After a good start to the season, it is time for Illinois wrestling to take on the Big Ten. No. 28 Indiana (4-0) hosts No. 12 Illinois (5-0) in the Big Ten opener on Friday, Dec. 6.
The following day, Illinois will travel to Edwardsville to face off in the Cougar Clash. The Illini have converted their incredible start into a 5-0 record, their first such start since 2016. They started 8-0 that year, and the current roster is mighty enough across all weight categories to either replicate or improve on that.
Illinois’ unbeaten start sets stage for Big Ten opener
The Illini have been nothing short of dominant in their 5-0 start this year. After two huge wins over non-power conference opponents, the Illini knocked off three ranked opponents in a row. It has built plenty of momentum for its matchup against Indiana.
Illinois has showcased a big three of sorts, with three undefeated wrestlers spread across the lineup. The 133-pound redshirt senior Lucas Byrd sets the tone early for the Illini, while redshirt freshman Braden Scoles anchors the middle.
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The closer has been the 285-pound redshirt senior Luke Luffman, who has continually delivered close-out rounds for the Illini. The mixture of weight and talent shows Illinois’ versatility, which has proved vital this year.
Hoosier watch
Indiana also has a perfect record so far, but it could have easily been worse. Indiana steamrolled Cal Baptist (2-2) and Cal Poly (0-2) to start the season. It then faced Central Michigan (0-1) in a tight dual, and Indiana won 17-16 on a tiebreaker. Its fourth win against Columbia (1-2) was a close 23-21 encounter as well.
Indiana now hosts Illinois in its home opener. The Illini overwhelmingly lead the Hoosiers 13-0 in their duals since 2000. The largest margin of victory came in 2005, with a 37-0 score.
Surprisingly, the narrowest margin was only 23-12 back in 2011. In their last three matchups, Indiana has failed to score more than three points. Historically, the odds favor Illinois, and so do head-to-head matchups.
Mat showdowns
Illinois’ struggles in the 125-pound weight class continued in Chapel Hill in its dual with No. 23 North Carolina (3-2). Illini junior Caelan Riley fell to 0-4 in four matchups this season. Indiana’s 125-pound graduate student Jacob Moran is undefeated and might be Riley’s toughest challenge yet.
Other key matchups find Illinois’ 149-pound redshirt freshman Kannon Webster, who has a 4-1 record, facing Indiana’s 149-pound redshirt freshman Anthony Bahl, who has only been victorious in one dual this year. While individual matchups like these are critical, team performance has also been telling. The Illini have lost 13 matchups in five duals, while the Hoosiers have lost 16 in four. Illinois is ahead statistically, but it is a home match for Indiana. With it being the Big Ten opener, all eyes will be on this Midwest dual.
Cougar Clash set to test Illinois’ strength
For the Cougar Clash, Illinois is 10–0 against SIUE (1-2) since 2002. Its most recent win came on Nov. 2 in the season opener.
The Illini have comfortably dominated the Cougars. The narrowest margin of victory was 30-10, which sums up the Cougars’ struggles when they face the Illini.
With talented, top-ranked wrestlers throughout the lineup, Illinois has the strength to carve out wins. Illinois will look to extend its winning ways against Indiana, but in a tough Bloomington environment, SIUE will prove an opportunity to solidify its dominance after a 41-3 blowout of the Cougars earlier this season.
This weekend will serve as pivotal for Illinois as it is another opportunity to prove itself in the Big Ten and nationwide.
