The #22 Northern Iowa Panthers are slated to do battle with the #6 North Carolina State Wolfpack & what I can tell you about this dual, is that I have a strong feeling that when it is all said & done, it isn't going to look like a #22 Vs a #6. I feel that the Panthers are severely underrated & while overcoming the Wolfpack may not be in the cards, showing that they're a lot better than #22, and that they belong on the mat with the #6 is very feasible.
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| #12 Trever Anderson Vs #1 Vincent Robinson 125 |
Last year's NCAA DI champion taking on a wrestler who finished one match shy of being an All American. At first glance this may seem like an open & shut case, but the parity of the 125 lbs class suggest a different story. Head Coach Doug Schwab has consistently shown that he knows how to get inside the heads of his wrestlers & that was blatantly obvious in looking at how much Anderson improved from '23-'24 to '24-'25. Beating the returning NCAA DI champ? I'm not going to go that far. Showing the champ that he belongs on the same mat with him? Showing the collegiate wrestling world that he plans on being top 8 by season's end? I predict it.
NORTHERN IOWA: 0
N.C. STATE: 3
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| #14 Julian Farber Vs #21 Zach Redding 133 |
There are going to be a lot of great matches in this dual, and this is another one. Here we have two wrestlers, both in their final season of collegiate eligibility, both with the potential to have outstanding years. Farber who has had some notable wins throughout his career, is trying to establish himself as an All American contender. Zach Redding, who has finished at the NCAA R12, is on a quest to reclaim his status in the same. I really see this dual being a back-and-forth confrontation between these two teams, and each win being vital to who moves ahead to R2 & who doesn't. This particular match coming down to one takedown? To sudden victory? Even a tiebreaker? It wouldn't surprise me at all. Taking the Panther in a tight one.
NORTHERN IOWA: 3
N.C. STATE: 3
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| U.R. Cory Land Vs #9 Ryan Jack 141 |
I feel very uncomfortable putting U.R. next to Cory Land's name, because I know for a fact come '26's end, he's going to prove himself to be a Hell of a lot better than unranked. He's already had some very notable wins in his career & no question in my mind, he's going to rack up some more this season. With that said, Ryan Jack is a returning 2024 All American coming off of a redshirt last season. 9th at the moment, I say by season's end he is among those looking to try & keep Jesse Mendez from his third NCAA DI title. An unranked Vs a #9 to the uneducated eye, might seem like big points for the Wolfpack, but I seriously doubt it. This is going to be a good match. Land is tough. Predicting a close W for the Werewolves of Raleigh.
NORTHERN IOWA: 3
N.C. STATE: 6
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| #12 Caleb Rathjen Vs #11 Koy Buesgens 149 |
The #12 Vs the #11, here I think the rankings match up very well with what is likely to go down on the mat. We have two very talented wrestlers, both right in the mix of things at what seems to be at least, the same level. Both Schwab & Popolizio want a win here & flip a coin on prediction, this one can go either way. I think this time, Panthers.
NORTHERN IOWA: 6
N.C. STATE: 6
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| #29 R.J. Weston Vs #12 Jackson Arrington 157 |
I don't need the Flo team getting bent out of shape & going into super defensive mode based on my perspectives and observations. Next to officiating, doing rankings has to be the most frustrating, thankless job in this sport. Notice how I've been doing collegiate wrestling coverage for over 20 years & during that entire span, I've done rankings of my own exactly once. Doing hours upon hours of research, comparisons, & having to deal with the insane amount of parity that wrestling has to offer? Then on top of it having know-it-alls like me nitpicking every little thing? NO THANK YOU. I personally feel that for the most part Flo does a good job & I want to make it clear that I have no issue with R.J. Weston being ranked #29. This is based on fair & concise evaluation of last year's results. If I were trying to rank the top 33 at 157 lbs, I would probably have him somewhere similar. So I hope I am clear about that. When I say that I think R.J. Weston is much better than #29, I'm not in hope that J.D. or Jon curse the name JT1Wrestle on their next show. It's because I think Weston will prove himself to be better throughout the season. Good? Awesome, excellent, hip hip hurray.
I still think this is going to be a win for Arrington though. A close win. A hard fought win, but a win.
NORTHERN IOWA: 6
N.C. STATE: 9
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| #6 Ryder Downey Vs U.R. Will Denny 165 |
I highly doubt we'll see many bonus point matches in this dual, but of the few that we will see, this will be one of them. A tech or a fall? No, but I do think that Downey will rack up a major decision over Denny.
NORTHERN IOWA: 10
N.C. STATE: 9
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| #19 Jared Simma Vs #6 Matty Singleton 174 |
In the episode of JT1Wrestle where Cradlezone & I spoke about NCAA DI darkhorses, I named Jared Simma one of mine & think he demonstrates as to why this weekend. The last these two met, it was a tight 4-2 victory for Singleton & this time I think it'll be Simma who walks away with the victory. I am calling for an upset.
NORTHERN IOWA: 13
N.C. STATE: 9
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| #31 C.J. Walrath Vs U.R. Andrew Macchiavello 184 |
Whether it is Donald Cates or Andrew Macchiavello the mission here remains exactly the same. The Wolfpack must absolutely NOT give up bonus points in this match. There are a lot of could go either way confrontations in this dual & there's only one weight class where I can see bonus points happening for the Wolfpack. On the other hand I think bonus points are pretty much a shoe-in for Northern Iowa at 165 lbs. The Panthers of course, want that major, that tech or if possible that fall. 3 points are always nice to put up on the board, but those 4, 5 & especially 6's are even nicer. I'm thinking only a dec though.
NORTHERN IOWA: 16
N.C. STATE: 9
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| U.R. Kalob Runyon Vs #15 Patrick Brophy 197 |
Patrick Brophy's transfer must be such recent news that N.C. State has yet to get him a photo for his roster shot. Nonetheless the former Bulldog has joined the Wolfpack & his assistance will be greatly needed as this dual heads into the 197 lbs match. At this point, to avoid what is on paper a major upset as a team, Brophy cannot afford what is equally a major upset on paper Vs Kalob Runyon. For N.C. State's sake, bonus points would give the wolfpack some breathing room, but I'm not seeing them. Runyon kept All-American Isaiah Salazar from majoring him, I think he can keep Brophy from majoring him too.
NORTHERN IOWA: 16
N.C. STATE: 12
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| #11 Wyatt Voelker Vs #2 Isaac Trumble HWT |
At this point in the war, it is time to bring out the heavy artillery & the Wolfpack has a nuke in the form of Isaach Trumble. Wyatt Voelker is no salad, but that doesn't mean he won't get tossed. He wasn't exactly a huge 197 lbs'er the last three seasons & while I think eventually, he'll adjust to 285, I do not think he has the size or the strength at the moment to go toe-to-toe with the #2 HWT right now. N.C. State I feel is going to need a fall here & I think they're going to get one.
NORTHERN IOWA: 16
N.C. STATE: 16
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Criteria & a fall > major will be what prevails the Wolfpack over the Panthers by a nosehair. Can one really predict a tie, needing to be decided by criteria? The probability isn't zero, but it's sure a hell of a lot closer to zero than it is one hundred. My main point here, is that I think this is going to be a great dual meet. A lot of back and forth. A lot of matches coming down to the wire. Winning where you weren't supposed to win. Bonusing where you weren't supposed to bonus. Avoiding a bonus, where they were sure there would be bonus. These are the things that are going to win this dual. Saying that, I feel very comfortable with.
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