Wrestling
The Buckeyes and the Big Ten
Kevin Schlosser

The Big Ten wrestling season is just starting to heat up and Ohio State is hoping to catch fire. This weekend will be the first time that all conference teams are in league competition this season. After wrestling their first three league matches at home, the Buckeyes will wrestle the next three on the road on the With four weeks remaining in the regular season the Ohio State is currently in third place with a 2-1 record trailing 3-0 Iowa and 2-0 Minnesota. As February comes to a close; expect the contenders to separate themselves from the pretenders.

Two teams have led the Big Ten standings this season. Ohio State defeated Wisconsin 23-11 in the Big Ten opener on December 10, 2007 and sat alone in first place for five weeks. Iowa moved into first place in the NWCA/InterMat Team Poll with a dominating run at the National Duals and a week later they took over first place in the Big Ten standings with a 23-11 win over the Buckeyes on January 18 and a 27-13 over Penn State two days later.

Ohio State is in a position to more than double their win total last season. After finishing 8-7 and 4-4 in the Big Ten last season; they are currently 14-3 overall and 2-1 this season. They had the opportunity to control their own destiny before a loss to Iowa caused them to look for help. For the Buckeyes to get back into the regular season title hunt; they will need someone to knock off Hawkeyes. An Iowa loss in Minnesota on Friday night would make it a wide open race.

The Buckeyes have proven to be a dangerous team this season, whether or not they still have legitimate Big Ten title aspirations has yet to be determined. They have wrestled a challenging schedule; getting tested as a team and as individuals. Ohio State has proven they can wrestle with anyone, but they have yet to wrestle their best match.

Ohio State will become big fans of Minnesota this weekend as their victory gives the Buckeyes the clearest path to a regular season title. Win out and at worst they would be in a three way tie for first place. Their remaining schedule includes trips to Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan State before returning home for Michigan and Edinboro. Ohio State wrestles at Minnesota on February 24 to end the regular season.

The 2008 Big Ten Tournament is scheduled for March 8-9 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The top seven place winners in each weight class and two wild card wrestlers will advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten champion is determined by team points accumulated at the conference tournament. The 2008 NCAA Tournament will be held on March 20-22 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Recapping and Reviewing the Big Ten:

Ten out of the eleven Big Ten teams were in action last weekend. Minnesota was the only team to go 2-0 with wins on the road against Michigan State and Michigan. Iowa, Ohio State, and Wisconsin won their lone duals while Purdue, Michigan, and Penn State went 1-1; Northwestern was 0-1; Indiana and Michigan State were 0-2; and Illinois was idle.

Highlighting the Big Ten schedule this weekend is the match up between Iowa and Minnesota. In the first Big Ten Network wrestling doubleheader ever, the Illini and Wolverines match will air at 6:30 and will be immediately followed by the Hawkeyes and Gophers dual at 8:30 p.m. on Friday night. Other matches scheduled this weekend that are expected to have an impact on the title race include Illinois at Michigan, Penn State at Northwestern & Illinois, and Iowa at Wisconsin.

With the Hawkeyes, Gophers, and Buckeyes sitting on top of the standings, several other teams are hoping to make some noise. Michigan lost to Minnesota last weekend but they will have a chance to make it a four team race with five duals remaining against ranked teams; Illinois, Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Penn State and Illinois can make things interesting with a 2-0 weekend. If Minnesota doesn’t win, Illinois and Michigan look to be the greatest challengers to Iowa.

2007-2008 Big Ten Standings: (Sorted by Wins)

1. Iowa (Big Ten: 3-0) (Overall: 14-1)

Last Week: 1-0; W 22-13 Northwestern
Next Week: @ Minnesota 2/1; @ Wisconsin 2/3

2. Minnesota (Big Ten: 2-0) (Overall: 12-3)

Last Week: 2-0; W 24-15 @ Michigan State; W 24-15 @ Michigan
Next Week: Iowa 2/1; @ Oklahoma State 2/3

3. Ohio State (Big Ten: 2-1) (Overall: 14-3)

Last Week: 1-0; W 23-19 Penn State
Next Week: @ Indiana 2/1; @ Purdue 2/3

4. Michigan (Big Ten: 1-1) (Overall: 14-4)

Last Week: 1-1; W 24-12 Purdue; L 15-24 Minnesota
Next Week: Illinois 2/1

4. Purdue: (Big Ten: 1-1) (Overall: 9-3)

Last Week: 1-1; L 12-24 @ Michigan; W 18-16 @ Michigan State
Next Week: Ohio State 2/3

4. Wisconsin: (Big Ten: 1-1) (10-2-1)

Last Week: 1-0; W 20-15 Indiana
Next Week: Michigan State 2/1; Iowa 2/3

5. Penn State: (Big Ten: 1-2) (Overall: 9-4)

Last Week: 1-1; L 19-22 @ Ohio State; W 25-9 Indiana
Next Week: @ Northwestern 2/1; @ Illinois 2/3

6. Illinois: (Big Ten: 0-0) (Overall: 8-1)

Last Week: DNW
Next Week: @ Michigan 2/1; Penn State 2/3

7. Northwestern: (Big Ten: 0-1) (Overall: 5-5)

Last Week: 0-1; L 13-22 @ Iowa
Next Week: @ Penn State 2/1

8. Indiana: (Big Ten: 0-2) (Overall: 11-4)

Last Week: 0-2; L 15-20 @ Wisconsin; L 9-25 @ Penn State
Next Week: Ohio State 2/1; Michigan State 2/3

8. Michigan State: (Big Ten: 0-2) (Overall: 3-7)

Last Week: 0-2; L 15-23 Minnesota; L 16-18 Purdue
Next Week: @ Wisconsin 2/1; @ Indiana 2/3

(Records current until 1/29/2008)

Ohio State, the Big Ten and the National Team Rankings:

Iowa maintained their place at the top of the rankings with their win over Northwestern. The Hawkeyes received all twelve first place votes for the second consecutive week. Nebraska was idle last week and remained in second place. Oklahoma State strengthened their third place ranking with two wins over Northern Iowa and Iowa State. There was very little movement throughout the top twenty five with only two teams dropping a total of three spots.

