The Florida Gators have returned home after their thrilling 65-63 championship-securing victory over the University of Houston in the 2025 National Championship Game.

A thrill-a-minute NCAA title for the Florida Gators in San Antonio has reminded us all of what’s so good about the games these college athletes play.

The end of national championship game was gritty and ugly, just the way Houston usually likes it.

Florida wins its third NCAA basketball title and denies Houston its first, rallying for 65-63 victory.

Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing defense Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own D stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team is just hours away from competing for a National Championship against the Houston Cougars in San Antonio, and the University of Florida is hoping to gather as many members of Gator Nation as possible to celebrate the occasion.

This year, the Florida Gators have had the pleasure of witnessing one of their players do everything possible to cement his name among the college greats: Walter Clayton Jr.

Sports photographer Jacob Simons made the trip to Texas and captured the game in pictures. Click through the gallery above for action from the game.

Florida has gone from being picked to finish sixth in the rugged Southeastern Conference to playing for national championship.

Gator fans across the country are celebrating now that their squad is headed to the National Championship Game for the first time in nearly two decades.

Two All-Americans, one chance to give their their team a chance to win a national championship.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007.

Auburn and Florida are the last two standing of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams that made the NCAA Tournament.

Auburn and Florida are the last two standing of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams that made the NCAA Tournament.

Are you planning on traveling to San Antonio to see the Florida Gators in the Final Four? Tell us your experience looking for game and plane tickets.

Walter Clayton Jr. rescued top-seeded Florida with two late 3-pointers, and the Gators rallied from nine points down late to reach the Final Four with an 84-79 victory over Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final.

Texas Tech star outside shooter Chance McMillian returned for the Red Raiders’ Elite Eight game against Florida after missing the previous four games with an oblique injury.

Will Richard scored 15 points, Alijah Martin added 14 points and seven rebounds, and top-seeded Florida played a steady second half to run away from No. 4 seed Maryland and into the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final with an 87-71 win.

Walter Clayton Jr. and Florida ended UConn’s pursuit of a third straight national championship, with Clayton burying two key 3-pointers in the final three minutes of a scintillating 77-75 victory for the top-seeded Gators in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

First-team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. scored 23 points and Florida defeated Norfolk State 95-69, ensuring all four No. 1 seeds made it out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament unscathed.

Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. is The Associated Press men's college basketball player of the week.

Johni Broome of Auburn and Cooper Flagg of Duke are unanimous first-team selections for The Associated Press men's college basketball All-America team.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points as fourth-ranked Florida won its fifth Southeastern Conference Tournament title and first since 2014 Sunday, beating the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 86-77.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points, and No. 4 Florida pulled away from No. 5 Alabama for a 104-82 victory in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 23 points on senior night, Alex Condon notched his second straight double-double and No. 5 Florida beat Mississippi 90-71 in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Alex Condon had 27 points and10 rebounds to lead No. 5 Florida to a 99-94 win over No. 7 Alabama on Wednesday night.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 19 points and Alex Condon added 17 as No. 6 Florida rallied from an early deficit and beat No. 1 Auburn 90-81 Saturday, ending the Tigers’ 14-game winning streak.

Chaz Lanier scored 19 points to lead shorthanded No. 8 Tennessee to a 64-44 win over No. 5 Florida.

KJ Simpson rattled in a tiebreaking jumper from the baseline with 2 seconds left, and 10th-seeded Colorado beat seventh-seeded Florida in a 102-100 thriller in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The NCAA generated nearly $1.3 billion in revenue for the 2022-23 fiscal year, and more than half of that was distributed back to Division I members.

Walter Clayton Jr. made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:42 remaining in overtime and added two free throws with 16.4 seconds left to finish with 23 points and Florida outlasted No. 10 Kentucky 94-91 for its fourth consecutive victory.