Fantasizing About a True National Duals

 With Covid-19 being our lives the past half a year, most of the wrestling we have gotten to experience has been fantasy.  The NCAA tournament last year didn't happen on the mat, it happened on paper.  Throughout various facebook wrestling groups, fantasy tournaments have been taking place.  You know what I've been fantasizing about?

A true National Duals. 

Now how would this work?  Or better question....how COULD this work? 

In my personal opinion, I think this needs to happen at the beginning of the season.  I think it needs to be based on preseason rankings.  The top 16 teams.  Your schedule reflective of who you would face first round. 

If it were to happen this season, here's what it would look like. 

#1 Iowa Vs #16 Northwestern 

#9 Ohio State Vs #8 Missouri 

#5 Oklahoma State Vs #12 Lehigh

#13 Stanford Vs #4 Nebraska 

#3 Penn State Vs #14 Michigan State 

#11 Virginia Vs #6 North Carolina State 

#7 Iowa State Vs #10 North Carolina 

#15 Illinois Vs #2 Michigan 

Overbalanced? Yeah, but what sport isn't?   BIG 10 is represented by seven teams.  ACC by three teams.  BIG 12 by three teams.  MAC, EIWA & PAC-12 by one team.    Unfortunately the Southern Conference is not represented here.  That's a part of it.  While we want representation we also want the best teams competing for the championship.  

Would these play out in real life like they do on paper?  Absolutely not!!  That's the fun & excitement of it.  For example's sake though, let's pretend that it does. 

Now we have left 
#1 Iowa
#8 Missouri
#5 Oklahoma State
#4 Nebraska
#3 Penn State 
#6 North Carolina State
#7 Iowa State
#2 Michigan 

We're a society of "earn its" which is why I had the first round.  Some are thinking why have a first round?  I put it in because I know we like the idea of qualifying & "earning" our way into a tournament.   It'd be how teams "earn" their way into competing at the National Duals.  

Could it be achieved in a two day weekend?  I don't see why not.  



SATURDAY 


Four Mats starting at 11:00 a.m.  

#1 Iowa Vs #8 Missouri  on Mat 1 
#5 Oklahoma State Vs #4 Nebraska on Mat 2 
#3 Penn State Vs #6 North Carolina State on Mat 3
#7 Iowa State Vs #2 Michigan on Mat 4 

Over by 2:00 p.m.  

Break

Back at 5:00 p.m. 

#1 Iowa Vs #4 Nebraska on Mat 1
#3 Penn State Vs #2 Michigan on Mat 2 

It's over by 8:00 p.m. 


SUNDAY

11:00 a.m. 

#1 Iowa Vs #2 Michigan on Mat 1 
#3 Penn State Vs #4 Nebraska on Mat 2 

Both are over by 2:00 p.m. 

We have the top 4 teams crowned with Gold, Silver, Bronze & Copper trophies 

en whatever someone has to get done the rest of Sunday, plenty of time.