Iowa wrestling returns to action a week after a blowout win over Iowa State that was still somewhat underwhelming (more on that in a bit); unfortunately, their opponent is the weakest team left on their schedule, Michigan State. Stronger tests await (in January), but for now Iowa opens up the Big Ten portion of their dual meet schedule with a cupcake opponent.
WHO: UN Michigan State Spartans (2-3)
WHEN: 7 PM Central; Saturday, December 6, 2014
WHERE: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, IA)
HOW TO WATCH: no TV/online video options, apparently
RADIO: AM 800 KXIC and several other radio stations in Iowa (listings here; free); Hawkeye All-Access ($$$)
I didn't do a full preview of this dual in part because of time reasons, but also because it seemed like a waste of time. Iowa beat Michigan State 41-0 last year and there isn't much reason to think that this year's dual will be any closer. Michigan State is the worst team in the Big Ten, while Iowa is one of the best teams in the league. Michigan State has one ranked wrestler; Iowa has wrestlers ranked at nearly every weight. This is going to be a one-sided rout. That said, here's a quickie prediction for you (all rankings via InterMat):
125: #4 Thomas Gilman (SO, 9-0) vs. UN Mitch Rogaliner (RS FR, 7-3) Gilman via major decision; IOWA 4-0
133: #4 Cory Clark (SO, 8-0) vs. #12 Javier Gasca (RS FR, 8-2) or UN Hermilo Esquivel (SO, 6-5) Clark via decision; IOWA 7-0 (Clark via bonus points if Esqiuvel wrestles)
141: #6 Josh Dziewa (SR, 9-0) vs. UN Garth Yenter (SO, 5-4) Dziewa via major decision; IOWA 11-0
149: #11 Brandon Sorensen (RS FR, 10-1) or UN Brody Grothus (JR, 10-1) vs. UN Nick Trimble (JR, 5-4) Sorensen/Grothus via major decision; IOWA 15-0
157: UN Michael Kelly (SR, 9-0) or UN Edwin Cooper, Jr. (JR, 7-3) vs. UN Roger Wildmo (JR, 6-4) Kelly/Cooper via major decision; IOWA 19-0
165: #5 Nick Moore (SR, 7-1) vs. UN Ryan Watts (SR, 6-4) Moore via major decision; IOWA 23-0
174: #4 Mike Evans (SR, 8-0) or UN Alex Meyer (SO, 8-1) vs. UN Kevin Nash (SR, 6-3) or UN Nick Proctor (SR, 3-7) Evans/Meyer via major decision; IOWA 27-0
184: #9 Sammy Brooks (SO, 8-0) vs. UN John Rizqallah (SR, 5-3) Brooks via major decision; IOWA 31-0
197: #6 Nathan Burak (JR, 4-0) or UN Kris Klapprodt (JR, 5-3) or UN Nick McDiarmid (SR, 5-3) Burak/Klapprodt via decision; IOWA 34-0
285: #3 Bobby Telford (SR, 8-0) vs. UN Luke Jones (SR, 7-1) or UN Chris Nash (JR, 7-1) Telford via pin; IOWA 40-0
And, honestly, that feels like a somewhat conservative estimate of Iowa's bonus point potential. It would hardly be a shock if a few of those major decisions ended up as tech falls or pins. If Nathan Burak doesn't wrestle, 197 becomes Michigan State's best shot at a victory, hands down. That's probably the only thing that could spoil a shutout, barring a surprising result somewhere else.
The usual rules apply: no links to illegal online streams, no porn, no politics, no religion, no slurs, etc. Don't be an ass. Feel free to post play-by-play and results in the comments.