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CFP doubles down for 24-team playoff next season

National Sports

College football will expand its playoff to 24 teams beginning next year in a move that resets decades of tradition surrounding a once all-important regular season and dumps conference championship showdowns that used to be among the sport’s marquee events. The announcement from the College Football Playoff and ESPN on Monday made official a deal that’s been in the works for months. The network reported it would pay an additional $1.7 billion over five years on top of the original $7.8 billion contract that runs through the 2031 season. The new format will grant the Power Four ...

O'Neal repeats on Alliance volleyball

Local Sports

One of the top offensive combinations in Iowa Alliance Conference volleyball this season was rewarded accordingly. Marshalltown senior setter Lauren O’Neal was named to the all-Alliance first team for the second year in a row, while sophomore middle hitter Brooklyn Smith scored second-team ...

UNI football adds future home-and-home series

Local Sports

CEDAR FALLS — The Northern Iowa football program has announced the addition of a pair of home-and-home series to its future schedules, adding games against Weber State and Northern Arizona. Each matchup will have a contest in 2027 with a return game in 2029. Weber State will make its way to Cedar Falls in 2027, marking its fourth trip to the UNI-Dome in program history. The Panthers will return the favor in 2029 with a trip to Ogden, Utah. UNI is 0-2 in games at Weber State. A “dome-and-dome” series against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks will see the two teams meet for the ...

Purdue fires defensive coordinator ahead of Iowa

Local Sports

Coach Barry Odom had seen enough from Purdue’s defense over the last three games to recognize the Boilermakers needed someone else calling the plays. He won’t say yet who will replace defensive coordinator Kevin Kane on Saturday at No. 16 Iowa. One day after firing Kane just nine games ...

McGonigle, Stewart win Rookie of Year honors

National Sports

It took the Detroit Tigers less than a month of watching Kevin McGonigle at the big-league level to decide he was worthy of a nine-figure contract. Seven months later, McGonigle rewarded that confidence by becoming the runaway winner of the American League Rookie of the Year award Monday night. Cincinnati Reds slugger Sal Stewart — another precocious hitter — took home the National League honor after anchoring the middle of the team’s lineup all season. McGonigle played most of the season at just 21 years old and had a .278 batting average and .806 OPS with 18 homers, 72 RBIs, ...

Turnšek named Big 12 Freshman of the Week

Local Sports

AMES — Iowa State’s Tjasa Turnsek earned her first Big 12 Conference weekly award, recognized as the league’s Freshman of the Week after three games to open the women’s basketball season. Turnšek averaged 19 points and 7 rebounds in Week 1 for the Cyclones, making her the ...