Huge wrestling match . Go Hawkeyes !
Projected matchups
No. 5 Penn State (10-2, 6-2) vs. No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes (11-0, 6-0)
125: No. 8 Jordan Conaway (19-3) vs. No. 5 Thomas Gillman (20-1)
Although Gilman is the higher ranked of the two wrestlers, Conaway is next to impossible to beat when he's in Rec Hall. Can he catch the same home momentum across campus in the BJC? If so, this could provide PSU a huge boost to jumpstart the dual. Gilman's only loss this season came to Virginia Tech's Joey Dance, whom Conaway beat, 7-5, during a December dual meet in Rec Hall.
133: No. 7 Jimmy Gulibon (17-4) vs. No. 3 Cory Clark (16-3)
This will be the first meeting of the two sophomores, but it almost certainly won't be the last. Gulibon and Clark were two of the highest recruited lightweights in the Class of 2012, and this is a matchup that's been anticipated since they signed with their respective rival schools. Now the matchup will debut in front of 15,000 fans. It won't be their first time wrestling, though. Gulibon last beat Clark at the Dapper Dan High School All-Star Dual, 10-3.
141: Kade Moss (17-11) vs. No. 6 Josh Dziewa (18-5)
Moss beat the first nationally ranked opponent of his career last Friday at Michigan, topping then-No. 17 George Fisher, 6-3. After some close losses, coaches think Moss is wrestling at his best since he arrived at PSU a year and a half ago and is beginning to turn a corner. A win against Dziewa would be the biggest of Moss' young career and could be a huge swing in the dual meet.
149: No. 18 Zack Beitz (13-6) vs. No. 2 Brandon Sorenson (25-2)
Beitz found out through a text message shortly before practice Tuesday that he was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, which he said, "is pretty cool." Beitz is on a four-match win streak after upending No. 9 Alex Pantaleo of Michigan last week. He followed that up with a major decision over Michigan State's Nick Trimble. Stretching his win streak to five will be a tough task vs. Sorenson, who might be Iowa's favorite to win a national title, but Beitz's length could be a tough matchup against the stocky Sorenson.
157: Cody Law (13-7)/Luke Frey (11-4) vs. No. 14 Michael Kelly (17-4)
It's unlikely that Dylan Alton makes a return this weekend, although Sanderson said he is day-to-day after suffering an injury three weeks ago. "Personally, I'd like to see him get at least a match or two in (before postseason), but I'm not making that call 100 percent either," Sanderson added. "We have a doctor and a trainer who know a lot better than I do."
Until then, either Law or Frey will get the nod. Neither have a win over a ranked opponent this season, although Frey nearly upset Michigan's No. 13 Brian Murphy, 3-1, last Friday. "Frey has been knocking on the door here, literally, in my office, wanting a chance," Sanderson said.
165: Garett Hammond (19-8) vs. No. 7 Nick Moore (15-4)
Hammond has yet to notch a win over a ranked opponent in his first season, either, and the road will be tough traveling against Moore, a senior.
174: No. 3 Matt Brown (19-2) vs. No. 2 Mike Evans (19-0)
The Brown-Evans rivalry goes back six matches. Heading into Sunday's seventh, the overall record is split, 3-3. They're about as even you can get and have had some epic battles over the past two years. Brown won the most recent matchup, 6-3, at the NCAA tournament in Oklahoma City, after losing to Evans earlier in the quarterfinals. Brown is aiming to take a leg up Sunday in the all-time series. "We're pretty familiar on the mat, but we don't really have a relationship off the mat," Brown said.
184: No. 17 Matt McCutcheon (20-9) vs. No. 8 Sammy Brooks (19-2)
McCutcheon has one win against a nationally ranked opponent under his belt so far in his freshman season, and a win over Brooks would be the biggest of his short career. Brooks will be heavily favored, but McCutcheon can't be counted out.
197: No. 4 Morgan McIntosh (20-2) vs. No. 6 Nathan Burak(13-1)
A dual meet in which all of his teammates are considered underdogs, McIntosh is the only Nittany Lion who is favored by ranking to win his bout. McIntosh has won his last four straight, including a 7-4 win over then-No. 1 Scott Schiller of Minnesota. In their dual last week, Schiller defeated Burak, 3-1. This is a must-win for McIntosh.
285: No. 6 Jimmy Lawson (11-0) vs. No. 2 Bobby Telford (19-1)
There's a possibility Jon Gingrich starts here for Penn State, but after winning a close wrestle-off a couple weeks ago, Lawson is expected to be the guy. While his is a lower ranking than Telford's, Lawson has yet to be beaten this season. A match against Telford, a two-time All-American, will be the his biggest challenge of the season, and a win against the 6-foot-4 heavyweight, would be the biggest of Lawson's career.
