Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Hawkeye Wrestlers Travel to #1 Penn State, Can they pull off the upset?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Gabe Arnold makes a bold prediction that Iowa is going to defeat Penn State, but does he know that the odds say that his team is the underdog and a significant underdog? You are locked on college crossover, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. And when Penn State and Iowa get to meet on the wrestling mat, we team it up here for a Locked On crossover between Locked On Nittany Lions

Starting point is 00:00:34 and Locked On Hot Guys. I'm Zach Seiko of Locked On Nittany Lions. He is Trent Condon of Locked On Hot Guys. And we are talking everything Penn State versus Iowa in the Bryce Jordan Center this upcoming Friday, so lineups Expectations the trash talk between the two sides today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Super Bowl 59 is here And there's no better way to make every play more exciting than with FanDuel Sportsbook new customers can bet just $5 And if you win you'll score 200 bucks in bonus bets download the app or head over to FanDuel.com to get started. So Trent, it's great to connect once again. Well,

Starting point is 00:01:09 let's start with Gabe Arnold's bold prediction here. Is it just blind ambition? Is it, is it, he's just that confident? Is it a way to keep him and the Iowa Hawkeyes motivated? Because the spread says that Penn State's going to win by at least 20 points here. Yeah, and you know, it's kind of crazy because I read it as this young guy, you know, this is a redshirt freshman. It's a guy that hasn't been around very much and well hasn't taken the pummelings that most everybody else has to Penn State throughout the last few years and well, last few decades

Starting point is 00:01:40 as it's been. But I didn't really take it as trash talk. In fact, I didn't see anything that I would say is a guy just talking afterwards. What do you want him to say? Yeah, we're gonna go there, get our asses kicked, and we'll come back and then regroup after that. That's not what you're gonna get.

Starting point is 00:01:56 Certainly not going to get out of wrestling. It's blowing absolutely out of proportion, I believe, and I know what's gonna happen afterwards. Penn State's gonna roll in the duel, they'll dominate, and Starr will do his thing, and he'll stall, and it'll be a boring match, and he'll get the win. And then he'll talk about it with motivation. Look, he's a four-time national champion.

Starting point is 00:02:14 He doesn't need motivation. And if this is something that he needs for motivation, then you guys gotta know his own set of issues. But it will be talked about afterwards. I took it as no big deal. Wrestling is a completely different sport than any other out there. A combat sport like this, trash talk, you got to actually back it up on the mat. And if you took saying, we're going to be in your

Starting point is 00:02:35 dojo and I promise your head's mine, that didn't say we're going to win. Is that what you heard out of that? Your head's mine. It means he's coming in. He's going to be aggressive. He's not going to lay back. I didn't take it as we are saying that we're coming in and winning the match. Maybe I misinterpreted the quote then because I thought that he said along the lines of we didn't get it last time and that suck, but we're going to do it this time and your head's mine. So he made two declarations.

Starting point is 00:03:00 Right. That we're going to take down Penn State even though they got a 65 match win streak and alluding to, he didn't name Carter Sturace, but this has been what, a two, three year back and forth between them because even before he actually stepped on Iowa's campus, Gabe Arnold has made Carter Sturace his public enemy number one. I don't think Sturace ever knew who he was before that time.

Starting point is 00:03:24 And that's, I mean, hey, if that's the bar that you're trying to set more power to you in this instance, but this, this has been a long time. This, we finally get a resolution in all of this. And I, and I like your, because I think Carter Starachi is going to use this as a way to humble him in a sense. You think that it's just going to be it, you know, back and forth, no one's going to really do anything. These are two very defensive wrestlers as it is. So there's not going to be any scoring or any fireworks and what have you. And Starachi will most likely win probably along the lines of maybe a four to nothing or something like that.

Starting point is 00:03:55 I think it's going to turn into a major decision. We can revisit this and see how it goes. But what Arnold's obsession with Starachi, do you think it's do you think it's warranted? Well, you're talking about a guy that's going to likely become the first ever five time national champion. If you're a wrestler, where are you gonna shoot your sights, right?

