Many others have said, as a Penn State fan, it doesn't seem like the wrestling season has really gotten underway. Missing the Scuffle has a lot to do with that. From what I understand, Cael has a plan, and I'm not going to question it, he doesn't always respond kindly to that (right CP? 
) Anyways, I'm going to post my midseason predictions for all 10 weights, and the team race. I'm focusing on PSU, Ok St, Iowa, and tOSU as I see them as the top competitors for the team title.
125: Gilman has looked great thus far, it's his weight until proven otherwise. PSU has got to be very happy with what they've seen from Suriano thus far. Gilman vs Suriano at Carver Hawkeye will be a very intriguing match. I think Gilman takes the initial matchup, but Suriano will possibly get two more cracks at him before the season ends. Suriano looks like a top 4 guy to me right now. Piccininni looks like an R12 guy, he was decent at the Scuffle, but he lost to guys he'll have to be beating at Nationals if he wants to make the podium. Jose Rodriguez has been better than I expected. He's lost to the only two ranked guys he's faced (Cruz and Dance) but both bouts were close. We'll learn a lot more from him as we get into the B1G dual schedule. Right now I see him as a one or two win guy at nationals.
133: This should be a pivotal weight amongst the top 4 teams. Iowa, Ok St, and tOSU all have legitimate title contenders. Cory Clark was the favorite coming into the season, but injury concerns have cast some doubt on his postseason. He should return to wrestling soon, hopefully fully healthy. He's at worst a top 4 guy if healthy. Tomasello has looked pretty good up a weight, thus far. He's my pick to win the weight, right now. Kaid Brock has also looked great for Ok St. He has as much a chance to be a finalist as the two guys already mentioned. I'm predicting 1. Tomasello, 2 Clark, 3. Brock. Penn St's Jared Cortez has had mixed results to this point, and seems to be battling an injury. Until I see more from him, I can't put him any higher than an r12 type of guy. Hopefully he gets healthy and proves me wrong. Zane Richards and Eric Montoya are two others to watch. The interesting thing about this weight is PSU's three main competitors all have championship caliber guys, but only one can win it, this kind of thing plays out at at least one other weight to come.
141: Dean Heil is not my favorite wrestler. But he wins, somehow, just about every time. He has an almost Dake like ability to win close, boring matches. He's great at what he does, I just don't like what he does. The rest of the big 4 have major question marks at this weight. Gulibon has had mixed results thus far...I think he'll qualify for nationals, but then who the heck knows. I'll say he goes 1-2. Pletcher has looked decent for tOSU this year, especially as a true frosh wrestling a weight higher than many expected. He should qualify, but I wouldn't expect more than a win or two from him. Topher Carton should also qualify, but I don't see much more than that from him. This is a tough, deep weight. McKenna, Ward, Jack, and Ashnault are all strong contenders.
149. Zain Retherford.
The other three teams I'm focusing on all have guys who could have the "honor" of meeting Zain on Saturday night. Sorenson is the favorite right now, but either Collica or Micah Jordan could make the finals too, and I wouldn't be surprised. Lavion Mayes is about the only other guy I'd consider to have an above average chance to make the finals. This is another weight where PSU's top competitors are going to be butting heads.
157: Jason Nolf.
Joe Smith and Michael Kemerer look like AA's at this point. I'd put them in the 2-6 range. Jake Ryan has gotten off to a slow start for tOSU at this point. He may qualify for National's but I don't see much more than that for him. Dylan Palacio, Tyler Berger, and Joey Lavallee are others to keep an eye on.
165: This may be the weakest weight collectively for my big 4. Chandler Rogers from Ok St and Vincenzo Joseph look like solid AA picks right now. I'd put both of them in the 4-8 range. Iowa has Joey Gunther at that weight right now, but stud true freshman Marinelli is waiting in the wings. Gunther is a potential qualifier, while Marinelli is probably a 2-2/R12 guy right now. Ohio St has Cody Burcher at this weight, he's a fringe qualifier. IMar is the top guy in this weight, he'll be pushed by Isaac Jordan, Daniel Lewis, and Logan Massa.
174: Bo Jordan (when he wrestles) is one of the top guys at this weight, definitely a favorite to win it all. Kyle Crutchmer is a solid AA threat for Ok St, but I think he's just a bit behind the top guys at the weight. I'd put him in the 5-8 range. Alex Meyer is something of a wild card for Iowa, He could finish on the podium, in the 4-8 range, or he could go 1-2. He has a tendency to lose some real head scratchers. I'm going to predict an r12 result for him. Speaking of wild cards and head scratchers, I have no idea who is wrestling for Penn St at 174 this year. I know that Morelli, Rasheed, and Hall are all talented guys. I'm going to predict that Hall keeps his redshirt, and that Morelli or Rasheed end up with an r12 finish. Brian Realbuto, Zahid Valencia (my pick to win it) and Zach Epperly are other guys to watch.
