February 10, 2026 — From the San Francisco Bay Area to the Poughkeepsie campus, Marist students turned Super Bowl week into a full‑scale learning lab — reporting from the sport’s biggest media stage while helping shape the national conversation around the commercials.

For many viewers, the Super Bowl is a single Sunday event. For Marist University students, it became an all-week, all-angles experience — equal parts sports journalism, marketing analysis, networking, and real-time storytelling.

Marist students participated in USA TODAY’s Super Bowl Ad Meter for the third consecutive year, taking part in the nation’s leading ranking of Super Bowl commercials. Through the Ad Meter’s online tracker, students were able to rate every ad ahead of time, gaining insight into how brands craft campaigns for the year’s largest TV audience.

The experience provided a behind-the-scenes look at the dynamics of consumer reaction, creative strategy, and how cultural moments shape ad performance.

 
Students gathered in the Lowell Thomas Screening Room to watch and rate Super Bowl Ads on Thursday as part of USA TODAY’s Super Bowl Ad Meter. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

“Honestly, I loved most of them. I thought they were all super well done,” said Alice Tirakian '26. “When I watch ads, I don't think about if I like them personally, I think about the target audience and if it would be effective to reach to them.”

“I thought it was like a movie watch party. It was really fun,” she said.

Some students had their favorites.

“I liked the Budweiser Free Bird ad because it’s charming story and it featured iconic songs,” said Marina Belllizzi '26. “For me, it encapsulated what the Super Bowl feels like. You got your beer, your American eagle, and your Lynyrd Skynyrd.”

Meanwhile, in the San Francisco Bay Area, six students from Marist’s Center for Sports Communication were on site for Super Bowl LX with official NFL media credentials, reporting from one of the biggest media events of the year. They tracked down Seahawks placekicker Jason Myers '13 just days before he made history as the first Red Fox ever to appear in the Super Bowl.

Throughout the week, the students also connected with newsmakers and celebrities from across sports and entertainment while filing stories, interviews, and video content for Center Field.

For the students, it was a rare chance to step behind the curtain and experience sports journalism at the highest level.

"Last week was an absolute dream. I was able to network with a ton of photographers,” said Jaylen Rizzo '27. "My favorite parts of the week were shooting at the Pro Bowl and the Bad Bunny press conference. I think some of the best photos of my career, so far, were taken last week."

“Getting to speak with athletes I grew up watching — not just grabbing a photo, but asking real questions — was incredible,” said Ben Leeds '26. “I also loved documenting our experiences for Center Field each day. Having that collection of stories to look back on will always remind me how special the week truly was.”

“I loved meeting and interviewing some of my favorite people in the industry, from broadcasters Kevin Harlan and Mike Tirico to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand and even San Francisco’s Mayor Daniel Lurie,” said William Rosen '27. “Connecting with people I usually only see on TV or my phone — and sharing the week with my friends — made the entire experience an all‑timer.”