Starting point is 00:04:13 If you're gonna go after somebody, go after the best. And that's another part of this sport that is completely different. You don't wanna set your bar incredibly low. And if you have somebody with the expectations that Gabe Arnold has for yourself, that's what you're going for. You're going after it. Is he going to be a five time national champion? Let's hope not. Because that

Starting point is 00:04:30 means that we have another disaster like 2020. Let's hope that's not the case. But that's what I like about this. And that's what makes the sport of wrestling so great is he's gonna go out there. He doesn't have a teammate that's going to help him out. He doesn't have a coach that's going to be able to help him out. He's got to take it. And if what? Carter Sorachi is putting his nose in it and he's majoring him, he's teething him, he's making him embarrassed. You got to own that. And that's why this is okay. That's why I never get fired up about

Starting point is 00:04:57 wrestling takes like this. When guys say things, they have to go out there on their own, back it up and walk out there in front of thousands and thousands of fans at Penn State. They are the ones that have to do it. So I see it as much to do about nothing. I don't think it changes the equation. Penn State is a huge favorite. I think they're going to dominate the duel,

Starting point is 00:05:17 and we'll get into that a little bit more as we go individually. More than anything, maybe this is something that, hey, let's get Penn State a little bit out of their game, because it's a program that is just so lockstep that everything just year after year after year is there. Let's try something a little bit different here and see if we can get this train off the tracks. It's likely not going to happen, but we'll see if maybe we can add a little ammunition here and do something a little bit different because what we've been doing for last

Starting point is 00:05:40 decade plus obviously has not worked. A sensible take because you don't have the same over ambitious confidence that Gabe Arnold has, but he's going to be on the mat. So I guess in a sense more power to him. The Carter-Steracci responded for anybody that might have missed it. Steracci said, and he didn't just dismissed him. That's really all that happened there. He just said, I thought the other guy was the starter. I thought alluding to Angelo Ferrari. So Trent shed some light on that because there was at one point, I know he's 11 and oh now they went to the tournament

Starting point is 00:06:14 for the one, the tournament that he's referring to Ferrari ended up winning by injury default. So there was never truly a wrestle off that publicly that we know about between Arnold and Ferrari. Was it ever that close? Was Arnold always going to be the guy at 184? I don't know if always the guy, but I think what they saw in camp and understanding again this season, it's not about this season. Penn State's going to win a national championship. And when you're looking big picture and you're looking at,

Starting point is 00:06:38 how are we going to dethrone them? Well, it's not this year, but it's down the line and down the line, potentially have both of those guys in the lineup. And it might be another three years down the line before that happens. And you actually have a chance to upset Penn State and win that national championship. That's what it is.

Starting point is 00:06:53 I think with Ferrari, they look at it. We're going to keep the red shirt this year. Four years of eligibility after that. He's going to be an absolute stud. Is he going to be around for four years? He certainly hopes so. And certainly in today's environment, that's a different kind of question. But overall, it's a thought process. It's

Starting point is 00:07:07 kind of an old school way of thinking, right? And going even if there maybe is a slight advantage of Ferrari is a tick better at this time. Neither of these guys are winning a national championship. Let's look big picture at it. And I think that's the thought process behind it. Now, I will tell you in Iowa circles, there are people incredibly upset, they want to see it on the mat. They want to see it at the soldier salute, they want to see those

Starting point is 00:07:28 two guys go off and and with their own eyes, not you know, the reports that we get from the wrestling room, not the reports that we get, or even when you get to see them in a wrestle off get to see them in front of 1000s of fans, see them in that environment, because that's the ultimate test if you can, are able to do it in that kind of environment. So I know there was a lot of disappointment that we didn't get to see it. You understand it, it happens all the time. You have two wrestlers that are from the same school that don't go off against each other, you know, if you get to a finals or something like that. So we see it happen

Starting point is 00:07:56 a lot. Doesn't mean that Iowa fans were excited though to see it the way that it played out. And that was certainly the case on Penn State's side of it. Different circumstances, but there was a lot of hearsay and this and that at 157 because there was no declared starter between Tyler Kasach and Alex Facundo. And a lot of things have significantly changed here at this point in time. Same thing at 197 between Josh Barr and Lucas Cochran and potentially Conor Mears Sola.

Starting point is 00:08:25 Now people that are closer connected to the programs, but there was just always that, well, what if? We're hearing that Lucas Cochran and it's the way that Kale Sanderson frames it. What if, and then now we're seeing it unfold and KSAC and Barr are just so dominant and should be considered national title contenders at their respective weights.

