College Wrestling needs Tiebreaking Criteria for OT

[Scouts Honor]

[scourge165]

On 12/21/2025 at 2:47 PM, Lordnelson said:

At least this post makes no sense

No, it made plenty of sense. They've made a lot of rule changes. I don't agree with @Caveirathat most have made the sport worse, but they don't need to keep tweaking them. 

There's no reason to take a tie match and give someone an arbitrary advantage and then Wrestle 2 minutes. 

The way it's set up right now is the BEST possible way IMO.

I would like to let them just Wrestle until one guy gets a TD, but I don't think that's feasible with the time it'd add to a session. 

[scourge165]

On 12/22/2025 at 8:12 PM, Scouts Honor said:

i go for a takedown and fail. and go to my back

instead of 5 -0 it's now 7-0... and my opponent doesn't have to do anything for the next 5 minutes... even if he takes 4 stall calls.. i will only get 3 points.

Hmm... sure about that?

Lets try that again. 

Stalling 1- Warning
Stalling 2-1 point

Stalling 3-1 point
Stalling 4- 2 point

And I'm fairly certain after the 4th, you'd make up any difference from earlier scoring. 

[scourge165]

On 12/25/2025 at 1:55 PM, pmilk said:

Why would the last point scored carry more weight than the first point scored in a tie? Logic indicates that you can't have a last point if there isn't a first point in tie match regardless of how it is acquired. FWIW, I think duel meets could end with matches in a draw and save all the pomp and circumstance of criteria and OT for tournaments. Anticipating the rematch would create more excitement, imo. RT indicates a degree of control/dominance. All things equal, who had control of whom longer. Therefore, learn how to control/ride and learn how to escape/reverse efficiently and quickly for your advantage. Off topic...watched a freestyle match the other day and the bottom guy flattens out like a starfish for several seconds and then they go feet. Essentially, he stalls. Incredibly exciting...edge of your seat kind of stuff.

This was your first time understanding how Freestyle and Greco worked?

 

I think forcing this "Folkstyle is better, no Freestyle is better," is... obnoxious and kinda pointless, but at least there's 6 minutes with MOSTLY Two Wrestlers attacking on their feet in Freestyle. Not a Wrestler-Wrestling from his knee and then riding on top hooking an ankle and riding a tight waste for 45 seconds in. 

THAT... is riveting "edge of your seat kind of stuff." 

[Scouts Honor]

the question is:

why is wrestling on their feet better or more exciting?

this is opinion.

some people like mat wrestling more.

 

and yes you were right. i get four, but still down by a takedown.

and that's saying he gets all 4 stall calls. which we KNOW won't happen.

[Caveira]

4 hours ago, scourge165 said:

This was your first time understanding how Freestyle and Greco worked?

 

I think forcing this "Folkstyle is better, no Freestyle is better," is... obnoxious and kinda pointless, but at least there's 6 minutes with MOSTLY Two Wrestlers attacking on their feet in Freestyle. Not a Wrestler-Wrestling from his knee and then riding on top hooking an ankle and riding a tight waste for 45 seconds in. 

THAT... is riveting "edge of your seat kind of stuff." 

Fact is more fans like folkstyle.  More athletes like folkstyle.  More fans attend folkstyle.  More athletes participate in folkstyle.   
 

push outs are dumb. 

[ionel]

15 minutes ago, Caveira said:

push outs are dumb. 

Well sure but just think if we taught proper pushout technique starting at 5 year old.  We'd have to go back to SDs cause there'd be so many first period TFs.  

[Caveira]

13 minutes ago, ionel said:

Well sure but just think if we taught proper pushout technique starting at 5 year old.  We'd have to go back to SDs cause there'd be so many first period TFs.  

Good point.  The number of quick tech falls in freestyle at even the highest level competition is ridiculous.    No one needs to see a td and 17 flippy flippy leg laces.  

[scourge165]

10 hours ago, Caveira said:

Fact is more fans like folkstyle.  More athletes like folkstyle.  More fans attend folkstyle.  More athletes participate in folkstyle.   
 

push outs are dumb. 

Is that a fact?

The US... the WHOLE WORLD.

I don't think it's a face at all. I don't think you've polled athletes, fans or track worldwide attendance.

But... I already said I didn't want to have this little argument with you. 

11 hours ago, Scouts Honor said:

some people like mat wrestling more.

 

and yes you were right. i get four, but still down by a takedown.

and that's saying he gets all 4 stall calls. which we KNOW won't happen.

LOL... really?

Cool. 

Also... I never said anyone was getting 4 stalling calls. That was a hypothetical argument you were having with yourself. I just pointed out...4 stalling calls=4 points. Nothing more, nothing less. 

