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Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden looks on against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
If you’re anything like me, you stayed up way too Sundaylast night watching replays, scrolling through Twitter, and texting every Iowa fan you know. Then you woke up Monday morning wondering if it was all a dream.
Now we’re onto the middle of the week and reality is setting in – that happened. Iowa is headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the final season of the Dr. Tom era and this just feels like the basketball gods lifting the curse bestowed upon us by Davis’s unceremonious departure.
So, since we’re now sure we’re all actually alive and awake, why not take one more stroll back through that incredible finish on Sunday night before we turn the page to what comes next?
The Shot Heard ‘Round March
Down 72-70 with 8.9 seconds left, Iowa inbounded from their own baseline against Florida’s full-court press. Bennett Stirtz broke the pressure, found Folgueiras in the corner, and the freshman from Malaga, Spain did the rest.
Beautiful play design from McCollum. Stirtz fakes away from the ball, Koch hits the pump and Bennett breaks hard back across the front of the defense and gets a running start at the press. You know he’s going to draw the help defender, unselfishly finds Folgueiras wide open in the corner. One dribble. Pure release. Nothing but net. 73-72 Iowa. Florida’s desperation heave never got off, and the Hawkeyes advance.
DOWN GOES FLORIDA. The defending national champs, the No. 1 overall seed, playing in their home state — taken down by a 9-seed Iowa team that nobody saw coming.
The National Media Couldn’t Believe It Either
This wasn’t just a big deal in Iowa City. The entire college basketball world was shook.
Hard to argue with Norlander. McCollum was coaching Division II Northwest Missouri State two years ago. How he’s taking Drake’s roster plus a couple of other pieces and making history in Iowa City.
Just how improbable was this roster construction? Check out where every Iowa player was two years ago:
Where Iowa’s roster was 2 years ago:
Bennett Stirtz – D2 Northwest Missouri St
Tavion Banks – JUCO NW Florida St
Alvaro Folgueiras – Robert Morris
Cooper Koch – High School
Cam Manyawu – Wyoming
Kael Combs – Wyoming
Isaia Howard – 3️ HS
Tate Sage – 3
Ben McCollum effect pic.twitter.com/uriDF6Aj2F
— CreighTakes (@CreighTakes) March 23, 2026
D2. JUCO. High school. Robert Morris. Wyoming. Ben McCollum took this collection of guys nobody else wanted and beat the defending national champions. The “Ben McCollum effect” is real.
If you’re sitting on a pile of cash as a Hawkeye fan, probably have enough now to go ahead and hit that donate button. And if you’re entering the portal and looking to play for a winner? There’s room on the bus!
The Stats That Broke Florida
No team in Todd Golden’s 144-game tenure had ever shot over 70% on two-pointers against Florida. Tavion Banks was the engine behind that — 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, absolutely bullying the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Chinyelu into a scoreless, one-rebound nightmare.
Florida joins a long and growing list.
Only 4.8% of NCAA Tournament brackets had Iowa making the Sweet 16. Going to be a lot of people with busted brackets with a favorite underdog to cheer for the rest of the way.
“March Is For Dreamers”
The moment of the night wasn’t actually the shot itself. It was what came after.
Iowa's Alvaro Folgueiras who hit the game-winner to knock off Florida, shared a moment with his mom after the victorypic.twitter.com/IYtDfYyUiF
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 23, 2026
Folgueiras ran straight to the stands and into the arms of his mother, Beatriz Campos. She had sent him from Malaga to the United States at 16 years old — no English, no connections, nothing but a dream and a basketball. It was the first time he’d seen her since August and only the third time she’d watched him play a college game in person.
"March is for the dreamers"
Alvaro Folgueiras speaks on his relationship with his mom and the Iowa team #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/LMyWG2u1h6
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2026
“My mom is there after fighting for me her whole life. March is for the dreamers, and there’s no better dreamers than us.” He pointed to the sky, like he does after every three — a tribute to his father, who passed away when Alvaro was nine years old.
If you watched that and didn’t feel something, check your pulse.
Cooper Koch Chose Violence
While Folgueiras provided the emotional highlight of the evening, Cooper Koch — the redshirt freshman who scored all 12 of his points in the second half on 4-of-5 shooting from deep — provided the petty highlight.
Seconds after the final buzzer, Koch was caught on camera doing the Gator Chomp while walking across the court in front of the heavily pro-Florida Tampa crowd. Then he did it again. In the handshake line. Right in Todd Golden’s face. He wasn’t alone with Kael Combs joining in after the Gator faithful chomped it up right in Iowa’s face on their way onto the floor.
Koch’s dad, J.R., was on Iowa’s 1999 Sweet 16 team, scoring 12 points in the win to get them there. Now, 27 years later he was in the stands to watch his son also drop 12 points to get back to the promised land. After the celebration, Cooper ran to the stands to hug his father. The Gator Chomp was for the rest of us.
What’s Next
Iowa heads to Houston to face Nebraska in the Sweet 16 on Thursday at 6:30 PM CT on TBS. It’s the rubber match of the season series, and both teams are playing for history — Iowa’s first Elite Eight since 1987, Nebraska’s first Sweet 16 ever.
For now, hit replay one more time. We’ve earned it.
Go Hawks.
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