Starting point is 00:08:42 We're gonna get plenty of top 10 matchups between Penn State and Iowa here. So we'll go through the lineup. Could and Iowa needs all the help that it can get. Is Drake Ayala going to be available for this matchup as well? We'll discuss it more coming up next here on this locked on crossover. And today's show is brought to you by Fandel. Superbowl 59 is here. One game, two teams, endless possibilities.

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Starting point is 00:09:40 Download the app or head over to fan duel comm to get started bet just $5 And if you win you will score 200 bucks in bonus bets. Win your first $5 bet. You can turn it into $200 in bonus bets. That's over at FanDuel.com. Bet with FanDuel, an official partner of Super Bowl 59. Back with you, it's a crossover edition, Locked On Hawkeyes and Locked On Nittany Lions as we preview number one verse number two on Trent Connan. He's Zach Saco. Thanks for joining us here today. Zach, let's go through and take a look at the matchups. Go through what we anticipate we're going to see. We will get to obviously the second week class of 133 with Drake Ayala and the is, we sit here and talk today. No official talk about if he's going to be back in his health concerns. But we'll get into that momentarily. But let's kick it off at the top. We'll go weight by weight and start things off at 125 pounds. So Joey Cruz, he's been in there. You know, it's so crazy, because I was been so dominant at 125 going back to Spencer Lee.

Starting point is 00:10:45 And even before that, we're just so used to having that first weight class be one of the major strengths of Iowa. It's odd. So many times this season that Iowa has kind of started off on the wrong foot in a duel when he started at 125. And that's been the case here, Cruz. It's just been a weight class that has, I think, been overall a disappointment just because historically this has been one of Iowa's strengths. Yeah, certainly. And 125 has been one of Penn State's weaknesses. That's always been the weight class that Kale Sanderson just punts at. And now you have possibly, you know, Spencer Lee came in certainly with one of the best

Starting point is 00:11:21 pedigrees, but somebody that is comparable. Luke Lillital, I know he just suffered his first loss, but he's coming in with the pedigree of world championships, world championship, multiple world championships. He's defeating wrestlers that were either former national title contenders, former All Americans that are now in their prime at 25, 26 years old. And I get it, it's the freestyle circuit. I do. But Lillid all is as good as

Starting point is 00:11:45 advertised. Let's not call it a shocking defeat. He was at some point going to lose one as a true freshman here. I mean he's being asked to do a lot at the top of the lineup but I like his chances to rebound here against Joey Cruz. He's just ahead of them where they are. This is one where if Iowa has any shot of hanging around, they can't give up major bonus points here. It can't be a technical fall or pin. I mean, you got to help kind of major decision or less on that one. So we go next to one 33.

Starting point is 00:12:15 There's Drake Ayala, the big question there. Now Ayala, if he's healthy, uh, upper arm injury is kind of the reports that are out there. Um, you feel good about his chances against Davis. Probably be a good match. It'll be down to the wire. But this is one that Iowa obviously would have to get. And if we're talking about a path throughout the course of this as we go through weight

Starting point is 00:12:34 cast by weight class act, I think that there also has to be one where Iowa has got to catch somebody, right? Iowa's got to get a pin out of it, got to get in a scramble situation. You're not going to just pin a Penn State wrestler, and certainly some of the guys that we're talking about here, you know, just take

Starting point is 00:12:47 them down, put them to his back. You got to catch somebody. And I think this would be one that you'd be looking at is Ayala might be one of those candidates to be able to do that. Obviously, though, at minimum, if Iowa has any chance, have to win this weight class if Ayala is able to go. If not, probably going to be a big Penn State win. And we'll see if you know how just how significant Ayala is able to go. If not, probably going to be a big Penn State win. And we'll see if, you know, how, just how significant Ayala's injury is because if he goes, he's not going to be 100%. Braden Davis is certainly a better wrestler than what he

Starting point is 00:13:13 was a season ago. I would still give the advantage to Ayala. You know, both of them are 100% or the injury's not bothering him on that given night. I am going to give Ayala the leg up against Davis just mainly because of the build. I mean, Ayala has a significant size advantage with just how long of a build he has and Davis as good as he is defensively just isn't going to be able, it's about fending off those shots. It's about finishing yours and with just the way that Ayala is as a wrestler, Davis just does it and nobody else does too, right? It's not like this is subjective to Davis.

