This Week's Top B1G Dual Matchups (1/22/2026)

There’s a full slate of wrestling action this weekend, particularly in the Big Ten. Friday will feature a Big Ten wrestling Triple Header, starting with Michigan State vs. Purdue at 5 p.m. (Eastern), and including Ohio State at Minnesota and Iowa at Nebraska. There are tons of key storylines and matches to watch in the Big Ten this weekend. An NCAA finals rematch, many clashes between All-Americans, team rematches from the National Duals Invitational, and one rivalry that goes back to high school. Here are some of the key matches to watch in the Big Ten from Friday to Sunday. Note: I did not include any of AJ Ferrari’s matches. There was an article published last night regarding his legal situation, which made it seem like his status might be murky. Should he wrestle, he has two excellent matchups (Ben Kueter/Nick Feldman). Michigan State at Purdue 133 lbs: Caleb Weiand (Michigan State) vs. Blake Boarman (Purdue) Although both wrestlers are unranked, this is a very intriguing potential matchup. Weiand started the year at 125 lbs, but moved up at the Southern Scuffle. There, he pinned #11 Dillon Campbell (Virginia Tech) and beat then-ranked Raymond Lopez (American). Boarman was ranked at the beginning of the season, but dropped out. In his last appearance, he had a win over former All-American Dylan Shawver. Ohio State at Minnesota 125 lbs: #2 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) vs. #9 Jore Volk (Minnesota) 141 lbs: #1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) vs. #9 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota) 184 lbs: #5 Dylan Fishback (Ohio State) vs. #4 Max McEnelly (Minnesota) These two teams met at the National Duals Invitational and Ohio State won eight of ten matches. Their only two losses were in sudden victory overtime (and one was on a stalling call). An overtime win for Ohio State came in the 125 lb match. As always, eyes will be on Bouzakis as this is more of a normal weigh-in situation, opposed to the evening matchup at NDI. Will it make a difference? At one point, Vance Vombaur pushed Jesse Mendez to the brink during their 2025 dual matchup. Mendez was able to open up at nationals and the NDI and beat Vombaur by a major decision. 184 lbs could be viewed as up-for-grabs again after #1 Angelo Ferrari (Iowa) lost on Friday night. Both 184’s could be in the title hunt at the Big Ten’s and in Cleveland. At the NDI, McEnelly needed extra time to get by Fishback. Indiana at Penn State 125 lbs: #11 Jacob Moran (Indiana) vs. #1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) The most intriguing matchup in this dual takes place at 125 lbs. Jacob Moran has been very solid this season; however, in his only bout against a top contender, he was majored by #2 Nic Bouzakis. Lilledahl has climbed to the top spot at 125 lbs. In years past, that ranking was almost seen as a curse and an upset would be waiting around the corner. Could this be the case here? Though the pair were in the B1G together last season, they did not meet up in duals or the postseason. Rutgers at Northwestern 133 lbs: #27 Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) vs. #24 Sean Spidle (Northwestern) It’s been tough as of late for former Big Ten champion and All-American Dylan Shawver. Shawver has lost two of three Big Ten duals and suffered a pair of losses at the Midlands. One of those Midlands losses came to Northwestern’s Sean Spidle. Spidle has had a tough Big Ten schedule, but has also lost two of three duals. Something has to give here and someone will get back on the right track! Iowa at Nebraska 133 lbs: #10 Drake Ayala (Iowa) vs. #8 Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) 141 lbs: #10 Nasir Bailey (Iowa) vs. #3 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) 165 lbs: #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) vs. #7 LJ Araujo (Nebraska) 174 lbs: #3 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) vs. #6 Christopher Minto (Nebraska) Nebraska is looking to snap a losing streak against Iowa that dates back to 2005. The Huskers haven’t beaten Iowa since they joined the Big Ten. Is this the year? Some momentum swung Nebraska’s way when Angelo Ferrari wasn’t listed among the probables for Iowa earlier this week. In Iowa’s favor, we’re not sure of AJ Ferrari’s status after more information came out yesterday regarding his recent legal troubles. A swing match in this dual comes at 133 lbs. Drake Ayala has wrestled a monster schedule thus far in 2025-26. He has five total losses and four of them came to wrestlers currently ranked in the top four nationally. At the same time, he doesn’t have a win against a top-20 opponent this year. In last year’s dual, Ayala defeated Jacob Van Dee, 4-2. Van Dee is certainly someone who feeds off the Nebraska crowd and is unbeaten in dual meets this year. Nasir Bailey was the lone Hawkeye to get his hand raised last Friday. He’s hoping to carry momentum into a match with NCAA runner-up Brock Hardy. Hardy has tough losses to the top two wrestlers in the nation, but is generally very consistent. 