The end of national championship game was gritty and ugly, just the way Houston usually likes it. Except this time Florida was forcing bad shots and turnovers against Houston when it counted.

The riveting action took viewers by storm, too. Monday's national championship averaged 18.1 million viewers on CBS, up 22% year-over-year and the most-watched title game since 2019, when Virginia beat Texas Tech in overtime. During a hectic finish between the Gators and Cougars, viewership peaked at 21.1 million.