Starting point is 00:13:49 This is objectively speaking. It's just that Drake Ayala is a taller, longer wrestler and has a really significant advantage, whether it was at 125, now at 133. So if he's not out there, then yeah, this is the ones that you can chalk up to Davis, most likely getting some bonus points if he's not able if I was not able to go 141 this will be one that Penn State has a monstrous advantage Bobart lit for the Nittany Lions likely Jace Rhodes for Iowa 41 has give up a major, okay, can't get pinned here. Don't want to give up a technical fall again. We're talking about Iowa just even hanging around here.

Starting point is 00:14:28 This is the one you got to stay off your back. I don't see it. I think Bartlett cruises here and gets a big victory. Yeah, Bartlett, pinned is definitely on the table here. Bartlett has emphasized trying to, there's always been the stigma that, you know, he messes around with the opponent instead of just taking care of business. I've seen a little more of that at least this season here. So six points could be on the table for Bartlett. He's a national title contender for a reason. We jump up to 149. It is Kyle Parko, one of the newcomers for the Iowa program against

Starting point is 00:14:59 Shane Van Ness. This is what I will again has to win. It's a toss up kind of a match. Van Ness won in their only matchup. That was two years ago though. Different kind of guys at this point in time. And I think Parko certainly has improved. That was a 7-2 victory for Van Ness. Another one though, if Iowa's got any shot here, has to get a win in this one.

Starting point is 00:15:18 Yeah, this is the toss-up one that if everything goes right in a perfect world, Iowa could, they would have to win all the toss-ups Drake Ayala has to be available it's but Penn State still even at Iowa's best Penn State still gets a victory in this case I I like Shane Van Ness to bounce back I think that Shane Van Ness got a wake-up call in a sense against Ridge Lovett at Nebraska for anybody that's on the Iowa side that might have missed that he lost in a in a 10 to 2 major decision and and Shane Van Ness is a national title contender but so is Kyle Parco this could easily go one way

Starting point is 00:15:49 or the other it this one I think above all the matches is truly a coin flip. Yeah looking forward to that one and also the our next one at 157 a Jacori Timmer comes back after the hamstring injury that he sustained oh boy a month and a half back now and uh looked pretty good against Ohio State on Saturday saw that uh athleticism and the speed that he has a boy a month and a half back now and look pretty good against Ohio State on Saturday saw that athleticism and the speed that he has just an absolutely beautiful take down there. He goes up against Tyler Kasich and this is another coin flip leans towards Penn State side. Again, we're talking about any path for this thing to be exciting by

Starting point is 00:16:20 the time we don't make our way towards the end of the duel is another one I would have to get. Yeah, and Jacori team are transferring in. It's really just about the emergence of KSAC. I think it's that KSAC went from a fringe all-American, there's hopeful optimism that, hey, he's going to turn the corner. Meaning he wasn't even supposed to wrestle at 149. This Shane Van Ness had the season ending injury and then just KSAC goes onto a tear and really finds his finds his own path. Create carves his own path, ends up taking 30 loses one of the early matches at the postseason. And then ever since then he has just hit his stride. I would not want to be jacory teamer because I think that he is just he's going up against the KSAC that I

Starting point is 00:17:06 this I don't look at this one as a toss-up I think KSAC wins for the most part decisively it's just how objectively he might be the strongest wrestler in this 157 pound weight class like his brute pure strength is his best asset so he had three minutes and 42 seconds of riding time against wreckers and in that opponent I granted different caliber so it's not going to be as easy against Jacori Teemer but just understand that if you were on bottom against Tyler Kasach good luck really just did Kasach can win two to nothing and and it looks that's not a flashy score but in reality it was a dominant victory for Kasach here. 165 pounds number one versus number two at least according to one of the ranking systems out there it was a dominant victory for KSAC here. 165 pounds, number one versus number two,

Starting point is 00:17:45 at least according to one of the ranking systems out there. It's Michael Caliendo for the Hawkeyes against Mitchell Messenbrink from Penn State. Number one, number two, but it certainly doesn't feel that way and kind of like this duel as a whole. Maybe doesn't feel that way because the gap has been pretty good. These three guys have wrestled three different times.

