fans don’t need painful memories.

The gators try to give them another.

“It is a big challenge for us,” said Golden. We had 40 minutes for a chance to win a national championship and continue to start this conversation. “

The game report on CBS offers the broadcast crew from Ian Eagle On play-by-play, Grant Hill And Bill Raftery Provision of analyzes and Tracy Wolfson Reporting. The Gator Sports Network from Laarkend Broadcast has Sean Kelley (Play-by-play), Lee Humphrey (Analysis) and Steve Egan (Producer/host) Court on the alamodome.

Click here for GSN stations.

Finally they follow Floridagators.com Senior writer Chris Harry (@Gatorchris) and Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for comments and analyzes on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) throughout the game. Floridagators.com You will have complete reporting after the game and after follow-up content on Tuesday.

 

Gators in the house

The Gators play in the national championship and many top -class gators want to see it.

This is Florida’s first opportunity to win a national championship in men’s basketball or football, as the UF soccer team Oklahoma defeated the BCS National Championship in Miami in January 2009. The men’s basketball team won two titles in 2006 and 2007.

The list of prominent gators that are expected to be in the game includes UF football coach Billy NapierSoftball trainer Tim WaltonFootball coach Samantha Bohon and men’s tennis trainer Adam Steinberg.

Now former UF basketball player Al Horford And Walter HodgeMembers of the successive title teams from UF plan to be present. Others are included Bradley BealPresent Jason WilliamsPresent Udonis HaslemPresent Alex FudgePresent Jack BerryPresent Jonathan Mitchell And Brett Swanson.

Also the Heisman Trophy winner from 1996 Danny WuerffelRecipient Chris Doing and former UF -Defense -Lineman Thad bullard (WWE’s Titus O’Neil) will be in the alamodome this evening when the Gators are opposed to Houston.