Big Red Travel to #3 Iowa

The No. 7 Nebraska wrestling team takes on its next Big Ten road dual on Friday, Feb. 7, battling No. 3 Iowa in Iowa City. The Friday night top-10 dual between conference foes comes as the Huskers are on a three-dual win streak, and the Hawkeyes were just dealt their first loss of the season at No. 1 Penn State.

The Big Red (9-2, 4-1 Big Ten) meet the Hawkeyes (10-1, 4-1 Big Ten) on the mat at 7 p.m. (CT) and the dual will be televised on Big Ten Network. The border rivals are currently fifth and third respectively in conference standings. In the Feb. 4 poll, five of the NWCA’s top-10 teams are from the Big Ten.

Half of Iowa’s lineup for Friday is currently ranked in Intermat’s top-five. The Big Ten matchup of rival teams has a lone rematch at 149, with a top-five bout on the slate for #2 Ridge Lovett and #4 Kyle Parco. The pair have wrestled twice before, when Parco was at Arizona State. Parco leads the head-to-head 2-0, both decisions.

HISTORY
Series: Iowa leads, 32-7-2
Last Meeting: Jan. 12, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. (Iowa won 22-10) 

UP NEXT
The Huskers return to Lincoln for their final home matchup of the season. Hosting #22 Indiana on Feb. 16 at 12:30 p.m., the dual will feature Senior Day celebrations and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

Huskers to Watch

• Lenny Pinto (174) is currently on the NCAA top-10 leaderboard for tech. falls, leading the Big Red with nine. Pinto seeks his 30th dual win at Iowa.
• At 125, Caleb Smith has notched 98 career wins between his time at Nebraska and Appalachian State. This Friday, Smith takes on #26 Joey Cruz in an attempt to claim victory number 99.
• Ridge Lovett (149) has risen in the rankings to No. 2, and is 10-0 in dual competition this season. The senior has claimed 46 dual points for the Huskers this year, and has reached 90 career and 40 dual wins, all with NU. Lovett has claimed weekly Big Ten honors twice this year.
• At 197, true freshman Camden McDanel notched his first collegiate pin last week against Wisconsin. McDanel is 14-8 this season, with 13 bonus-point wins. McDanel is one of only three Huskers on the current roster to have started his true freshman season, along with Brock Hardy and Ridge Lovett.
• Christopher Minto (165) is now 16-1 in his freshman season, with 11 bonus-point wins. Minto comes in as high as No. 8 after two consecutive top-10 wins. The redshirt freshman has been honored twice by the conference with weekly honors as Freshman of the Week.
• At 157, Antrell Taylor is currently No. 4 in the country, and seeking his 40th career win.

No. 7 Nebraska Projected Lineup (9-2, 4-1 Big Ten)
125 - #8 Caleb Smith
133 - #15 Jacob Van Dee or Omar Ayoub
141 - #6 Brock Hardy or Blake Cushing
149 - #2 Ridge Lovett
157 - #4 Antrell Taylor
165 - #8 Christopher Minto
174 - #14 Lenny Pinto or Ethan DeLeon
184 - #8 Silas Allred
197 - #20 Camden McDanel
HWT - #21 Harley Andrews

No. 3 Iowa Projected Lineup (10-1, 4-1 Big Ten)
125 - #26 Joey Cruz
133 - #3 Drake Ayala
141 - Cullan Schriever
149 - #4 Kyle Parco
157 -  Miguel Estrada
165 - #2 Michael Caliendo
174 - #6 Patrick Kennedy
184 - #5 Gabe Arnold
197 - #1 Stephen Buchanan
HWT - #11 Ben Kueter