NC State wrestling has won once already this year on the big stage — literally — when it pulled out a criteria win over then-No. 7 Nebraska in the marquee home dual of the season Dec. 16. The match was contested on top of a stage at Reynolds Coliseum — similar to the philosophy of legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano having his team practice cutting down the nets, it’s as close as one can get to replicating the NCAA finals during the regular season.
Now, the Wolfpack take to the road to try conquering another Big Ten foe on the big stage — the figurative kind this time — when it travels to No. 2 Ohio State in a Sunday match broadcast live by ESPN2 at 6 p.m. The Big Ten is the best conference in college wrestling, and accounted for four of the top five teams at the NCAA Championships last year, with NC State — which tied Michigan for fourth — the lone outlier.
“It’s a great opportunity,” seventh-year head coach Pat Popolizio said of wrestling the Buckeyes. “We’ve been in some tough dual meets this year, but every dual we’re in is a challenge because of where we’ve been at — they’ve all been dog fights. Nothing is going to change with this one.
“We have an opportunity to go out and compete against one of the best teams in the country over the last 5-10 years.”
Popolizio’s squad has been able to find success against Big Ten teams in the past, and even on the road, including the 21-17 victory at No. 2 Iowa during the 2015-16 season that shocked the wrestling world. NC State has won eight of its past 10 duals against Big Ten foes in the last four years, including a perfect 6-0 mark outside of Raleigh (3-0 on the road, 3-0 at neutral settings).
However, the Buckeyes present a challenge unlike anybody outside of Penn State, winners of seven of the last eight national titles, and authored one of those recent and rare losses for the Pack with a 29-6 victory in Raleigh last season.
Ohio State finished second nationally with eight All-Americans (out of 10 weight classes) last year and is currently ranked second in the country, while NC State checks in at No. 9. The Buckeyes have beaten their four foes so far by a combined score of 115-39.
According to FloWrestling, Ohio State boasts three of the nation’s top 20 collegiate grapplers regardless of weight class in No. 8 Myles Martin (184 pounds), No. 10 Joey McKenna (141), No. 14 Kollin Moore (197) and No. 17 Micah Jordan (149). Eight of the 10 starters are ranked among the top 20 nationally in their weight class by the outlet, including five in the top five.
NCSU counters with seven ranked starters, including three in the top five. Both teams are expected to send out top-10 grapplers at 133, 149, 157 and 184 pounds.
“We’ve got to elevate our game, and I think our guys know that,” Popolizio explained. “The focus has been there, as well as the discipline this week more than ever with our weight and our training. That’s going to be critical competing against a team like Ohio State, as good as they are.”
While the Wolfpack is coming off the best season in program history, they are also tasked with replacing six of the 10 starters it entered into the postseason last year. Now, they are led by a crew of talented redshirt sophomores, who combined to make up the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class per FloWrestling coming out of high school.
That has made for an up-and-down year, although the Pack brings a 9-1 dual mark to Columbus. There was a 16-15 scare at Old Dominion Nov. 30, the close call against No. 11 Nebraska and a criteria loss to No. 13 Wyoming in its first match of the South Beach Duals Dec. 29.
Popolizio explained his squad treated the loss at the South Beach Duals — where they had three more bouts over the next day and a half — as a chance to replicate an early loss at the NCAA Championships, where a competitor can wrestle back for third through the consolation bracket.
The coach saw the response he wanted while the team outscored its next three foes — which included Big Ten schools Indiana and No. 17 Purdue, as well as No. 22 Utah Valley — 74-33, but throughout the weekend seven starters suffered individual losses.
Popolizio actually sees his young team learning how to bounce back from a disappointing result in the regular season, when the stakes aren't as high, as a positive.
“A lot of guys took a loss this past weekend and had to wrestle through it,” he said. “Now we’ve got to turn around and every guy is going to see somebody really good on Sunday.
“Every guy has an opportunity to prove themselves one way or another.”
Popolizio is still confident his team’s ceiling is still "as high as competing to win an NCAA title,” and they'll get a chance to prove that Sunday on the national stage.
“To be where we’re at right now replacing six starters is, I think, a good spot,” he said. “You take any team in the country and replace six guys, there’s a big drop off. To be right where we’re at and competitive, it’s a good thing because we’ve still got a lot of learning to do and a lot of time left.”
No. 9 NC State (9-1) at No. 2 Ohio State (4-0)
Rankings are according to FloWrestling
125: No. 10 R-Sr. Sean Fausz (2-1) or R-Fr. Zurich Storm (9-2) vs. So. Braken Mead (4-6)
133: No. 7 R-So. Tariq Wilson (11-1) vs. No. 5 Jr. Luke Pletcher (13-1)
141: R-Sr. Jamal Morris (8-4) vs. No. 2 Sr. Joey McKenna (10-0)
149: No. 4 R-Sr. Justin Oliver (10-0) vs. No. 3 Sr. Micah Jordan (12-1)
157: No. 5 R-So. Hayden Hidlay (9-2) vs. No. 8 Jr. Ke-Shawn Hayes (12-2)
165: No. 18 R-So. Thomas Bullard (10-4) vs. R-Fr. Kaleb Romero (6-2)
174: R-So. Daniel Bullard (12-4) vs. No. 19 R-Fr. Ethan Smith (11-4) or Sr. Te’Shan Campbell (6-2)
184: No. 3 R-So. Nick Reenan (10-0) vs. No. 1 Sr. Myles Martin (7-0)
197: No. 19 R-Sr. Malik McDonald (9-5) vs. No. 2 R-Jr. Kollin Moore (7-0)
HWT: Fr. Deonte Wilson (11-6) or Fr. Colin Lawler (13-4) vs. No. 17 Fr. Chase Singletary (12-3)
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