The #5 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-1) continue their road show with a Sunday trip to Lincoln to face the #6 Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2). They dual begins at 1:00 CST and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
This will be a rematch of the semifinals of the 3rd place match of the National Duals Invitational in name only, as several of Nebraska’s top wrestlers sat out the match for various reasons, which resulted in a 33-6 rout by the Cowboys. We should see a much closer dual this time, IF Nebraska doesn’t sit their top guys again. Nebraska has wins against Michigan and Missouri this year, and their other loss was to Ohio State, also at the NDI. Several of Sunday’s matchups will be toss ups, and it will take a good effort by the Pokes to win again. Let’s get to the lineup and predictions. Rankings (Flo/Intermat).
125 (8/7) Troy Spratley (5-2) v. (UR/UR) Kael Lauridsen (6-4) or Alan Koehler (7-7)
There are only a couple of matchups that should be a sure thing for either OSU or Nebraska, and this is one of them. Spratley has his sights set on a national championship, while Lauridsen is 11-8 overall over the last couple of years. Lauridsen has also lost 4 of his last 5, and did not wrestle in Friday night’s dual against North Carolina, so we may see Alan Koehler, a RS Sophomore, who is an average wrestler too, and was pinned by Spratley at NDI. It will be a bit of a disappointment if Spratley can’t get bonus points here, and this match COULD be the difference in the dual.
