In what year had the Florida Gators last won the NCAA men's basketball championship before their 2025 victory?

Before their remarkable 2025 NCAA men's basketball championship, the Florida Gators last hoisted the coveted trophy in 2007. This victory was particularly historic, marking a rare back-to-back national championship for the Gators, a feat not accomplished in men's college basketball since Duke's triumphs in the early 1990s. Even more impressively, the 2007 squad was the first in NCAA history to repeat as champions with the exact same starting lineup.

The 2007 championship game saw Florida face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes, a team they had also defeated in the BCS National Championship for football earlier that year. This unique circumstance meant the University of Florida became the only school in NCAA history to hold both the men's basketball and football national championships in the same academic year. The Gators, led by coach Billy Donovan and a talented roster including future NBA players like Al Horford, Joakim Noah, and Corey Brewer, cemented their place in college basketball lore with their dominant performance throughout the tournament, culminating in an 84-75 win over Ohio State.

The 2007 team's success underscored a golden era for Florida basketball, showcasing their ability to recruit and develop exceptional talent under Donovan's leadership. Their repeat performance solidified their status as a powerhouse in the sport, leaving a lasting legacy of teamwork and championship pedigree that fans remembered fondly until their next hypothetical title run.