Starting point is 00:18:01 A major decision for Messenbrink, a technical fall, and a 12-6 victory in their three matchups that they've had. of these guys have wrestled three different times, a major decision for Messenbrink, a technical fall, and a 12-6 victory in their three matchups that they've had. So though it's number one versus number two, still a pretty big advantage here for Penn State. Yeah, that's a pretty wide gap between number one and number two. And it's not, I've seen Mikey Caliendo get better

Starting point is 00:18:18 in real time, just from afar watching, you know, just kind of keeping up with, keeping up with the Iowa Hawkeyes, right? And Caliendo's better, but so is Mitchell Messenbrink. And it's how much better is each wrestler getting because I see a new gear to Mitchell Messenbrink, but he, you know, for the most part hasn't really been challenged. So this one's going to be personal for Caliendo. He's been not, he's been embarrassed not once, but twice really.

Starting point is 00:18:43 I mean, the one, the first time they met with the decision that was okay 12 6 But ever since then mitchell messenbrink has had his number and and he's majored somebody that's supposed to be comparable to him Or at least in the same league as him So this one's personal for caliendo. We'll we'll see if he changes the game plan I expect this one to be a little bit closer just because caliendo is going to have a specific game plan of, you know, let's not let this get out of control. But that's not to say, you know, I've said that about Mitchell, Matt, maybe it doesn't tech fall him here. And then he ultimately does. So Mitchell is much better and should be considered the odds on favorite to win 165 with no challenges.

Starting point is 00:19:18 74. It's Patrick Kennedy of Iowa against Levi Haynes of Penn State. You know, I saw some of the predictions that are out there, a couple of those like Russell's stat that kind of predicts forward what they think it's going to be seven five is their predicted one here. I Kennedy, does he have enough offense to keep up? I just don't think so against somebody like Haynes. And that's where I think the concern lies here for a lot of these Iowa guys. Can they generate enough offense to get a victory in these tight matches? And that's where Penn State at the three point takedown has benefited them so much because

Starting point is 00:19:51 it's just, it's just go, go, go. It's attack, attack, attack, and it's extending past, it's not just Mitchell Messenbrink. It is a Levi Haynes. It can be a Tyler Kasach, even though I think he's more defensively sound, a Bo Bartlett, a Luke Lillard, all right, it benefits all of them, but in this case against Levi Haynes, it's already so tough to score on him as it is. So if you're telling me that, hey, objectively speaking, Patrick Kennedy really already struggles as it is offensively against better competition, I mean, Levi Haynes should

Starting point is 00:20:19 be able to run away with this one. I'm not implying a tech fall or a pin, but if it's something along the lines of a 7-1 victory where it is truly decisive and Patrick Kennedy was never in it from the start, I am expecting that. We go to 84. We talked about it earlier. Carter Sorocchi for the game. We're here. Arnold ready to go. There's going to be, I'm sure there'll be a couple of head slaps there early on. You know, both guys trying to show a little physicality early on here, but you're talking about a likely five-time national champion on one side, any young guy on the other that was running his mouth a little bit game-artled. I think he's gonna feel it a little bit after this one. Yeah, and you say that it's just gonna be a lot of nothing.

Starting point is 00:20:59 At least early on, I think in that first period, because it's going to be, okay, let's just try to see what the opponent's going to do. But in that second period, I really think the two are going to try to cut it loose. And Gabe Arnold really has nothing to lose, especially when they were where they will be at the dual meet at 184. I'm look, I know that Coach Brands is going to try to say, hey, stick to your game plan and this and that. But in a sense, like you might as well go rogue.

Starting point is 00:21:24 You might as well try the big throw. You might as well try something to get the crowd going. I mean, this is what this was all for, right? At least in the trash talk, you got people talking about it. You have everyone's attention. So don't disappoint. Don't let this, basically it's a plea to say,

Starting point is 00:21:38 don't let this be a two nothing, three nothing, you know, stall fest. Give the people what they want. Make this exciting. Try everything you can to make this a spectacular moment, whether you win or lose, you know, and wear it if you're gay, when you're Gabe Arnold and do lose this one. Number one at one of the rankings, Stephen Buchanan against Josh Barr. But I thought the most interesting part about this, looking at the common opponents between the two. A loss a couple of years ago for Buchanan

Starting point is 00:22:07 as he lost to Michael Beard. In the matchup that Beard had, it was 11-3 major victory between the two. So Josh Barr, I think, is going to be right there. I think this is one that you look at. And at least some of the ranking systems out there, I don't think, paint the picture. I give Barr the advantage, I think,