184: This is looking like a big weight for the team race too. All four squads I'm focusing on have AA threats at the weight. I like Bo Nickal to be the best of the bunch. We will learn a lot about him in the coming weeks, but for now, I'm putting him in the finals against Gabe Dean. Sammy Brooks and Nolan Boyd look like 4-8 guys to me. Myles Martin has struggled a bit up a weight, I'm predicting an r12 finish for him, although he certainly has the talent to go higher. Dean is the big name at this weight, unless you ask PD2, but, I didn't do that.
197: PSU, Ok St, and tOSU all have AA threats at this weight. McCutcheon has looked really good for moving up 13 lbs right before the start of the season. He looks like a 4-8 guy right now. Kollin Moore has also been really good for the Bucks, he gave Cox a heck of a match in their dual. But, he was also majored by Pfarr. I like him as a 4-8 guy as well. Weigel looks to have improved a lot from his freshman season, I'll think I'll put him in the 4-8 range too. Iowa has a hole at this weight with Cash Wilcke. He likely won't qualify for Nationals. J'Den Cox and Pfarr are the class of this weight.
285: Kyle Snyder is as a strong a favorite as there is to win a title. He is just too much for most heavyweights to handle. Nick Nevills, Sam Stoll, and Austin Schafer are all AA threats. I'm predicting a 4-8 finish for Nevills and Stoll, and an r12 finish for Schafer. I will say, I am looking forward to Nevills vs Snyder. There are two guys in and around the wrestling room (Varner and McIntosh) who have beaten Snyder. Plus that Sanderson guy was a decent upperweight. I'm not predicting an upset, but Nevills has the best possible preparation for that match. Ty Walz, and Connor Medbury are likely battling each other for the remaining finals spot.
Team Race: I like Penn State at this point, and here's why: Unless one of the other big 4 wins 133, and gets their guy to the sacrifice....errr finals at 149, I just have a hard time seeing where the points come from to catch PSU. I have PSU as having 7 AA's, 3 finalists, and 2 champs. Iowa has 6 AA's, 3 finalists and 1 champ. Ok St has 8 AA's 1 finalist and 1 champ. tOSU has 5 AA's, 3 finalists, and 2 champs.
Feel free to comment, or add your own picks.
Disclaimer: I did all this while continuing to deal with an obstinate 1 year old who refuses to sleep during normal sleeping hours, so if I've made any glaring errors, be gentle, or I'll drop him off at your house.
) Anyways, I'm going to post my midseason predictions for all 10 weights, and the team race. I'm focusing on PSU, Ok St, Iowa, and tOSU as I see them as the top competitors for the team title.125: Gilman has looked great thus far, it's his weight until proven otherwise. PSU has got to be very happy with what they've seen from Suriano thus far. Gilman vs Suriano at Carver Hawkeye will be a very intriguing match. I think Gilman takes the initial matchup, but Suriano will possibly get two more cracks at him before the season ends. Suriano looks like a top 4 guy to me right now. Piccininni looks like an R12 guy, he was decent at the Scuffle, but he lost to guys he'll have to be beating at Nationals if he wants to make the podium. Jose Rodriguez has been better than I expected. He's lost to the only two ranked guys he's faced (Cruz and Dance) but both bouts were close. We'll learn a lot more from him as we get into the B1G dual schedule. Right now I see him as a one or two win guy at nationals.
133: This should be a pivotal weight amongst the top 4 teams. Iowa, Ok St, and tOSU all have legitimate title contenders. Cory Clark was the favorite coming into the season, but injury concerns have cast some doubt on his postseason. He should return to wrestling soon, hopefully fully healthy. He's at worst a top 4 guy if healthy. Tomasello has looked pretty good up a weight, thus far. He's my pick to win the weight, right now. Kaid Brock has also looked great for Ok St. He has as much a chance to be a finalist as the two guys already mentioned. I'm predicting 1. Tomasello, 2 Clark, 3. Brock. Penn St's Jared Cortez has had mixed results to this point, and seems to be battling an injury. Until I see more from him, I can't put him any higher than an r12 type of guy. Hopefully he gets healthy and proves me wrong. Zane Richards and Eric Montoya are two others to watch. The interesting thing about this weight is PSU's three main competitors all have championship caliber guys, but only one can win it, this kind of thing plays out at at least one other weight to come.
141: Dean Heil is not my favorite wrestler. But he wins, somehow, just about every time. He has an almost Dake like ability to win close, boring matches. He's great at what he does, I just don't like what he does. The rest of the big 4 have major question marks at this weight. Gulibon has had mixed results thus far...I think he'll qualify for nationals, but then who the heck knows. I'll say he goes 1-2. Pletcher has looked decent for tOSU this year, especially as a true frosh wrestling a weight higher than many expected. He should qualify, but I wouldn't expect more than a win or two from him. Topher Carton should also qualify, but I don't see much more than that from him. This is a tough, deep weight. McKenna, Ward, Jack, and Ashnault are all strong contenders.
