It’s here. The grand finale of SEC foes squaring off in the biggest of games ahead of the Final Four. Under unique circumstances, all four No. 1 seeds found their way onto the big stage. However, under the brightest of lights, both Florida and Auburn will run it back for the last time.
Unique, indeed. The SEC has made the most drama of any conference after securing a record-high 14 bids to March Madness. Only two of those teams still remain, and they are now battling to reach the national championship. For the first time in conference history, the SEC will have two teams competing against each other in the Final Four. Yet, one will arise victorious.
There’s no undermining both Florida and Auburn’s success. To this point, both the Gators and the Tigers faced an immense field of talent. Still, these juggernauts held their own and will have to persist through another 40-minute bloodbath. Make no mistake, each of these two teams is here for a reason. Auburn was the SEC’s regular-season champion, while Florida was the SEC’s Tournament Champion. It’s only fitting that we get one last clash.
Florida currently rides a 10-game winning streak under the likes of Walter Clayton Jr., who has dominated the NCAA Tournament thus far. Clayton has averaged 22.3 points per game across four tournament games. He has been the absolute focal point of Florida’s offense, and his clutch 30-point performance with two late-game threes sent the Gators into the Final Four. The Gators have certainly stumbled along the way. However, in the heat of the moment, Todd Golden’s team has found a way to get it done. Florida will seek a reappearance at the national championship for the first time since 2007 when the Gators won back-to-back championships.
On the other hand, Auburn was arguably the most counted-out No. 1 seed prior to the start of March Madness. After falling short in the SEC Tournament, the disappointing stigma was shot to its grave after the Tigers took care of business against Creighton, Michigan, and Michigan State. The path to this stage has been far from easy. With the likes of Johni Broome and Tahaad Pettiford, the Tigers have found a spark in the offense that not many defenses have been able to stop. Furthermore, Bruce Pearl and his squad are seeking the program’s second-ever championship appearance and first championship victory.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the biggest postseason matchup.
How to watch Florida vs Auburn
- Date: Saturday, April 5
- Time: 6:09 p.m. ET
- Venue: Alamodome
- How to Watch (TV): CBS
- Streaming: fubo TV
- Florida record: 34-4
- Auburn record: 32-5
Florida vs. Auburn odds, spread, and total
Odds provided by Fanduel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- Auburn +126
- Florida -152
Spread
- Auburn +2.5 (-110)
- Florida -2.5 (-110)
Total
- 159.5 (over -115, under -105)
Florida injury report
- N/A
Auburn injury report
- Johni Broome F/C - Questionable (elbow)
Auburn and Florida series history
- Florida all-time record vs Auburn: 84-92
Florida vs Auburn Prediction
I followed the storylines with Auburn when they faced Michigan in the Sweet 16, and despite everyone telling me that Michigan was going to upset Auburn, I stuck with my gut in picking the Tigers. I recognize that this is a much different scenario, stage, and opponent, and I believe that, regardless, this is going to come down to the wire.
I will gladly go off on a limb and exclaim my disapproval of the Tigers heading into the tournament. In fact, in all three of my brackets, I selected the Florida Gators to win it all. I was under the impression that Auburn is extremely vulnerable and unequivocally sloppy while under pressure. The SEC Tournament was the turn-off for me, and I believe many people accepted that standard as well.
Of course, we have seen times when Auburn beats themselves and becomes sloppy. That has been the point of emphasis across four games thus far. If Auburn can establish a rhythm, play discipline, not shoot five seconds into the possession, and just play solid defense, the Tigers will be hard to stop. That is just a general statement. From what I’ve seen thus far, Auburn has proven they can compete and beat any team if they play to standard.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Walter Clayton Jr. I love Alijah Martin. I love Will Richard. I love Alex Condon. But this team has been on the fringe of elimination a couple of times now. Florida was lucky to escape UConn and even luckier to escape Texas Tech. Sure, the Gators have found a way to win, but seemingly, the Tigers have pulled away in the second half, not even having to look back against all four of their opponents. The track record favors Auburn, and I’m going to stay with that.
Personally, I like the depth, experience, and prior success of Auburn better. Give me the Auburn Tigers to punch their ticket to the national championship.