No. 9 Illinois (7-1, 2-1) entered uncharted territory this year, enjoying its strongest start in nearly a decade. It now faces its toughest test yet as Illinois travels to Iowa City to take on No. 2 Iowa (7-0, 1-0) in what should be a thrilling matchup of top-ranked teams.
Iowa enters the contest a perfect 7-0 and one of the most dominant teams in the country. The Illini, with a well-balanced 7-1 squad, will look to challenge the Hawkeyes in this high-stakes top-10 dual.
Near-perfect record
With another massive victory in the records, Illinois improved to 7-1, its best start to a season since 2016. Barring a couple of weight classes, the Illini are formidable across their lineup. They have won 55 out of 80 matches across eight duals. With three 30-plus point wins and four ranked wins, Illinois is a force to be reckoned with.
Although Illinois’ “big three” fell versus Ohio State, 165-pound redshirt freshman Braeden Scoles and 285-pound redshirt senior Luke Luffman bounced back against Northwestern, with Luffman claiming a technical fall win. Scoles won a highly defensive match 2-1, and even though this home weekend was a struggle for the 165-pounder, a win bodes well for the team going into a top-two matchup.
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Illinois has been impeccable through its middleweight categories. The Illini have won 24 out of 32 matches between the 149- and 174-pound weight classes.
Byrd soars up to No. 1
Illinois’ greatest strength lies with its undefeated 133-pound redshirt senior Lucas Byrd. This week, he moved to No. 1 in the nation in the 133-pound weight class. He has stacked up wins throughout the season, both in tournaments and duals. For the Illini to succeed on this high-stakes Big Ten road trip, they will want Byrd to keep flying.
Inside Iowa’s undefeated squad
The Hawkeyes enter this dual with a perfect record and are considered one of the favorites for the national title after placing fifth last year. They boast one of the country’s most dominant lineups, with six of their 10 starters ranked in the top five of their respective weight classes.
Iowa also has six undefeated wrestlers, including two at 184 pounds. This is a good “problem” for the Hawkeyes, as freshman Angelo Ferrari and redshirt freshman Gabe Arnold are 10-0 and 8-1, respectively. No. 2 133-pound junior Drake Ayala and No. 2 165-pound junior Michael Caliendo were All-Americans last season. Additionally, Iowa features the No. 1 197-pound graduate student Stephen Buchanan II. This collection of ranked wrestlers combines for a loaded squad and poses as Illinois’ next challenge.
Battle of veterans vs. rising stars
Iowa starts this competition favored in six out of 10 matchups, which shows how tight the teams are. Several head-to-head duals will be crucial in determining a winner.
Starting in the 133-pound class, Byrd takes on Ayala in what promises to be one of the year’s most exciting matchups. The two upperclassmen are former national finalists and two of the best wrestlers the nation has to offer. Additionally, both wrestlers are known for their takedown defense. An early victory in this class could be key in setting momentum for the rest of the match.
The Illini have received strong contributions from their two freshman starters, Scoles and No. 12-ranked 149-pound redshirt freshman Kannon Webster, who have combined for an 18-4 record.
They face a tall task where they’ll match up with Caliendo and No. 2-ranked 149-pound senior Kyle Parco, both of whom are undefeated at 10-0. Illinois will face a tough challenge, but this is the type of moment where freshmen have the chance to prove themselves and make a lasting impact on the program.
On the other hand, 2024 All-American and Big Ten champion redshirt senior Edmond Ruth will have his hands full in the 174-pound class against Ferrari, one of Iowaʼs two undefeated freshmen.
The two squads match up pretty evenly, and it could very well come down to the two heavyweights in the 285-pound class. Luffman is No. 14 in the class and will take on No. 18 redshirt freshman Ben Kueter. The weekend will test whether experience or youth will prevail in the Big Ten.
Top of the table clash
Illinois is in the business end of its season. The Friday fixture is its second top-five dual this season. A win against the Hawkeyes would catapult the Illini up the rankings. The gained confidence will be important heading into matchups with key Big Ten opponents.