This post was edited on 2/8 11:37 AM by Abro1975
Projected matchups
No. 5 Penn State (10-2, 6-2) vs. No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes (11-0, 6-0)
125: No. 8 Jordan Conaway (19-3) vs. No. 5 Thomas Gillman (20-1)
Although Gilman is the higher ranked of the two wrestlers, Conaway is next to impossible to beat when he's in Rec Hall. Can he catch the same home momentum across campus in the BJC? If so, this could provide PSU a huge boost to jumpstart the dual. Gilman's only loss this season came to Virginia Tech's Joey Dance, whom Conaway beat, 7-5, during a December dual meet in Rec Hall.
133: No. 7 Jimmy Gulibon (17-4) vs. No. 3 Cory Clark (16-3)
This will be the first meeting of the two sophomores, but it almost certainly won't be the last. Gulibon and Clark were two of the highest recruited lightweights in the Class of 2012, and this is a matchup that's been anticipated since they signed with their respective rival schools. Now the matchup will debut in front of 15,000 fans. It won't be their first time wrestling, though. Gulibon last beat Clark at the Dapper Dan High School All-Star Dual, 10-3.
141: Kade Moss (17-11) vs. No. 6 Josh Dziewa (18-5)
Moss beat the first nationally ranked opponent of his career last Friday at Michigan, topping then-No. 17 George Fisher, 6-3. After some close losses, coaches think Moss is wrestling at his best since he arrived at PSU a year and a half ago and is beginning to turn a corner. A win against Dziewa would be the biggest of Moss' young career and could be a huge swing in the dual meet.
149: No. 18 Zack Beitz (13-6) vs. No. 2 Brandon Sorenson (25-2)
Beitz found out through a text message shortly before practice Tuesday that he was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, which he said, "is pretty cool." Beitz is on a four-match win streak after upending No. 9 Alex Pantaleo of Michigan last week. He followed that up with a major decision over Michigan State's Nick Trimble. Stretching his win streak to five will be a tough task vs. Sorenson, who might be Iowa's favorite to win a national title, but Beitz's length could be a tough matchup against the stocky Sorenson.
157: Cody Law (13-7)/Luke Frey (11-4) vs. No. 14 Michael Kelly (17-4)
It's unlikely that Dylan Alton makes a return this weekend, although Sanderson said he is day-to-day after suffering an injury three weeks ago. "Personally, I'd like to see him get at least a match or two in (before postseason), but I'm not making that call 100 percent either," Sanderson added. "We have a doctor and a trainer who know a lot better than I do."
Until then, either Law or Frey will get the nod. Neither have a win over a ranked opponent this season, although Frey nearly upset Michigan's No. 13 Brian Murphy, 3-1, last Friday. "Frey has been knocking on the door here, literally, in my office, wanting a chance," Sanderson said.
165: Garett Hammond (19-8) vs. No. 7 Nick Moore (15-4)
Hammond has yet to notch a win over a ranked opponent in his first season, either, and the road will be tough traveling against Moore, a senior.
174: No. 3 Matt Brown (19-2) vs. No. 2 Mike Evans (19-0)
The Brown-Evans rivalry goes back six matches. Heading into Sunday's seventh, the overall record is split, 3-3. They're about as even you can get and have had some epic battles over the past two years. Brown won the most recent matchup, 6-3, at the NCAA tournament in Oklahoma City, after losing to Evans earlier in the quarterfinals. Brown is aiming to take a leg up Sunday in the all-time series. "We're pretty familiar on the mat, but we don't really have a relationship off the mat," Brown said.
184: No. 17 Matt McCutcheon (20-9) vs. No. 8 Sammy Brooks (19-2)
McCutcheon has one win against a nationally ranked opponent under his belt so far in his freshman season, and a win over Brooks would be the biggest of his short career. Brooks will be heavily favored, but McCutcheon can't be counted out.
197: No. 4 Morgan McIntosh (20-2) vs. No. 6 Nathan Burak(13-1)
A dual meet in which all of his teammates are considered underdogs, McIntosh is the only Nittany Lion who is favored by ranking to win his bout. McIntosh has won his last four straight, including a 7-4 win over then-No. 1 Scott Schiller of Minnesota. In their dual last week, Schiller defeated Burak, 3-1. This is a must-win for McIntosh.
285: No. 6 Jimmy Lawson (11-0) vs. No. 2 Bobby Telford (19-1)
There's a possibility Jon Gingrich starts here for Penn State, but after winning a close wrestle-off a couple weeks ago, Lawson is expected to be the guy. While his is a lower ranking than Telford's, Lawson has yet to be beaten this season. A match against Telford, a two-time All-American, will be the his biggest challenge of the season, and a win against the 6-foot-4 heavyweight, would be the biggest of Lawson's career.
This post was edited on 2/8 11:37 AM by Abro1975
