The Iowa Hawkeyes are going to the men’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, and they made it happen by becoming the first team of the 2026 NCAA Tournament to take down a No. 1 seed and the defending national champions.
Iowa, a No. 9 seed, stunned Florida with a 73-72 win in the South Region’s second-round action on Sunday in Tampa, FL.
The Hawkeyes scored the go-ahead bucket on a three-pointer from Alvaro Folgueiras with 4.5 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Florida had a chance to get the win, but Xaivian Lee dribbled the length of the court and took up nearly the whole clock before throwing a pass under the basket that wasn’t handled.
Tom McCarthy and Dan Bonner had the TNT Sports television call for TBS. Here’s how the Folgueiras game-winning triple and Florida’s final possession looked and sounded on the TBS broadcast:
McCarthy: “Stirtz with the catch… Stirtz, bounce pass to the corner… Folgueiras for three…. YES!”
Bonner: “OH! OH HO!”
McCarthy: “Lee, speeding toward the basket. Lee leaves it underneath. THAT’S IT! IOWA, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1999, WILL HEAD TO THE SWEET 16, AS THEY KNOCK OFF THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPS!”
John Sadak had a very energetic national radio call for Westwood One alongside Tom Crean.
Sadak: “CAN’T GET A SHOT! AND IOWA WINS! A SUNSHINE STATE STUNNER! IOWA BOUNCES FLORIDA IN TAMPA, 73-72! THE REIGNING CHAMPION GATORS ARE GONE! THE ONE IS DONE IN THE SOUTH! AND THE NINE IS ON TO SWEET SIXTEEN!”
Timothy Burke put together a video featuring calls from Gary Dolphin on Iowa Hawkeyes Radio and Sean Kelley on Florida Gators Radio, in addition to the Sadak call.
Dolphin on the Iowa Hawkeyes Radio call as Folgueiras made the three: “Koch gets it into Stirtz. To Al Folgueiras for the three and the lead. GOOD! GOOD!… ÓLE! THE SPANIARD!”
Dolphin on the game’s final play: “GAME’S OVER! GAME’S OVER! LEE DROVE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE FLOOR! AND THEY TRIED THE WRAPAROUND PASS! I THOUGHT THEY COULD HAVE HAD THE LAYUP… AND BACK THE HEARSE UP TO THE FLORIDA DRIVEWAY! THE NUMBER ONE SEED HAS BEEN UPSET BY THE IOWA HAWKEYES!”
And here was Kelley’s call of the final play on Florida Gators Radio: “In to Lee. Racing to the right side of the floor. Going for the rack! Wraparound pass inside! Fumbled catch by Haugh, and it’s over! Iowa stuns Florida! A major upset! The season is over for the Florida Gators! 73-72 is the final score!”
Iowa moves on to face No. 4 seed Nebraska in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Houston.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.