Dick Vitale Predicts Auburn Will Fall Short of Expectations Again

The college basketball broadcasting legend Dick Vitale, better known as “Dickie V” for all who follow the sport, has put his bracket for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. After one of the more exciting college basketball seasons in recent history finished, here is what the legendary basketball commentator has happening in his bracket and where he has the No. 1 overall seed Auburn Tigers.

Vitale has the Tigers beating whoever wins the matchup between Alabama State and St. Francis matchup in the First Four. That would send the Tigers to the Round of 32. In that matchup, he has them taking down Louisville to reach the Sweet 16.

The Cardinals are the No. 10 team via the AP Poll but an eight-seed for the Tournament. However, Vitale still believes in the Tigers and their ability to ‘stifle’ opposing defenses.

In the Sweet 16, the Tigers’ season comes to an end against five-seed Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines won the Big Ten Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers. It would be the earliest of any of the one-seeds to lose. He briefly mentions that his reasoning is the Wolverines' ability to out-rebound the Tigers.

He has the Houston Cougars making it to the Final Four, losing to another one-seed in the Duke Blue Devils. He also has the other one-seed, the Florida Gators, making it to the National Championship after a win in the Final Four against Michigan State (who would have beat Michigan in the hypothetical matchup). In his National Championship, he has the Blue Devils beating the Gators to finish things off.

Dickie V is predicting disaster for Tigers players, coaches and fans. This would be yet another top team that fails to make a deep run in the Big Dance. However, there should be plenty of optimism for the Tigers to make this run and prove the prediction wrong.

More From Auburn Tigers on SI