AUBURN | Nick Clinard thanked everyone he could. He thanked the former players in attendance, his assistants, the fans who made up more than 1,000 people at Toomer's Corner, and, of course, his players.

It was all part of a celebration for the 2024 Auburn Tigers, winners of the national championship after beating Florida State 3-2 on Wednesday for the program's first-ever title.

"There's nothing I can say in words how much I appreciate you," Clinard said toward his players and coaches. "The early mornings, the 6 a.m. (workouts) putting up with me. These guys had to put up with me. So that's a full-time job. But just everything that you bring to the table, your connectivity, your vision, that locker room, the leadership."

On a sunny evening on the corner of College and Magnolia, people from Auburn Mayor Ron Anders to Auburn University President Christopher Roberts to athletic director John Cohen paid their tributes to the men who brought the title back to the Plains.

But as always, it was all about the players, especially the four who are leaving Auburn on a high note.

"I want to recognize those four seniors because we got two of them that are fifth-year seniors, and we have two of them that are fourth-year seniors," Clinard said. "And to leave on this note, what an accomplishment. So, I'm going to give these guys a round of applause."

Afterward, J.M. Butler, who clinched the winning point for the Tigers on Wednesday, described his feelings.

"The Auburn family has shown out tonight, which is amazing," he said. "But I dreamed of this moment, and I visualized it many times and try to make it come true. And now that it finally has come true, it's relieving for sure. And this is just amazing and overwhelming. And there's just so many words to describe this moment. And it's something I'll remember for the rest of my life."