Starting point is 00:22:24 of this one that's probably going to be a really tight one that's going to come down to the wire. Well, I respect that because I feel like the general public still has not caught, I mean, of wrestling savants for the most part and people that do follow the sport routinely are starting to understand that Josh Barr isn't just a fringe national title contender or a fringe all-American. He is a true national title contender. I put him in the group of Stephen Buchanan now Josh Barr and AJ Ferrari one of those three is winning a national title no disrespect to Jacob Cardenas I think his name certainly belongs there as well but it's a clear it's clear who the top four are and who that semi-final is going to be if those are the one through four

Starting point is 00:22:59 seeds when we get to March I Josh Barr in the home dojo, right? I think it will be, I think it will come down to sudden victory and either way, but I do think Josh Barr has arrived. If he's doing this now, he's not peaking in February, Trent. He's doing this in December, going in through January. Josh Barr has arrived and he's only going to get better. He's a redshirt freshman doing this.

Starting point is 00:23:24 Finally, we go to heavyweight. And I'm just interested to watch this one. Look, Greg Kirklewitz, an absolute stud. He is showing it time and a time out on the mat. Ben Keeter is going to get there. We know about him at the youth levels and what he's already done. A lot of potential, yeah. Yeah, at the international stage.

Starting point is 00:23:40 I had a really nice win over the weekend against Nick Feldman. Looked really good in that match. And he's built different. He's got that size, speed, power, athleticism. You don't always see at the heavyweight spot. Is he there against Kurt Klavit? But when they wrestled a year ago, he saw the gap. It was pretty significant, right? Kurt Klavit won at 9-1. It was a major decision. And Keeter just couldn't get anything going in his freshman campaign. Now with another year of experience, lot more work on the international stage,

Starting point is 00:24:06 we'll see if he's at least closed the gap. And that's what I'm looking to see here as Ben Keeter for Iowa closed the gap against one of the best wrestlers and at the heavyweight weight class for a long, long time. Well, we'll see what ultimately happens. Kale Sanderson alluded to the fact that Kirk Vliet was dealing with,

Starting point is 00:24:23 he didn't say injury, but just illnesses. He's not at 100% or at least there, he did have a little bit of a scare person Nick Feldman with the last time they met that was a one to nothing decision. So the young guys are starting to catch up here a little bit to Kirkfleet. I am interested to see just how far Keeter is on his development. I fully expect to Kirkfleet win. But if you make this a close one that's just a couple of points. They you know all the respect in the world to Keeter and it just makes the Big Ten makes Nick Feldman, Keeter and and Kirkfleet more exciting for that Big Ten tournament when it rolls around. Well, we will wrap things up on the other side, Zach and Trent, with you. A crossover edition here, Locked On Hawkeyes and Locked On Nittany Lions. We'll give our prediction. What are we going to see in this one?

Starting point is 00:25:14 Final prediction and can I will cover. We'll get into that as we continue. It's a crossover edition here on Locked On. Lockdown. And thank you for joining us on this Lockdown crossover. So we are in the home stretch here as it goes down in the Bryce Jordan Center this Friday, 7 p.m. You can, it'll be a fun event. And Penn State, the odds makers say that Penn State is a 20 point favorite here.

Starting point is 00:25:43 If IAL is not available, I mean, WrestleStats, WrestleStats is a great resource just to give you lineup projections because we're having this conversation before the lineups are, you know, officially put out by both sides for Penn State and Iowa for their PR teams, right? I do expect Penn State to cover. I think that I look at the toss-ups. You need every single toss-up to go Iowa's way for this one to be serious. And then there's some bonus points in between that we kind of alluded toups, you need every single toss-up to go Iowa's way for this one to be serious.

Starting point is 00:26:05 And then there's some bonus points in between that we kind of alluded to that, you know, hey, Luke Lillard all should pick up some bonus points. If Ayala doesn't wrestle, Davis will pick up some bonus points as well. Bo Bartlett, right? And then you're kind of hoping for the best situations that Arnold doesn't get, you know, majored or tech fall by Carter Starachi. Same thing. You hope that Keeter keeps it close.

