Bison vs. Bunnies

[PaBizon]

This looks like it will be a close match that comes down to who secures more bonus points. SDSU seems to be strongest where NDSU isn’t and visa versa. Here’s my prediction

125 SDSU - 3 Midkiff tech’d Vega in November but much has changed for both wrestlers
133 NDSU - 5 hoping for more than a major here as Cam will want to stick it to SDSU for maybe the last time
141 SDSU - 3 toss up Match. Dylan can win this one
149 SDSU - 4 Jaden was actually forcing the issue last year against Pohlmeyer until he got caught and pinned
157 NDSU - 4 Franek has looked good lately. Tireless
165 NDSU - 4 must have bonus points here
174 NDSU - 3 Weber has been good at 174 until the AF meet when he tried to out muscle a bigger/stronger guy
184 SDSU - 4 hoping to give up no more than four
197 SDSU - 4 Sloan has been really good as of late
Hwt NDSU - 3 Metz is 4-0 against against Wolters. 1 pin and 3 dec

NDSU 19
SDSU 18

[RadioBison]

This looks like it will be a close match that comes down to who secures more bonus points. SDSU seems to be strongest where NDSU isn’t and visa versa. Here’s my prediction

125 SDSU - 3 Midkiff tech’d Vega in November but much has changed for both wrestlers
133 NDSU - 5 hoping for more than a major here as Cam will want to stick it to SDSU for maybe the last time
141 SDSU - 3 toss up Match. Dylan can win this one
149 SDSU - 4 Jaden was actually forcing the issue last year against Pohlmeyer until he got caught and pinned
157 NDSU - 4 Franek has looked good lately. Tireless
165 NDSU - 4 must have bonus points here
174 NDSU - 3 Weber has been good at 174 until the AF meet when he tried to out muscle a bigger/stronger guy
184 SDSU - 4 hoping to give up no more than four
197 SDSU - 4 Sloan has been really good as of late
Hwt NDSU - 3 Metz is 4-0 against against Wolters. 1 pin and 3 dec

NDSU 19
SDSU 18

This seems very reasonable to me. The weight that concerns me the most is 165. Not that Fogarty won't handle it, but Cook hits too many big moves for me to be comfortable.

I'm still upset over that JVM match from last time, with a defensive touch fall called with 12-seconds to go. I'm convinced he would have been an NQ last year if that didn't happen.

[Big Bird]

I'd be surprised if Cook wrestles 165. They have a hole at 174 and bumped Cook up against Stanford.

He'd have a size advantage over Weber, and Fogarty wouldn't get exposed to his style. When guys are funky/unorthodox like Cook, they're generally better/more effective the first time other guys see them. Cook gives up his legs fairly regularly, and if his opponent finishes shots quickly, he isn't dangerous.

I'd be surprised if Cam techs Price. Price is really solid and will be a tough matchup. Smith has improved 157 for SDSU too and will make Franek work for it.

I think 125, 141, 174, and HWT are the big ones that will decide the dual.

Hopefully Midkiff can beat Vega again, but I would favor Vega. Getting the first takedown and taking over on top will be huge for Midkiff.
Droegemueller hasn't beaten Carlson yet, but he's been close. He has been able to get in on shots, but hasn't been able to finish them. That'll be the key for this one.
174 should be big, especially if it is Weber vs Cook. High potential for a fall if these two square off.
At HWT, Metz is obviously the favorite, but Wolters has improved and could keep it close. If Metz stays active, he could dominate him, because Wolters really doesn't do much.

[PaBizon]

I'd be surprised if Cook wrestles 165. They have a hole at 174 and bumped Cook up against Stanford.

He'd have a size advantage over Weber, and Fogarty wouldn't get exposed to his style. When guys are funky/unorthodox like Cook, they're generally better/more effective the first time other guys see them. Cook gives up his legs fairly regularly, and if his opponent finishes shots quickly, he isn't dangerous.

I'd be surprised if Cam techs Price. Price is really solid and will be a tough matchup. Smith has improved 157 for SDSU too and will make Franek work for it.

I think 125, 141, 174, and HWT are the big ones that will decide the dual.

