My brothers used to go to a barber who was an absolute butcher with a pair of scissors, but they continued to go to him because he told ridiculous tall tales. The guy was no more than 5’ 6’’ tall and 130 soaking wet, but he swore that he could drink cases of beer and would then get into fights with as many comers were interested before taking them all out. He was fond of saying that although he often fought injured or sick, “me at 50% is better than most guys’ 100%.”
I'm reminded of this outstanding hair butcher when thinking of Ohio State’s wrestling match with the No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes today. This edition of the Hawkeyes is not the star-studded lineup that has guys like Tony Ramos and Brent Metcalf who seem destined to finish near the top of the podium at the NCAA tournament, yet there appears to be no real weakness in the team. All of which just reinforces the maxim that an average Iowa squad is good enough to beat just about anybody else.
| WHO | WHERE | WHEN | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 IOWA (6–0) | St. John Arena | 2 p.m. | BTN+ |
HEAD COACH: TOM BRANDS
Brands is in his ninth season at the helm of the his alma mater’s legendary program, and he continues to tack on accolades to his legendary career. Brands was a three-time NCAA champion, four-time All-American, and Olympic champion as a wrestler himself and hasn't missed a beat as a coach. The Hawkeyes have won three NCAA titles in Brands’ tenure, and show no signs of slowing down. Brands leads one of the most intense programs in the country and continues to draw the top recruits nationwide to wrestle in Iowa City year after year.
Ohioans on the Iowa Roster
None
Notable Wrestlers
Mike Evans (174): Evans is a two-time All-American, finishing sixth each time. He is known for being a high-motor wrestler with a bottomless gas tank, able to score crucial points in the waning moments of a match. In addition to his talents on the mat, Evans has the best soup strainer in college wrestling, bar none. I’d be willing to bet that his upper lip hasn’t been cold in a long time.
Bobby Telford (HVY): Telford is the latest in a long line of Iowa’s impressive heavyweights, having twice earned All-American laurels. Telford recently knocked off top-ranked Mike McMillan at the Midlands, so he will likely find himself at number one when he comes to Columbus.
Cory Clark (133): Clark won a back-and-forth battle last season with teammate Thomas Gilman to take the starting spot at 125 heading into last year’s post season. Clark capitalized on the opportunity, earning a fifth place finish at the NCAA tournament as a redshirt freshman.
Likely Matchups
125: Nathan Tomasello (OSU) vs Thomas Gilman (IOWA)
133: Johnni DiJulius (OSU) vs Cory Clark (IOWA)
141: Logan Stieber (OSU) vs Josh Dziewa (IOWA)
149: Hunter Stieber/ Randy Languis (OSU) vs Brandon Sorenson (IOWA)
157: Josh Demas (OSU) vs Michael Kelly (IOWA)
165: Bo Jordan/ Justin Kresevic (OSU) vs Nick Moore (IOWA)
174: Mark Martin (OSU) vs Mike Evans (IOWA)
184: Kenny Courts (OSU) vs Sammy Brooks (IOWA)
197: Kyle Snyder (OSU) vs Nathan Burak/Kris Klapprodt (IOWA)
HVY: Nick Tavanello (OSU) vs Bobby Telford (IOWA)
Key Matches
All ten matches have the possibility to swing the momentum in the favor of one team or the other, but we'll focus on a handful (okay, almost all of them).
125: Tomasello has wrestled well to this point in the season, but he’s fallen short in matches against top competition. Gilman hasn’t earned an All-American finish, but is certainly capable.
133: Clark earned a Midlands title this past weekend, but JDJ has a knack for knocking off opponents that may overlook him. DiJulius’ front headlock series is his bread and butter, so Clark may be in trouble if he finds himself stuffed on the mat after attempting a shot.
141: Stieber will look for, and likely earn bonus points for his team.
149: Hunter was ill-prepared when he returned to the lineup against Missouri, possibly costing the Buckeyes the match. If he is back to full speed, this bout could be a nailbiter. Languis has shown that he can be Johnny-on-the spot for the Buckeyes, and may be called to step into service against a tough Sorenson.
157: Demas did not wrestle in Las Vegas, but should get the nod over Kelly if he wrestles aggressively from the neutral position.
165: The Buckeyes face a similar dilemma at 165 as they did at 149 with the obvious starter a bit banged up. Kresevic keeps matches tight, but Jordan gives the Buckeyes a much better chance to win against last year’s Big Ten runner-up.
174: Evans should be the heavy favorite here, but Martin is adept at keeping his opponents from scoring when he is on his game (see NCAA match vs Kyle Dake for proof).
184: Courts failed to place at the Las Vegas Invitations despite being seeded in the second position. After having several weeks to get his head on straight and regain his focus, Courts should have the edge if he wrestles to his potential.
197: It appears that Burak will take his redshirt after earning All-American status at last season’s NCAA tournament. Klapprodt is a tough wrestler, but Snyder is in a class above. If Snyder can score bonus points, the Buckeyes would be in great position to win the dual.
HVY: Telford owns a major decision over Tav at last year’s Big Ten tournament. Tav is an undersized heavyweight, and he’ll need to utilize his quickness to catch Telford off guard, but Telford is riding a hot streak of late.
Match Notes
- Urban Meyer will serve as honorary coach for the Wrestling Bucks today. URB!
- Ohio State's lineup features eight wrestlers that are ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes: Tomassello (8th), DiJulius (9th), Logan Stieber (1st), Hunter Stieber (5th), Demas (6th), Jordan (9th), SNyder (7th) and Tavanello (10th).
- Ohio State has just three wins all time against the Hawkeyes, but the most recent one came the last time the two teams faced off at St. John Arena – a 21–9 Buckeye win over the 2nd-ranked Hawkeyes in 2012.
At a glance, the two teams appear to be fairly evenly-matched, but the overall depth and consistency of the Hawkeyes is impressive. Iowa is in the midst of an east coast trip, stopping at the Midlands and Rutgers before heading to Columbus, so the Buckeyes may catch a road-weary opponent.
I'll have live coverage of the match today, so be sure to follow along on Twitter.
