Turnabout is fair play: Duke fans react to Houston’s late choke job vs. Florida

What goes around comes around. If you dish it, you got to take it. These are all messages directed towards the Houston Cougars and their fanbase.

My, how the tables have turned. After storming back to beat the Duke Blue Devils in the Final Four, Cougar fans couldn't wait to pile on Cooper Flagg and the crew. Now, after the Cougars had an epic meltdown of their own against the Florida Gators in the National Championship, the fans in Durham are pulling out receipts.

Houston got a taste of karma after blowing a 12-point lead against Florida in the National Championship Game

Houston’s collapse in the national championship game against Florida was the ultimate choke job — not just because of the stakes, but because of how it unfolded. Up 12 points midway through the second half, with one of the nation’s stingiest defenses and all the momentum, they simply fell apart.

After steam rolling their way through the tournament and narrowly escaping Duke in the Final Four, the Cougars got tight when it mattered most. And let’s talk about that Duke game for a second. Houston fans were insufferable after that comeback. Acting like they’d conquered a blue-blood dynasty with grit and guts — when in reality, Duke gift-wrapped the game with blown opportunities, poor late-game decisions, and even a controversial no-call on Cooper Flagg in crunch time.

So now? Let the ridicule rain. Houston fans talked like they belonged among the greats, but their team folded when history came calling. There are no championships in their history, including the great Phi Slamma Jamma teams in the 80s. They’ll always have the “what ifs,” while Duke — as painful as that loss was — got their karmic closure when Florida did what they couldn’t: finish the job. Ultimately, the Cougars peaked one round too soon and got exposed on the biggest stage.

Blowing a championship is always worse than blowing a semifinal — and now Houston gets to carry that scar. Was it as bad as UNC blowing it against Kansas a couple of seasons ago? Not really, but karma came back because the Tar Heels taunted Duke and Coach K after that semifinal win that year. Congrats to Houston. You beat Duke, sure, but that only makes the final face plant that much more hilarious—instead, a more sincere congrats to the national champion Florida Gators.