Starting point is 00:26:25 So where it's a toss up in those regards that there are bonus points on the table against opponents that usually hold their own. So I like Penn State to cover that 20 points, especially, especially if I Allah is not available at one 33. Yeah, I'm right there with you. And because of that, the uncertainty as we say here earlier in the week, that's something that I already fired at myself. So it's available in the state of Iowa on Circus Sports, Iowa's app. So yeah, I jumped aboard, I laid the 20 with Penn State. I think they win it comfortably. You throw in Drake Aiella, the uncertainty there, even if he does go, I think the path is going to be incredibly difficult. You mentioned obviously, the toss up matches that you have to be there. And even with some of the bonus points that are out there, I think Iowa could win maybe even an extra match or two that potentially you think maybe they can steal. And even if

Starting point is 00:27:13 they do that, I don't know if it's going to be enough here. It feels like where Iowa's strengths are, Penn State's just a little bit stronger. And I think they're going to flex their muscle once again. Ultimately, though, it's not about Friday night. It's about March. It's about what's going to happen there. We again. Ultimately, though, it's not about Friday night. It's about March. It's about what's going to happen there. We know the behemoth that is Penn State. So because of that, I anticipate, and it's just a guess, I have no inside information at all

Starting point is 00:27:34 that we won't see Drake Aiella because for Drake Aiella, it's not winning a match on a Friday night in January. It's about what happens in March. And because of that, I wouldn't push it at all. I think you're going to see Iowa, they're going to go out there, they're going to give it their best, they're going to try. But ultimately, it's not enough against this Penn State team. And hopefully, something goofy happens come March and, and I was able to get a couple of breaks and a couple of upsets happen come the big bracket, the 33 man bracket that we'll see coming up at the NCAA tournament. But I'm with you. I think this is going to be a comfortable Penn State win and cover. Well, and they and Iowa certainly impressed against Ohio State as well, because I thought the Buckeyes

Starting point is 00:28:12 were starting to come on strong. This is a team that could be a dark horse contender for that second spot at the NCAA tournament in the team standings. And Iowa without Ayala won 24 to 14. So they're right there. Trent, while I, while I have you just the, I, from afar, I don't know that I like the way that Iowa has constructed its team, you know, through the transfer

Starting point is 00:28:34 portal and all these makeshift changes and guys are, you know, they're burnout. They're, they're leaving guys that had given their blood, sweat and tears to the program end up being exiled in a sense. So, you know, from, from the Iowa point of view, why, why do this? Why kind of go all in in a sense and sacrifice some of the future to potentially, you know, just finish second when this is one of the, when this is being described as one of the best teams in wrestling history. I think the reason behind it and what they're trying to do is because what

Starting point is 00:29:03 they've done in the past hasn't worked. And so let's go a different route. Let's become the destination for the wrestlers that are looking for one more shot. Maybe looking for one more payday before they have to go get a real career, those kinds of things. And because of that, yeah,

Starting point is 00:29:18 it's not gonna likely work this season. However, going forward, this is something that you can build on. And we saw it on the football side with Ohio State, right? The best roster that money can buy. And maybe you build yourself into that, you're able to do that on the wrestling mat. That's what Penn State's done for the last 15 years, right? They have, they found that loophole.

Starting point is 00:29:35 They were able to do things a different way in the wrestling community and the way that you were able to bring guys on and coaches and things like that. They were able to, I don't want to say circumvent the rules, but they were able to make it palpable for them. And it turned them into an absolute behemoth that nobody has been able to close to be able to track down. Now I was going to try to do it this way. Will it work? Probably not because it's Penn State and it's just hard to envision Penn State falling down, but they're going to try it this way. So that's at least the thought process behind it. Personally, I understand some of the people looking at saying, what are you doing? And certainly in a season like 2025, when Penn State's roster once again is so stacked up,

Starting point is 00:30:13 but I think that's the theory behind it at minimum. That's, and that's what I wanted. So you gave the perfect clear answer that I was more or less looking for at least an explanation for it, because why, you know, why sell out on the future to finish second, but we'll, Hey, we'll see. This is wrestled on the mat, not on paper. So I'll give some common courtesy there, Trent. It's always great to connect. I'm glad we could do this locked on crossover. So Penn State and Iowa, it will be, it will be fun for wrestling fans.

Starting point is 00:30:41 Maybe not Iowa fans when all said and done here, but that's going to do it for us here on this Lockdown crossover. It is your team every day here over here at the Lockdown Podcast Network. So go check out both of our shows for the latest daily content around your favorite Penn State sports teams, your favorite Iowa sports teams. Keep it right here for Lockdown, Nittany Lions and Lockdown Hawkeyes.

Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Hawkeye Wrestlers Travel to #1 Penn State, Can they pull off the upset?

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