Sports
No. 20 Iowa State still savoring Iowa upset, resets with Arkansas State
Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jaylin Noel (13) celebrates after a touchdown against Iowa during the third quarter in the Cy-Hawk series at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. What can Kyle Konrardy and No. 20 Iowa State do for an encore?
Konrardy’s 54-yard field goal with six seconds left lifted the Cyclones to a 20-19 win at instate rival Iowa on Sept. 7. For his troubles, the redshirt freshman earned 54 boxes of Pop-Tarts, the breakfast pastry that has its name attached to a bowl game.
After a bye week to bask in the glow of the big win and work on some of those Pop-Tarts, Iowa State returns to action Saturday afternoon with a game against Arkansas State in Ames, Iowa.
Making Konrardy’s game-winner even more remarkable was he hadn’t attempted a field goal in a college game before that game. He missed from 41 yards out just before halftime and then connected on a 46-yarder early in the fourth quarter, pulling his team within 19-17.
His approach for the game-winner?
“Not think,” he said. “That’s it. Just go out there, not think and do what you do.”
The Cyclones (2-0) rode a stingy defense to a fast start. They’ve allowed just one touchdown and 22 points so far, although North Dakota and Iowa haven’t exactly posed two-dimensional threats to truly test a defense.
Still, it was the defense that kept Iowa State in contention when its offense bumbled its way through the first half. The Cyclones forced Iowa to settle for short field goals after long drives.
It was the program’s biggest comeback since 2020, when it trailed Baylor by 14 points.
“It’s a law of progression, nothing ever just goes straight to success,” Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. “The great teams, man, the special ones, they can make those down moments blips and get right back on the road to success.”
While Iowa State tries to maintain its early momentum, Arkansas State (2-1) shoots for an upset. The Red Wolves never really threatened Michigan last week in a 28-18 loss in Ann Arbor but at least made the final score respectable with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Arkansas State created its chances by intercepting three passes but ultimately generated just three points, which was the key factor in its first loss. Backup quarterback Timmy McClain fired a pair of touchdown passes in the last six minutes.
The Red Wolves opened their season with narrow home wins against Central Arkansas, one of the top FCS programs in the country, and Tulsa. They sport a balanced attack that’s led by Jaylen Raynor, who’s thrown for 712 yards and three touchdowns, and Corey Rucker, who’s caught 17 passes for 265 yards and a pair of scores.
Zak Wallace, the team’s leading rusher with 124 yards, has scored 40 touchdowns in a career that started at FCS UT Martin.
“We can say that we’re kind of slept on,” he said. “You don’t hear about (us) a lot but we’re here.”
This will be the first matchup of Arkansas State and Iowa State.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins OF Kyle Stowers activated, to make season debut
Aug 8, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) walks and tosses his bat against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images Miami Marlins All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers was activated from the 10-day injured list to make his season debut against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
The Marlins optioned infielder Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move.
Stowers, who had been sidelined with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, finished a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville.
“Everything from the rehab checked out,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He continued to check the necessary boxes. Certainly, there was a physical component with how he felt, how the hamstring was. He got back-to-back nine-inning games. I think he came out of that feeling like he’s in a really good spot physically, and also, I think mentally, now he feels like, ‘OK, I’m over this.'”
Stowers, 28, made a massive leap in production in 2025. He entered the season with a .208 average, six home runs and 35 RBIs in 117 games spread across three major league campaigns, including 67 games with the Baltimore Orioles.
In his first full season with the Marlins, after a 2024 trade, Stowers batted .288 with 25 homers and 73 RBIs in 117 games while earning a spot on the National League All-Star team.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers put 1B Freddie Freeman on paternity list, call up OF Ryan Ward
Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers placed first baseman Freddie Freeman on the paternity list Sunday and called up outfielder Ryan Ward to the major leagues for the first time after seven minor league seasons.
Freeman, 36, is batting .296 with three home runs and 14 RBIs over 20 games this season. He had two hits in each of the last three games and four times in the past five games to raise his early batting average nearly 40 points.
Ward, 28, was drafted in the eighth round by the Dodgers in 2019 and is in his fourth season at Triple-A Oklahoma City. He won the Pacific Coast League MVP last season when he hit 36 home runs with 122 RBIs in 143 games.
Ward finally gets his first call to the major leagues after 154 home runs, 530 RBIs and a .266 batting average over 696 games in the Dodgers’ system, including 420 games at Triple-A.
“You talk about performance and he’s performed as well as, if not better than, anyone,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about Ward in spring training, according to the Orange County Register. “So for him to not get a shot, I’m sure he’s frustrated and understandably so. But the message for him is to keep putting up numbers and knock the door down and hopefully the opportunity comes for him sometime this year.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Transfer portal roundup: Kentucky adds Furman transfer Alex Wilkins
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Furman Paladins guard Alex Wilkins (10) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Former Furman guard Alex Wilkins has transferred to Kentucky.
His move was one of the biggest on a busy transfer portal weekend.
Wilkins excelled in his freshman season with the Paladins, averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 35 games (all starts).
Listed at 6-foot-5, Wilkins showed his skills to a national audience in Furman’s lone game of the NCAA Tournament. He made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points in the Paladins’ 82-71 loss to eventual national championship runner-up UConn in the first round.
–Ex-Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski announced his transfer to Duke.
In his recently completed sophomore season at Belmont, the 6-9 Scharnowski averaged 10.7 points. 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists over 21.9 minutes per game. He shot 68.1% in 30 games (24 starts).
He takes the roster spot of forward Nikolas Khamenia, who transferred to UConn on Saturday.
–Florida State gained the commitment of 6-11 forward Sebastian Rancik, who heads to Tallahassee after two seasons at Colorado.
A native of Slovakia, he attended high school in Southern California, where he was ranked as a four-star prospect in the 2024 class.
In 29 games (26 starts) with the Buffaloes as a sophomore, he averaged 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
–Field Level Media
Marlins OF Kyle Stowers activated, to make season debut
Dodgers put 1B Freddie Freeman on paternity list, call up OF Ryan Ward
