Sports
Incredible Iowa State Pop-Tarts Bowl Win Highlights Surprising Postseason
In the era of the College Football Playoff, it’s easy to write off traditional bowl games as meaningless. Just don’t tell that to the Iowa State Cyclones.
A Pop-Tarts Bowl matchup between Iowa State and the Miami Hurricanes had every excuse to devolve into a glorified spring game. The Cyclones’ dud in the Big 12 Championship Game and Miami’s Thanksgiving weekend loss at Syracuse denied both teams a spot in the 12-team Playoff, setting the stage for what could have been a forgettable bowl game.
Meanwhile, the game itself garnered the attention of college football pundits and social media users more for its ludicrous brand placement gimmicks—an edible mascot and a trophy with a built-in toaster oven—than for its on-field product. The pageantry and history of the Rose Bowl Game, it was not.
Instead, the Cyclones and Hurricanes delivered one of the most thrilling games in this first postseason of the expanded Playoff era. Iowa State’s 42–41 win marked this year’s 12th bowl game decided by a one-score margin.
The slate included Navy’s 21–20 Armed Forces Bowl win over Oklahoma, featuring Blake Horvath’s program-record 95-yard touchdown run; Kansas State’s 44–41 defeat of Rutgers in the Rate Bowl, highlighted by Dylan Edwards’ 196 rushing yards; and two-, five-, and six-overtime marathons in the Famous Idaho Potato, Hawai’i, and GameAbove Sports Bowls. These games provided more compelling football than any of the Playoff’s first-round matchups.
To be fair, bowl season didn’t need the Playoff’s expansion to dilute the postseason. One need not search archives long to find newspaper columns from as far back as the 1980s lamenting the proliferation of bowl games.
In more recent times, the growing prevalence of player opt-outs—by those preparing for the NFL Draft—preceded changes to NCAA transfer rules. Post-pandemic bowl games featuring lineups that hardly resemble the regular-season squads are not uncommon.
For Iowa State, however, the Pop-Tarts Bowl provided a backdrop for the Cyclones’ own piece of history—one largely untouched by such roster turnover. With Rocco Becht’s goal-line touchdown carry for his fourth score of the day, Iowa State secured the first 11-win season in the 134-year history of the program.
Cyclones coach Matt Campbell emphasized the significance of this milestone during the bowl’s introductory press conference on Dec. 8, saying:
“What made Iowa State really special is our ability to have great resiliency. I know our kids are super excited about the opportunity to finish off.”
In much the same way, it’s easy to dismiss bowls in the present age; one could chalk a sentiment like Campbell’s up to naivety. We live in a brave new college football world dominated by NIL money and marked by floods of transfers throughout the offseason.
But it became apparent Campbell was not spouting empty rhetoric when Iowa State’s upperclassmen committed to the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Jaylin Noel’s dedication proved vital to the win. The senior wide receiver caught eight passes for 117 yards and a crucial touchdown late in the third quarter, cutting a 10-point Miami lead to three.
“This meant the world to me, for me to be able to be a leader on this team,” an emotional Noel said about the bowl being his last game with Iowa State. “I had to play for them. Those guys come in every day and look up to me. If I wasn’t going to play, that’s just not what leaders do.”
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Noel said of the bowl game being his swan song at Iowa State. “I love this team so much. I love Coach [Campbell] for everything he’s done for me. And this team means the world to me. There’s no better way to go out than [as] a champion.”
Bowl season means more opportunities to go out as a champion, whether the trophy is the Playoff’s cylindrical golden prize or a Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy with a toaster on top. It’s part of what has made college football special for generations, and this year’s bowl games suggest the postseason can retain some of that mystique even in this new era.
Sports
Hannah Green wins her 2nd HSBC Women's World Championship
Aug 21, 2025; Mississauga, Ontario, CAN; Hannah Green plays her tee shot at the third hole during first round play at the CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Australia’s Hannah Green held off Auston Kim on Sunday to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore for the second time.
Green, the 2024 champion, balanced three birdies and three bogeys on an eventful back nine to finish with a 3-under 69 and a final score of 14-under at Sentosa Golf Club. The 2019 Women’s PGA Championship winner tapped in for bogey at the 18th for her seventh LPGA Tour title.
“When I did win Singapore two years ago, I went on to win two other tournaments that season and pretty much had my best season on tour,” said Green, 29. “So having a win so early in the season gives me a bit more flexibility with the tournaments that I can play. So I’m hoping that this puts me in good stead for the rest of the year.”
Green was at 16-under after birdies at the first, 11th and 13th holes and an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole. Her birdie at the par-3 15th helped her survive a bogey-bogey finish.
“I knew that I had enough of a lead to be able to get away with making mistakes coming down the stretch. But I think 15 was the real turning point,” she said.
First- and second-round leader Kim nearly chased down her first title, matching the low round of the day with a 67 to finish one shot behind Green in the 72-hole, no-cut tournament.
Kim carded six birdies and an eagle at No. 8, but a bogey at the par-3 15th proved costly for the 25-year-old American.
“Overall, I think it was a really solid week,” Kim said. “A great way to start the year. I hit a lot of bad shots but I also hit a lot of good ones, and it was really confidence boosting. I hit all these bad shots, and I didn’t feel like I had anything chose to my A game, but I was still able it pull off a result like this and play some really solid golf.”
Australia’s Minjee Lee (72 on Sunday), Angel Yin (71) and France’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (68) tied for third place at 11-under with South Korea’s Haeran Ryu (72) another shot back in solo sixth.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand finished with a 73 and tied for 31st at 2-under, one shot behind defending champion Lydia Ko (72) of New Zealand.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) looks on from inside the dugout against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol received a two-year contract extension through the 2028 season, the team announced Sunday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, which holds an option for the 2029 season.
“As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time — and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said.
“He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow. I am energized to continue working with him towards the on-field success that we expect and that our fans deserve.”
Marmol, 39, has guided the Cardinals to a 325-323 record during his four seasons as the skipper. He led St. Louis to the National League Central title in 2022 before the team fell in the wild-card series to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Last season, the Cardinals posted a 78-84 record to finish in fourth place in the NL Central.
Marmol was a coach with St. Louis from 2017-21 under previous managers Mike Shildt and Mike Matheny.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reif treated for heat exhaustion after Trucks race
Oct 31, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Tyler Reif (41) during the NASCAR Truck Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie Tyler Reif was treated for heat exhaustion after Saturday night’s street race in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Reif, 18, was transported to an area medical facility after finishing 16th in the race in the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. He was later released.
“Tyler and his family would like to express their gratitude to the NASCAR officials, track medical workers and the local medical facility staff for their care,” Niece Motorsports said in a release.
Reif made his debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series in 2025. Saturday’s race was just his third on the circuit, including a 17th-place finish at Atlanta on Feb. 21.
–Field Level Media
Hannah Green wins her 2nd HSBC Women's World Championship
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