165 and 174 lbs are matches that look very close on paper, but they’ll need to go Iowa’s way if they’re going to win this dual. Caliendo has been a fixture near the top of this weight class for a few years now. If the situation presents itself, he’ll try for bonus points. Christopher Minto gave Caliendo a close match last year and will push Kennedy this year. Kennedy was not in the lineup for the Penn State dual - so we’ll have to monitor if there’s anything lingering with him physically in this dual. Sunday Michigan State at Indiana 197 lbs: #27 Kael Wisler (Michigan State) vs. #14 Gabe Sollars (Indiana) Wisler has quietly gotten the job done for Michigan State. He notched a win for the Spartans last weekend against Illinois and is 17-5 on the year. He looks well on his way to potentially qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time. Sollars is seeking his first B1G dual win of the season after losing close ones to Branson John (Maryland) and Luke Geog (Ohio State) in each of the last two weeks. Penn State at Maryland 149 lbs: #1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) vs. #7 Carter Young (Maryland) By the time you read this, there might be a change to the date/time for this dual. Maryland is right in the crosshairs of a snowstorm on the East Coast. Whenever this dual takes place, focus on the 149 lb contest. Top-ranked Shayne Van Ness tries to stay perfect against Carter Young. The Oklahoma State transfer has been great for Maryland, with a medical forfeit at the Southern Scuffle accounting for his only loss of the season. He’s started the year with four-straight B1G dual wins. Wisconsin vs. Minnesota 125 lbs: #16 Nicolar Rivera (Wisconsin) vs. #9 Jore Volk 285 lbs: #9 Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) vs. #10 Koy Hopke Focus on the bookends in the dual between neighboring Big Ten states. Nicolar Rivera is looking to get back on track after a loss to Northwestern last week. He’ll have his hands full with All-American Jore Volk. I’d expect a lot of points to be scored in this one. At heavyweight, we have a pair of opponents who sit right next to each other in the rankings. Both are age-group world champions in freestyle. Each needs “that one big win” to push them into the elusive top-eight. Ohio State vs. Nebraska 133 lbs: #2 Ben Davino (Ohio State) vs. #8 Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) 141 lbs: #1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) vs. #3 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) 157 lbs: #1 Brandon Cannon (Ohio State) vs. #5 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) 174 lbs: #4 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) vs. #6 Christopher Minto (Nebraska) 184 lbs #5 Dylan Fishback (Ohio State) vs. #7 Silas Allred (Nebraska) This is Ohio State’s second National Duals rematch of the weekend. They square off with a Nebraska squad that they thrashed 33-3 in the NDI semifinals. In that dual, Jacob Van Dee was banged up and didn’t face Ben Davino. We’ll also get treated to another NCAA finals rematch between Jesse Mendez and Brock Hardy. Mendez took the last round, 4-1. One of the more surprising results from the NDI was Brandon Cannon’s major decision victory over Antrell Taylor. Taylor had already previously lost once in that event, so we might see a different Taylor, mentally and physically. The Ohio State wrestlers won at 174 and 184 lbs without surrendering a takedown to either of their All-American opponents. We’ll see if Minto/Allred can make the necessary adjustments and reverse the results. Rutgers vs. Illinois 133 lbs: #27 Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) vs. #1 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) 285 lbs: #19 Hunter Catka (Rutgers) vs. #13 Luke Luffman (Illinois) It’s another round in the Byrd/Shawver rivalry. The two have a history dating back to high school in Ohio and as recently as the All-Star Classic, where Byrd continued his winning ways over Shawver. All the way up at heavyweight, there could be another quality matchup with Catka/Luffman. Luffman has been out of the Illini lineup for the past two weeks, so hopefully he’s able to go Sunday.

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