Jacori Teemer wrestled in plenty of big matches as a four-time All-American and a four-time Pac-12 champion at Arizona State.

Now he’s at Iowa, and he’s getting his first opportunity in an in-state rivalry that has its bitterness, even if it’s been a bit one-sided in recent years.

Second-ranked Iowa’s dual against #13 Iowa State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday will give Teemer a chance to see the atmosphere in the Hawkeyes’ first rivalry matchup of the season.

“Yeah, I’ve heard a lot about it,” Teemer said Tuesday. “At least Iowa has been dominating the past. So I'm just looking to protect home-field advantage and looking forward to the fans coming out, putting on a big performance for the crowd.”

Teemer, ranked #1 at 157 pounds, will face #10 Paniro Johnson on Saturday.

The Hawkeyes have won 19 consecutive duals in the series, and 49 of the last 51. Still, it’s a dual that brings out the emotions, and Teemer knows he has to be ready for that.

“I love it,” he said. “It's the best thing ever, just hearing (the crowd). I can barely hear the coaches, while I hear the crowd. So I wrestle my best when it's like that. It just gets me going, gets the blood going.”

Such big duals didn’t always come to Arizona State, Teemer said.

“We had schools like Penn State come out a couple times,” Teemer said. “Those drew a lot of big crowds. But after that, they stopped coming to ASU. So it was very hard because a lot of big schools didn't want to wrestle ASU.

“But over here at Iowa, we're in the Big Ten, so the competition, you can't hide. So that gives us the Big Ten advantage. Iowa has an advantage with the crowds, and it's awesome.”

Teemer is 2-0 this season, with a major decision win over Stanford’s Gregor Cholakyan and a pin of Bellarmine’s Gray Ortis.

Iowa coach Tom Brands likes how Teemer has fit into his program.

“Like I talked about from the very beginning, it's important that the guys that are here want to be here,” he said. “And so whether you're a transfer or not, you want to be here, good things are going to happen and you're going to continue to add to your wrestling. Because you know what? Your mind is open. Your eyes are open, your ears are open, your mind is open. And that's really the idea, that you get better every day.”

Teemer also likes the fit.

“There’s just the aura around the school, the brand name,” he said. “A lot of fans travel with the team. (I’m) not really used to that.

“I just love competing, and our lineup this year is really good. So when I see my guys performing to the best of their abilities, it just gets me excited.”

Teemer said he has added to his style of wrestling since coming to the Hawkeyes.

“You guys didn't see it yet, but just top wrestling,” Teemer said. “And then my pace — first match at Stanford, I walked off the mat and I wasn't breathing hard. I'm just like, I need to pick it up even more. So just adding better conditioning and top wrestling to my bag.”

Asked when the top wrestling will come, Teemer smiled.

“I like putting on a show, so not until I need it,” he said. “So I'll be on my feet, getting a lot of takedowns, but if I need to ride, you'll see a good ride.”

“He’s a cool cat,” Brands said. “And we like cool cats.”

Kueter’s Turn

Ben Kueter missed a lot of last season’s dual because he was at a workout with Iowa’s football team.

“We got done, and I ran back to the locker room to catch, I think (Gabe Arnold’s) match,” Kueter said.

Kueter gets his turn to compete in it on Saturday. Kueter, ranked 12th at 285, will likely face #4 Yonger Bastida.

“It’s going to be awesome,” Kueter said. “It’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, it’s the Cy-Hawk dual.”

Kueter saw plenty of Iowa-Iowa State duals growing up.

“I remember watching them, that’s about it,” he said. “But yeah, it’s a big event. It’s going to be exciting.”

The Rivalry

Brands has never lost to the Cyclones as a head coach, going 18-0 in his career.

If it is bigger than a usual dual to him, he wasn’t letting on during his time with the media on Tuesday.

“This is a big one, but it is the next one on the calendar, and you’ve got to get ready to go,” he said. “Doesn't matter who it is in competition. So you would get ready as a competitor and as a coach, you're getting your team ready. Or you're actually a bystander watching them get themselves ready, and you adjust here and there. Wind them up, send them out. Away we go.”