WRESTLING PREVIEW: What to expect this weekend in road trip to Oklahoma

AMES — After a successful weekend at home with a 22-16 win over West Virginia, the Cyclone wrestling program will travel to take on Oklahoma and Oklahoma State this weekend (Friday and Sunday).

The Cyclones are currently sitting in a good position despite the recent news of 141-pounder Kanen Storr’s transfer. Iowa State has won four duals in a row, something the program hasn’t done since January of 2016.

If the team as a whole finds its groove to perform the way the upper weight classes did against West Virginia, the Cyclones could walk out of this weekend with some successful individual wins and even a long shot team victory.

Friday night – Oklahoma 

The Sooners are coming in on their own high after big win over Northern Colorado 28-10, a team Iowa State lost to 22-20.

The Cyclones have all the tools to walk out of this with a team win if they can score some key bonus points. Iowa State had three pins against WVU.

Freshman 125-pounder Sinjin Briggs will have a tough matchup vs. No. 17 Christian Moody. Although Briggs is 0-5 in the Big 12, he has also managed yet to lose by pin, which is something to make note of.

At 174-pounds, Danny Bush has had some pins, most recently against West Virginia in the first period. Bush has come through and shown a lot of growth and hard work resulting on the mat.

The team has finally begun to stretch out its winning deficits, and that will be key in getting a win over the Sooners in hopes of continuing the winning streak. The last time the Sooners and Cyclones faced off, Oklahoma won 30-12.

Sunday Night – No. 5 Oklahoma State 

Iowa State will have its work cut out against this powerhouse. Last time out, the Cowboys routed Kent State 42-3. The Cowboys will enter Sunday’s match up with nine ranked wrestlers, three of which are in the top five:

133: No. 3 Kaid Brock (17-2)
141: No. 5 Dean Heil (17-2)
197: No. 3 Preston Weigel (6-0)

It is most likely that redshirt sophomore Markus Simmons will start at 133 with redshirt freshmen Ian Parker bumping up to the now vacant 141 spot. If so, Simmons will have his work cut out for him regardless of his improvements.

Assuming Parker indeed moves up, the discipline and commitment he has to this sport is strong and it wouldn’t surprise me to watch him hit this mat strong with a passion to bounce back after tough sudden victory loss against West Virginia. Also, lets not forget that Parker is also ranked himself (20, NR, 20).

Redshirt freshmen Sam Colbray has performed well as of late, and is a good example of what hard work in the wrestling room can translate to on the mat. Colbray will have his hands full facing the third ranked wrestler in the nation.

The Cowboys are also walking into this match-up having won the last 10 times in matchups against Iowa State. The Cyclones are going to have to hope that after a crazy win over Kent State and a dual match-up against No. 3 Missouri the night prior will tire this team up a bit.