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Boots on the Ground: Reliving the Gainesville National Championship Experience

While the Florida Gators won a national championship in San Antonio, fans in Gainesville took to the streets to celebrate.
Dylan Olive|
Images from Gainesville during the NCAA national championship men's basketball game between the Florida Gators and the Houston Cougars in Gainesville, FL on Monday, April 7, 2025.
Images from Gainesville during the NCAA national championship men's basketball game between the Florida Gators and the Houston Cougars in Gainesville, FL on Monday, April 7, 2025. | Chris Watkins/Special to the Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- As the Florida Gators cut down the nets, hoisted the trophy and solidified themselves in basketball history, Gators fans rushed the court 1,000 miles away.

The city of Gainesville pulsed with jubilation after their beloved Gators closed out a historic season, winning their first national title in 18 years with a 65-63 win over Houston. Though the game was played halfway across the country, the college town showed out for their program.

Now that the dust has settled, relive what will surely be a night remembered by thousands in the city of Gainesville, Florida.

O’Connell Center Watch Party

One of the most popular places to watch the national championship bout in Gainesville was at the Gators home floor, where the Exactech Arena saw 122 more people in attendance than it has seats.

Florida Gators
Over 11,000 fans overtook Exactech Arena to watch the Florida Gators play Houston in the national championship. | Dylan Olive / Gators Illustrated

The arena was open to fans free of charge and provided similar entertainment to any other home game. Though a line outside the Gators court had built throughout the day, it all came crashing down once doors opened as everyone pushed together, flooding the gates in an all-out brawl to get in.

Just an hour after gates opened, the University announced they were now closed and at full capacity.

Even before the first tip, the crowd in the arena matched any atmosphere the stadium had seen all year, with the mixture of students and locals excited for what was ahead. The excitement was most notable any time star guard Walter Clayton Jr. made an appearance on the big screen.

When the Gators weren't shown, the crowd made sure to change their tone with an echo of boos every time a Cougar was shown on the screen.

Throughout the game, fans cheered the same way they would have if it was being played on the court right in front of them, even stopping late into the second half to continue a beloved tradition.

When the final buzzer sounded and forward Alex Condron fell to the floor, securing a loose ball to clinch the game, fans swarmed the hardwood to celebrate in the same place the season started for the Gators.

The court remained full for over thirty minutes, with fans coming together to soak in the euphoric atmosphere and historical event. While most would leave the stadium with their ears ringing, the celebration was truly one to remember

Fans Flock to the Street

Despite rain pouring down, thousands of fans found themselves on University Avenue, the main street next to campus, as the night continued. On the asphalt roads, the only thing visible was Orange and Blue.

With the streets flooded with college students, it was only a matter of time before inevitable chaos.Fans climbed stop lights, signs and overtook the Midtown portion of University Avenue.

In another popular video, Gators football star Caleb Banks and a crowd of Florida students can be seen converting a Houston fan into a Florida Gator.

Welcome Home, Champs

After a magical night, Gator Nation still showed out in full force to welcome back their national champion team on Tuesday. Spanning over three hours, fans waited at Flavet Field to cheer on the team after landing back in Gainesville.

The event included speeches from Gators coach Todd Golden and Clayton Jr. before the team went into the crowd to sign autographs and greet the Florida faithful.

Though the celebration ended there, it won’t be the last opportunity for fans to see their 2025 national champs in Gainesville.

Ahead of Saturday's spring game for the football team, UF announced a larger celebration with more details to come later.

Clearly a historic night, the celebration in Gainesville is likely to continue over the span of the entire week, making Gainesville the place to be for Gator fans across the country.

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Dylan Olive
DYLAN OLIVE

Dylan Olive. Bio: Dylan Olive is a contributing writer at Florida Gators on SI from Key West, FL. He is a recent graduate from the University of Florida. When not writing, he is likely spending time with his wife and dog or watching the New York Yankees or Giants. Twitter: @DylanOlive_UF

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