The Georgia Dome was loud. Like, deafeningly loud. If you were watching the 2007 NCAA basketball championship on a grainy CRT television back in April of that year, you probably remember the sea of orange and blue. Billy Donovan stood on the sidelines, looking like he’d already won before the tip-off. And honestly? He basically had.
Florida was trying to do something that hadn't been done since the early 90s. They wanted to repeat. Not just repeat with a new roster, but do it with the exact same starting five. It’s a feat that feels almost impossible in the modern era of the transfer portal and NIL deals. Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, and Lee Humphrey. They were rockstars. They were the "Oh Fives."
The Myth of the Unbeatable Gators
The 2006-07 Florida Gators didn't just play basketball; they suffocated people. Going into the 2007 NCAA basketball championship game, the narrative wasn't about whether Ohio State could win, but whether Greg Oden could somehow transcend the laws of physics to stop the Florida machine.
People forget how much pressure was on Florida that year. Usually, when a team wins a title, the stars bolt for the NBA lottery. Noah and Horford could have been top-five picks in 2006. They stayed. They stayed because they wanted to prove that the first run wasn't a fluke. That’s a lot of weight for a college kid to carry.
Ohio State was the challenger, led by a freshman phenom named Greg Oden. He was supposed to be the next Bill Russell. Mike Conley Jr. was the lightning-fast point guard who seemed to get to the rim at will. It was a heavyweight fight, literally. You had Oden versus the combined frontcourt of Horford and Noah.
📖 Related: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
What Actually Happened in Atlanta
The game started, and Greg Oden was a monster. He ended the night with 25 points and 12 rebounds. He played with one hand effectively taped up because of a wrist injury. It was one of the most heroic losing efforts in the history of the Final Four. But basketball is a team sport, and Florida was the ultimate team.
Florida shot the lights out. They hit 10 of 18 three-pointers. Lee Humphrey, a guy who looked like he should be tutoring you in calculus, was hitting shots from the parking lot. He hit a massive one in the second half that basically acted as a dagger to the Buckeyes' heart.
The final score was 84-75. It wasn't as close as the score looked. Florida led for most of the game. Every time Ohio State made a run, Corey Brewer would leak out for a dunk or Taurean Green would settle things down. It was clinical. It was the last time we saw a true "team" dominate the sport before the one-and-done era completely took over and changed the chemistry of college hoops.
The Oden vs. Horford/Noah Dynamic
If you look at the box score, you might think Oden won the individual battle. He did. But Florida’s depth was sickening. While Oden was battling foul trouble—a recurring theme in his career—Horford was calmly putting up 18 points and 12 boards.
👉 See also: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
Noah didn’t have a huge scoring night, but his energy was the engine. He was everywhere. Screaming, clapping, blocking shots, and being the most hated man in every arena outside of Gainesville. That’s the nuance of that 2007 squad; they didn't need one guy to drop 30. They just needed everyone to do their job.
Why This Game Changed Recruiting Forever
After the 2007 NCAA basketball championship, the landscape shifted. John Calipari was at Memphis, and he was watching. The "one-and-done" rule had just started, and while Florida won with juniors and seniors, the runners-up (Ohio State) had been led by freshmen.
Coaches realized that while Florida’s "stay together" model was beautiful, it was getting harder to replicate. The lure of the NBA was too strong. We started seeing teams built for one-year windows. Think about the 2012 Kentucky team or the 2015 Duke team. They were the offspring of the 2007 Ohio State model, not the Florida one.
There’s a misconception that Florida was just more talented. They weren't. Ohio State had more "pro-ready" individual talent on that specific night if you look at the draft boards. But Florida had the chemistry of three years of playing together. You can't recruit chemistry. You have to grow it.
✨ Don't miss: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
The Legacy of the 2007 Final Four
We talk about the "Oh Fives" now like they are mythical figures. It’s rare to see a group of guys genuine enough to pass up millions of dollars just to play one more year in a humid gym in North Central Florida.
- Joakim Noah: Became an All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA.
- Al Horford: Still playing at a high level in the NBA nearly two decades later, a testament to his fundamentals.
- Corey Brewer: Had a long, productive career as a "3-and-D" specialist.
- Greg Oden: Unfortunately became one of the biggest "what-ifs" in sports history due to knee injuries.
The 2007 game was the last time college basketball felt "old school" while simultaneously ushering in the "new school" of elite freshman dominance. It was the bridge between two eras.
If you want to understand why college basketball feels so fragmented today, look back at 2007. It was the peak of the mountain. It was the last time a powerhouse stayed together long enough to become a dynasty. Since then, we’ve had great teams, but we haven't had a Florida.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are looking to understand the historical context of the tournament or scouting why certain teams succeed today, keep these factors in mind:
- Frontcourt Depth Over Individual Stars: Florida won because they had two NBA-level bigs to rotate onto Oden. When betting or bracket-picking, look for teams with multiple high-quality interior defenders rather than just one star.
- The Three-Point Equalizer: Florida's 55% shooting from deep in that game neutralized Oden's dominance in the paint. A team that can shoot over a zone or a dominant center is always the safer bet.
- Experience vs. Talent: In a 40-minute game, the team that has played 100 games together usually beats the team that has played 30. This is why "mid-majors" with seniors often upset "powerhouses" with freshmen in the early rounds today.
The 2007 NCAA basketball championship remains a masterclass in roster retention. It's a blueprint that is nearly impossible to follow in 2026, which makes what Billy Donovan accomplished even more legendary as time goes on. If you ever find yourself in Gainesville, just say the names "Joakim" or "Al." You'll see exactly what that championship meant. It wasn't just a trophy; it was the end of an era.
To truly appreciate the 2007 championship, watch the full game replay if you can find it. Pay attention to how Florida moves without the ball. It's a clinic in spacing and unselfishness that modern teams still try to emulate.