149. Zain Retherford.
The other three teams I'm focusing on all have guys who could have the "honor" of meeting Zain on Saturday night. Sorenson is the favorite right now, but either Collica or Micah Jordan could make the finals too, and I wouldn't be surprised. Lavion Mayes is about the only other guy I'd consider to have an above average chance to make the finals. This is another weight where PSU's top competitors are going to be butting heads.
157: Jason Nolf.
Joe Smith and Michael Kemerer look like AA's at this point. I'd put them in the 2-6 range. Jake Ryan has gotten off to a slow start for tOSU at this point. He may qualify for National's but I don't see much more than that for him. Dylan Palacio, Tyler Berger, and Joey Lavallee are others to keep an eye on.
165: This may be the weakest weight collectively for my big 4. Chandler Rogers from Ok St and Vincenzo Joseph look like solid AA picks right now. I'd put both of them in the 4-8 range. Iowa has Joey Gunther at that weight right now, but stud true freshman Marinelli is waiting in the wings. Gunther is a potential qualifier, while Marinelli is probably a 2-2/R12 guy right now. Ohio St has Cody Burcher at this weight, he's a fringe qualifier. IMar is the top guy in this weight, he'll be pushed by Isaac Jordan, Daniel Lewis, and Logan Massa.
174: Bo Jordan (when he wrestles) is one of the top guys at this weight, definitely a favorite to win it all. Kyle Crutchmer is a solid AA threat for Ok St, but I think he's just a bit behind the top guys at the weight. I'd put him in the 5-8 range. Alex Meyer is something of a wild card for Iowa, He could finish on the podium, in the 4-8 range, or he could go 1-2. He has a tendency to lose some real head scratchers. I'm going to predict an r12 result for him. Speaking of wild cards and head scratchers, I have no idea who is wrestling for Penn St at 174 this year. I know that Morelli, Rasheed, and Hall are all talented guys. I'm going to predict that Hall keeps his redshirt, and that Morelli or Rasheed end up with an r12 finish. Brian Realbuto, Zahid Valencia (my pick to win it) and Zach Epperly are other guys to watch.
184: This is looking like a big weight for the team race too. All four squads I'm focusing on have AA threats at the weight. I like Bo Nickal to be the best of the bunch. We will learn a lot about him in the coming weeks, but for now, I'm putting him in the finals against Gabe Dean. Sammy Brooks and Nolan Boyd look like 4-8 guys to me. Myles Martin has struggled a bit up a weight, I'm predicting an r12 finish for him, although he certainly has the talent to go higher. Dean is the big name at this weight, unless you ask PD2, but, I didn't do that.
197: PSU, Ok St, and tOSU all have AA threats at this weight. McCutcheon has looked really good for moving up 13 lbs right before the start of the season. He looks like a 4-8 guy right now. Kollin Moore has also been really good for the Bucks, he gave Cox a heck of a match in their dual. But, he was also majored by Pfarr. I like him as a 4-8 guy as well. Weigel looks to have improved a lot from his freshman season, I'll think I'll put him in the 4-8 range too. Iowa has a hole at this weight with Cash Wilcke. He likely won't qualify for Nationals. J'Den Cox and Pfarr are the class of this weight.
285: Kyle Snyder is as a strong a favorite as there is to win a title. He is just too much for most heavyweights to handle. Nick Nevills, Sam Stoll, and Austin Schafer are all AA threats. I'm predicting a 4-8 finish for Nevills and Stoll, and an r12 finish for Schafer. I will say, I am looking forward to Nevills vs Snyder. There are two guys in and around the wrestling room (Varner and McIntosh) who have beaten Snyder. Plus that Sanderson guy was a decent upperweight. I'm not predicting an upset, but Nevills has the best possible preparation for that match. Ty Walz, and Connor Medbury are likely battling each other for the remaining finals spot.
Team Race: I like Penn State at this point, and here's why: Unless one of the other big 4 wins 133, and gets their guy to the sacrifice....errr finals at 149, I just have a hard time seeing where the points come from to catch PSU. I have PSU as having 7 AA's, 3 finalists, and 2 champs. Iowa has 6 AA's, 3 finalists and 1 champ. Ok St has 8 AA's 1 finalist and 1 champ. tOSU has 5 AA's, 3 finalists, and 2 champs.
Feel free to comment, or add your own picks.
Disclaimer: I did all this while continuing to deal with an obstinate 1 year old who refuses to sleep during normal sleeping hours, so if I've made any glaring errors, be gentle, or I'll drop him off at your house.
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