Hopefully Midkiff can beat Vega again, but I would favor Vega. Getting the first takedown and taking over on top will be huge for Midkiff.
Droegemueller hasn't beaten Carlson yet, but he's been close. He has been able to get in on shots, but hasn't been able to finish them. That'll be the key for this one.
174 should be big, especially if it is Weber vs Cook. High potential for a fall if these two square off.
At HWT, Metz is obviously the favorite, but Wolters has improved and could keep it close. If Metz stays active, he could dominate him, because Wolters really doesn't do much.

Moving Cook up probably means O’Neill wrestles 165. IMO if that happens Fogarty wins by fall and 174 is still a tough match to call.

[SlickVic]

This looks like it will be a close match that comes down to who secures more bonus points. SDSU seems to be strongest where NDSU isn’t and visa versa. Here’s my prediction

125 SDSU - 3 Midkiff tech’d Vega in November but much has changed for both wrestlers
133 NDSU - 5 hoping for more than a major here as Cam will want to stick it to SDSU for maybe the last time
141 SDSU - 3 toss up Match. Dylan can win this one
149 SDSU - 4 Jaden was actually forcing the issue last year against Pohlmeyer until he got caught and pinned
157 NDSU - 4 Franek has looked good lately. Tireless
165 NDSU - 4 must have bonus points here
174 NDSU - 3 Weber has been good at 174 until the AF meet when he tried to out muscle a bigger/stronger guy
184 SDSU - 4 hoping to give up no more than four
197 SDSU - 4 Sloan has been really good as of late
Hwt NDSU - 3 Metz is 4-0 against against Wolters. 1 pin and 3 dec

NDSU 19
SDSU 18

nice handicapin PA!!! but u need 2 take into account the amount of horses 2 b fed-------o wait this is wrastlin------in any event in Bucky we trust bison will b fine need 2 get a statue of that legend yesterday PL. has some great stories and so do i love that guy

[Big Bird]

Moving Cook up probably means O’Neill wrestles 165. IMO if that happens Fogarty wins by fall and 174 is still a tough match to call.

Agreed, but if I'm Hahn, I would do it. Pretty unlikely Cook beats Fogarty and Weber is probably a favorite over any non-Cook option. SDSU Is likely staring at a -6 (or more) differential if they wrestle these weights straight up. If they bump Cook up, they're favored at 174 while pretty likely to give up bonus at 165, making them a likely -3 (or less) differential.

Maybe we see NDSU weigh both Fogarty and Weber at 165 and try to keep Fogarty on Cook, and get Weber the weaker of the two weights. NDSU did bump Cam up a couple years ago to get him on Pohlmeyer rather than Gross, and it helped.

[PaBizon]

nice handicapin PA!!! but u need 2 take into account the amount of horses 2 b fed-------o wait this is wrastlin------in any event in Bucky we trust bison will b fine need 2 get a statue of that legend yesterday PL. has some great stories and so do i love that guy

I’ll be the first to donate to the statue. You in?

[PaBizon]

Agreed, but if I'm Hahn, I would do it. Pretty unlikely Cook beats Fogarty and Weber is probably a favorite over any non-Cook option. SDSU Is likely staring at a -6 (or more) differential if they wrestle these weights straight up. If they bump Cook up, they're favored at 174 while pretty likely to give up bonus at 165, making them a likely -3 (or less) differential.

Maybe we see NDSU weigh both Fogarty and Weber at 165 and try to keep Fogarty on Cook, and get Weber the weaker of the two weights. NDSU did bump Cam up a couple years ago to get him on Pohlmeyer rather than Gross, and it helped.

I think you’re right that Hahn will bump Cook up to 174. Wrestle stat shows 3 common opponents for Weber (3-0) and Cook (2-1) with Weber winning the match 9-8. Holding Fogarty to match with Cook sounds good but on the road don’t we have to declare first? SDSU could control the situation to how they want it which probably means putting Cook against Weber at either weight.

[PaBizon]

This seems very reasonable to me. The weight that concerns me the most is 165. Not that Fogarty won't handle it, but Cook hits too many big moves for me to be comfortable.

I'm still upset over that JVM match from last time, with a defensive touch fall called with 12-seconds to go. I'm convinced he would have been an NQ last year if that didn't happen.

I agree. Losing the way Jaden did last year seemed to zap the life out of him.

[RadioBison]

Holding Fogarty to match with Cook sounds good but on the road don’t we have to declare first?

I think it all depends on a coin toss and the resulting selections. One side declares first on even matches, the other side declares first on odd matches.