Big Ten Wrestling

#6 Nebraska Faces #2 Iowa Wrestling In Key Big Ten Test

#6 Nebraska Faces #2 Iowa Wrestling In Key Big Ten Test

#6 Nebraska (9-2) travels to #2 Iowa (10-1) for a top 10 matchup on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.

Feb 5, 2025 by Kyle Klingman
#6 Nebraska Faces #2 Iowa Wrestling In Key Big Ten Test

No. 6 Nebraska (9-2) travels to #2 Iowa (10-1) for a top 10 matchup on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. 

Nebraska dismantled Wisconsin, 35-7, at home for its ninth win of the season. The Cornhuskers have been battle-tested, falling only to #5 Northern Iowa (24-9) and #1 Penn State (31-7) with wins over North Carolina, Michigan, and Minnesota. 

Iowa suffered its first season loss, falling to Penn State 30-8 on Friday before a 34-9 win over Maryland on Sunday. The Hawkeyes have scored 30 or more points in six duals and defeated #4 Ohio State, 24-13, on Jan. 25. 

Iowa leads the all-time series 37-10-1, including 15 straight, and won the last meeting, 22-10, on Jan. 12, 2024, in Lincoln.

It’s a new look line-up for the Hawkeyes against the Huskers. Only three Iowa wrestlers from last season are in the line-up, with Drake Ayala moving to 133 from 125. Nebraska moved Antrell Taylor (157) Lenny Pinto (174), and Silas Allred (184) down a weight.

Paths To Victory

Iowa is favored in six of 10 matches but Nebraska is favored in four of the first five. The Huskers can build a significant lead at halftime if they perform well. Nebraska’s #6 Caleb Smith (125), #4 Brock Hardy (141), and #4 Antrell Taylor (157) face unranked opponents. Iowa’s Miguel Estrada (157) will compete in place of #2 Jacori Teemer.

Drake Ayala (Iowa), a returning national finalist at 125, is expected to win big at 133 and can set the tone for his team with bonus points. 

The 149-pound match between #2 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) and #4 Kyle Parco (Iowa) is crucial — and it could determine his team's outcome. Lovett is ranked higher, but Parco won twice last season (3-1 and 4-3) when Parco was at Arizona State. 

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Parco defeated Lovett for fifth place at the 2024 NCAA Championships

Scoring bonus points early is crucial for Nebraska since Iowa is favored in the last five matches. Another key match is at 184 pounds, where #7 Silas Allred (Nebraska) faces #5 Gabe Arnold (Iowa).

The Hawkeye sophomore did not wrestle against Penn State, where Angelo Ferrari fell to top-ranked Carter Starocci, 3-1. Arnold secured a 2-1 TB win against #10 Jaxon Smith (Maryland) on Sunday and will be the starter for the remainder of the season. 

Allred has three losses, dropping matches to #1 Starocci, #2 Parker Keckeisen (UNI), #4 Max McEnelly (Minnesota). He is battle-tested and will be a formidable challenge for Arnold. 

This is a winnable match for either wrestler, with one takedown or tiebreakers likely deciding the outcome. 

Iowa has plenty of bonus point potential on the back half. No. 2 Michael Caliendo (165), #6 Patrick Kennedy (174), and #1 Stephen Buchanan (197) can bring the partisan Carver-Hawkeye crowd to life with their high-octane styles. 

Heavyweight Ben Kueter (Iowa) is 3-2 this calendar year but secured an impressive 5-4 win over Ohio State’s Nick Feldman — a fifth-place finisher at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Nebraska’s Harley Andrews lost 18-3 against Feldman on Dec. 6, so there’s an additional opportunity for Iowa to make a statement. 

Iowa rarely loses at home, but it could get interesting if Nebraska wins at 125, 141, 149, 157, and 184. The Huskers need more than decisions — and it will take all the best wrestlers in their line-up for a victory drive back to Lincoln. 