[Scouts Honor]

yet here you are arguing with me.

and yes, folkstyle is more popular in the USA 

which is what this forum(college wrestling) is about .. the USA

[juniorvarsity]

17 hours ago, scourge165 said:

No, it made plenty of sense. They've made a lot of rule changes. I don't agree with @Caveirathat most have made the sport worse, but they don't need to keep tweaking them. 

There's no reason to take a tie match and give someone an arbitrary advantage and then Wrestle 2 minutes. 

The way it's set up right now is the BEST possible way IMO.

I would like to let them just Wrestle until one guy gets a TD, but I don't think that's feasible with the time it'd add to a session. 

I agree. If you think it through, criteria is going to piss off a lot more people than the current OT rules. You essentially have to use last point scored as a criteria because otherwise all things can be equal in endless scenarios (most TDs, most NF, even riding time). If riding time were a criteria before last point in regulation, would you rather have that used before we give wrestlers 2 minutes in sudden victory? No.

[Dogbone]

Almost every other sport has an OT system when both teams/competitor score the same number of points in regulation. 

It's not controversial.   

[forkemaz]

On 12/29/2025 at 10:49 PM, Scouts Honor said:

yet here you are arguing with me.

and yes, folkstyle is more popular in the USA 

which is what this forum(college wrestling) is about .. the USA

And the folkstyle section of the forum has over 4x the posts that the international section does. But freestyle fans dont really care about facts. They like to make red herring and non sequitur arguments because when it comes down to it they have nothing. 

[Pablo]

On 12/25/2025 at 2:55 PM, pmilk said:

Why would the last point scored carry more weight than the first point scored in a tie? Logic indicates that you can't have a last point if there isn't a first point in tie match regardless of how it is acquired.

My very first UltimateTB I officiated was 0-0 at that point.  No first point, no last point.

It's supposed to be that the wrestler who scored first in regulation gets choice in the UTB, but we didn't have that.  So I had to flip.

The bottom guy got a reversal to win.

[Lordnelson]

On 12/30/2025 at 8:51 AM, juniorvarsity said:

If riding time were a criteria before last point in regulation, would you rather have that used before we give wrestlers 2 minutes in sudden victory? No.

Yes, as criteria that indicates one guy needs to score if he wants to win.  You have 2 minutes to take the guy down or create the action necessary to earn a stall call.  

[ionel]

1 hour ago, Lordnelson said:

Yes, as criteria that indicates one guy needs to score if he wants to win.  

Current system both guys need to score if they want to win.  Show me a recent match where it didn't work.  

[Lordnelson]

Every system works.  It's basically where we disagree on how to determine the skill set needed to win in overtime.  If the majority enjoy the Rideouts, great.  I disagree.  I'd rather see it settled with a takedown.

[Pablo]

33 minutes ago, Lordnelson said:

Every system works.  It's basically where we disagree on how to determine the skill set needed to win in overtime.  If the majority enjoy the Rideouts, great.  I disagree.  I'd rather see it settled with a takedown.

I'm not as up to date on my college rules, but isn't that basically what we have now?  The first period is SV and then there are two periods on the mat?

So the wrestlers have the opportunity to win the match with a takedown.  If they can't do that, then try something else.  Seems like a happy compromise to me.

I kind of like the ultimate tie breaker approach in NFHS, but that doesn't get there very often.

[ionel]

2 hours ago, Lordnelson said:

Every system works.  It's basically where we disagree on how to determine the skill set needed to win in overtime.  If the majority enjoy the Rideouts, great.  I disagree.  I'd rather see it settled with a takedown.

Hence why we have 2 minute SV.  The 30s don't require rideout.  Either or both wrestlers can choose neutral and settle it on their feet with a TD ... no silly criteria required.  

[juniorvarsity]

On 1/1/2026 at 8:42 AM, Lordnelson said:

Yes, as criteria that indicates one guy needs to score if he wants to win.  You have 2 minutes to take the guy down or create the action necessary to earn a stall call.  

I understand, but the problem is the criteria and the match scenarios where it is relevant. 

[Scouts Honor]

On 1/1/2026 at 2:56 PM, ionel said:

Hence why we have 2 minute SV.  The 30s don't require rideout.  Either or both wrestlers can choose neutral and settle it on their feet with a TD ... no silly criteria required.  

here here

[Scouts Honor]

skillset.

interesting word.

there are MANY skillsets available to win matches

the current system allows many different ways to win the match.

what else could we ask for

 

I you want a TD tourney, have a TD tourney.

the sport is called wrestling, not takedowning