By: Josh Anderson
In a rare and historic March Madness outcome, all four No. 1 seeds have advanced to the Final Four, marking the first time this has happened since 2008 and the second time in history. This year’s Final Four will feature Auburn, Florida, Duke, and Houston — each of whom entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed and proved their dominance through the first four rounds. The tournament, known for its upsets and Cinderella stories, has instead seen the top-ranked teams live up to expectations, dominating their respective regions and setting the stage for a showdown of college basketball’s best.
Saturday’s first national semifinal will pit the two juggernauts left standing from this season’s most dominant conference. SEC regular-season champ Auburn (32-5) will face off against SEC tournament champion Florida (34-4) with a spot in the national title game at stake. While upsets have been frequent in recent years, this year’s tournament has showcased the strength of the selection committee’s top picks, with each of these teams overcoming tough challenges to punch their ticket to the national semifinals.
Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, this marks only the second time all four No. 1 seeds have made it to the Final Four. The last instance occurred in 2008, when Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA all advanced, with the Jayhawks eventually cutting down the nets. The rarity of this achievement speaks to the unpredictability of the tournament, where lower-seeded teams often pull off stunning upsets.
Despite being favorites, each team faced adversity along the way. Auburn, led by Bruce Pearl, survived a thrilling overtime battle in the Elite Eight, while Florida, under Todd Golden, had to rally from a double-digit deficit to avoid an upset. Duke, coached by Jon Scheyer, and Houston, guided by Kelvin Sampson, showcased their defensive prowess, stifling opponents en route to convincing victories. With all four No. 1 seeds advancing, fans are now guaranteed a clash of powerhouse programs in the semifinals. The matchups promise high-level basketball, featuring future NBA talent, legendary coaches, and passionate fan bases.
The national semifinals will take place on Saturday, April 5, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Auburn will face Florida, while Duke will take on Houston. The winners will then meet on Monday night for the national championship.
While March Madness is often defined by underdog stories, this year’s Final Four is all about excellence at the top. Will this tournament end with a dominant champion, or will one of these No. 1 seeds pull off a surprise of their own in the final chapter? Either way, history has already been made