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Iowa coach Tom Brands addressed the media entering the Nebraska dual

Probable Match-ups

125: #6 Caleb Smith (N) vs Joey Cruz (I)
133: #16 Jacob Van Dee or Omar Ayoub (N) vs #2 Drake Ayala (I)
141: #4 Brock Hardy or Blake Cushing (N) vs Cullan Schriever
149: #2 Ridge Lovett (N) vs #4 Kyle Parco (I)
157: #4 Antrell Taylor (N) vs Miguel Estrada (I)
165: #13 Christopher Minto (N) vs #2 Michael Caliendo (I)
174: #14 Lenny Pinto or Ethan DeLeon (N) vs #6 Patrick Kennedy (I)
184: #7 Silas Allred (N) vs #5 Gabe Arnold (I)
197: #22 Camden McDanel (N) vs #1 Stephen Buchanan (I)
285: #21 Harley Andrews (N) vs #11 Ben Kueter (I)

Last Meeting: Iowa 22, Nebraska 10 - Jan. 12, 2024
125: Drake Ayala (I) dec. Caleb Smith (N), 7-3
133: Jacob Van Dee (N) dec. Brody Teske (I), 10-4
141: Real Woods (I) dec. Brock Hardy (N), 8-2
149: Ridge Lovett (N) dec. Caleb Rathjen (I), 6-0
157: Jared Franek (I) dec. Peyton Robb (N), 5-4
165: Michael Caliendo (I) dec. Antrell Taylor (N), 8-3
174: Patrick Kennedy (I) dec. Bubba Wilson (N), 9-5
184: Lenny Pinto (N) major dec. Aiden Riggins (I), 18-5
197: Zach Glazier (I) major dec. Sillas Allred (N), 11-2
285: Bradley Hill (I) vs. Nash Hutchmacher (N), 4-1

#6 Nebraska (9-2, 4-1 Big Ten)

125: #6 Caleb Smith, SR 14-4
133: #16 Jacob Van Dee, SO, 10-6 or Omar Ayoub FR, Dublin, 8-1
141: #4 Brock Hardy, JR, 16-3 or Blake Cushing, JR, 10-3
149: #2 Ridge Lovett, SR, 14-1
157: #4 Antrell Taylor, SO Millard, 16-2
165: #13 Christopher Minto, FR, 16-1
174: #14 Lenny Pinto, JR, 16-4 or Ethan DeLeon, FR, 19-5
184: #7 Silas Allred, JR, 14-3
197 #22 Camden McDanel, FR, 14-8
285: #21 Harley Andrews SO, 10-9
Head coach: Mark Manning

Nov. 8, 2024: Nebraska 32, Utah Valley 7
Nov. 15, 2024: Nebraska 40, Campbell 6
Nov. 15, 2024: Nebraska 34, North Carolina 3
Dec. 20, 2024: Nebraska 37, Augustana 7
Dec. 20, 2024: Nebraska 28, Nebraska-Kearney 17
Jan. 5, 2025: UNI 24, Nebraska 9
Jan. 11, 2025: Nebraska 21, Minnesota 13
Jan. 17, 2025: Penn State 31, Nebraska 7
Jan. 24, 2025: Nebraska 38, Michigan 6
Jan. 26, 2025: Nebraska 38, Michigan State 3
Jan. 31, 2025: Nebraska 35, Wisconsin 7

#2 Iowa (10-1, 4-1 Big Ten) 

125: Joey Cruz, SO, 12-7
133: #2 Drake Ayala, JR, 12-1
141: Cullan Schriever, SR, 4-6
149: #4 Kyle Parco, SR, 14-1
157: Miguel Estrada, FR, 14-3
165: #2 Michael Caliendo, JR, 14-1
174: #6 Patrick Kennedy, SR, 9-2
184: #5 Gabe Arnold, FR, 12-1
197: #1 Stephen Buchanan, SR,  15-0
285: #11 Ben Kueter, FR, 11-3
Head Coach: Tom Brands

Nov. 2, 2024: Iowa 30, Oregon State 7
Nov. 9, 2024: Iowa 32, Stanford 9
Nov. 15, 2024: Iowa 49, Bellarmine 0
Nov. 23, 2024: Iowa 21, Iowa State 15
Dec. 6, 2024: Iowa 39, Princeton 3
Dec. 6, 2024: Iowa 23, Army 16
Jan. 12, 2025: Iowa 45, Wisconsin 0
Jan. 17, 2025: Iowa 28, Illinois 6
Jan. 25, 2025: Iowa 24, Ohio State 13
Jan. 31, 2025: Penn State 30, Iowa 8
Feb. 2, 2025: Iowa 34, Maryland 9