James Hackney
#29 Oklahoma (7-3) vs #3 Iowa State (10-2) – January 27th @ 7PM on ESPN+
After getting their first conference win against West Virginia the Sooners hit the road to the state of Iowa. There they’ll take on top three team Iowa State on Friday before hitting top 15 Northern Iowa on Sunday. Iowa State was undefeated in conference duals last season, and are 3-0 in the Big 12 this year.
Last year this dual was 22-9 in favor of Iowa State. Joey Prata is the only wrestler from last year’s team that is back and won last year. While not a great stat on paper, the only other wrestler from last year to this year who competed in the dual is Josh Heindselman. With eight different starters from last year there’s a chance that they could surprise the Cyclones at home.
Both teams have had a mix of injuries and lineup changes this season so there could be some variability. OU specifically at 174-197 have had multiple starters this season. There are five ranked matchups in the dual, but OU isn’t favored at any of them. That could be a daunting task or one sided dual, but it’s also an opportunity for some of them to climb the rankings.
125lbs: #21 Joey Prata (12-5) vs Caleb Fuessley (6-9)
Prata gets a favorable matchup in current starter Fuessley, who has a losing record this season. Fuessley is the third starter at this weight after Kysen Terukina and Corey Cabanban suffered injuries. Fuessley is 0-2 against common opponents this season. He was majored by Little Rock’s Jeremiah Reno, who Prata beat 10-1.
Prata’s offense has been hit and miss his past few matches, but this is a match where he could look for bonus. If he comes out looking to be aggressive and can get his top game going, a major could provide some much needed team points in a big dual.
Prediction: Prata Maj. Fuessley (OU 4 ISU 0)
133lbs: #27 Wyatt Henson (11-6) vs #24 Ramazan Attasauov (11-5)
This match is close in the rankings but a win would be a big confidence boost for Henson going forward.
