The riveting action took viewers by storm, too. Monday's national championship averaged 18.1 million viewers on CBS, up 22% year-over-year and the most-watched title game since 2019, when Virginia beat Texas Tech in overtime. During a hectic finish between the Gators and Cougars, viewership peaked at 21.1 million.

Three weeks ago, 24 staffers submitted their predictions for The Athletic’s consensus men’s NCAA Tournament bracket. Eleven voters picked Duke to win the national championship, followed by six for Florida and five for Houston.

The 2025 men's NCAA tournament is down to the final two teams. Florida narrowly defeated Auburn in their Final Four game, winning 79-73. But that's practically nothing compared to Houston coming back to stun Duke 70-67.