Inside the top ten; Minnesota held steady at fourth with wins over Michigan and Michigan State, Central Michigan remained at fifth with a win over Eastern Michigan, and Michigan held sixth with a win against Purdue and a loss to Minnesota. Ohio State remained ahead of Penn State with a head to head win. Iowa State kept pace by splitting a weekend series in Oklahoma with the Sooners and Cowboys; while Northwestern remained tenth with a loss to Iowa.

Missouri, Hofstra, Wisconsin, Edinboro, and Illinois completed the top fifteen. The Illini were idle while the other four schools won their lone dual. Indiana and Oklahoma moved up one spot each as Cornell dropped to eighteenth with a loss to Missouri. UT-Chattanooga, Pittsburgh, and Maryland each went 2-0 and held steady through twenty-one.

Old Dominion went 4-1 for the second consecutive week while Kent State was 1-0. Both schools moved up one spot when an idle Cal State Fullerton dropped to twenty-four. Northern Iowa was shut out by Oklahoma State but actually strengthen their grip on twenty-fifth by picking up thirty-four additional votes.

USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I Team Rankings:
(January 22, 2008)

Iowa [14-1; 480 points] (LW: 1) (LW: 1-0) (12 first)

Nebraska [10-2; 468] (2) +/0 (LW: 0-0)

Oklahoma State [12-2-1; 455] (3) +8 (LW: 2-0)

Minnesota [11-3; 442] (4) -4 (LW: 2-0)

Central Michigan [10-2; 431] (5) +3 (LW: 1-0)

Michigan [14-4; 414] (6) -5 (LW: 1-1)

Ohio State [14-3; 410] (7) -2 (LW: 1-0)

Penn State [9-4; 398] (8) +1 (LW: 1-1)

Iowa State [12-4; 381] (9) -2 (LW: 1-1)

Northwestern [5-5; 366] (10) -7 (LW: 0-1)

Missouri [7-2-1; 364] (11) -3 (LW: 1-0)

Hofstra [11-6; 352] (12) +8 (LW: 1-0)

Wisconsin [10-2-1; 337] (13) -1 (LW: 1-0)

Edinboro [7-2; 328] (14) +5 (LW: 1-0)

Illinois [8-1; 303] (15) +1 (LW: 0-0)

Indiana [11-4; 291] (17) -1 (LW: 0-2)

Oklahoma [11-2; 286] (18) +3 (LW: 1-1)

Cornell [1-5; 278] (16) -18 (LW: 0-1)

UT-Chattanooga [7-5; 269] (19) +7 (LW: 2-0)

Pittsburgh [9-2; 259] (20) +3 (LW: 2-0)

Maryland [12-3; 243] (21) +3 (LW: 2-0)

Old Dominion [13-3; 211] (23) +/- (LW: 4-1)

Kent State [10-4; 172] (24) +1 (LW: 1-0)

Cal State Fullerton [7-5; 162] (22) -14 (LW: 0-0)

Northern Iowa [3-1-1; 134] (25) +34 (LW: 0-1)

Also Receiving Votes: Navy, Penn, Boise State, Stanford
Dropped Out: Virginia (from ARV)
Big Ten Not Ranked: Michigan State and Purdue
(Rank; School)[Record; Votes][1/22/2008 Ranking][+/- Votes]

Ohio State and the Individual National Rankings:

Seven different Ohio State wrestlers were ranked by at least one of the three major ranking services. Heavyweight J.D. Bergman and Mike Pucillo were the highest ranked Buckeyes, sitting in second and third place in all three polls. As a result of their results against Penn State; J. Jaggers and Colt Sponseller moved up with wins, Reece Humphrey held his ranking, and Lance Palmer dropped with the loss. Nikko Triggas is ranked eighteenth by Amateur Wrestling News.

USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I: Individual Rankings:

[14] 133: Reece Humphrey (LW: 14)

[8] 141: J. Jaggers (9)

[6] 149: Lance Palmer (5)

[11] 165: Colt Sponseller (13)

[3] 184: Mike Pucillo (3)

[2] 285: J.D. Bergman (2)

(January 29, 2008) (January 22, 2008)

Amateur Wrestling News: A.W.N. Individual Rankings:

[18] 125: Nikko Triggas (LW:18)

[12] 133: Reece Humphrey (LW: 12)

[8] 141: J. Jaggers (10)

[7] 149: Lance Palmer (6)

[14] 165: Colt Sponseller (14)

[3] 184: Mike Pucillo (3)

[2] 285: J.D. Bergman (2)

[January 28, 2008] Weight (January 21, 2008)

W.I.N. Magazine Individual Rankings:

[10] 133: Reece Humphrey (LW: 10)

[9] 141: pounds J. Jaggers (10)

[7] 149: Lance Palmer (4)

[13] 165: Colt Sponseller (15)

[3] 184: Mike Pucillo (3)

[2] 285: J.D. Bergman (2)

(January 29, 2008) (January 22, 2008)

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