It has now been four years since the Iowa men’s wrestling squad defeated powerhouse Penn State to win its 24th national championship in program history.
Since that glorious day in 2021, Iowa has yet to return a national championship banner back to “Wrestle Town USA,” leaving Hawkeye fans across the country eager and hungry for another title.
Iowa and Penn State have held the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the National Wrestling Coaches Association rankings since the initial preseason rankings back in October, and wrestling fans are already counting down the days to their highly anticipated showdown on Jan. 31 in State College, Pennsylvania.
Iowa head coach Tom Brands has used the early portion of the season to weigh his options in the front half of the lineup.
Despite the questionable front half of the lineup, one thing remains clear: Iowa will struggle to defeat fellow Big Ten foe Penn State for a national title without a consistent front half of the lineup. It is no secret Brands has been unpredictable this season regarding lineups, as he has made lineup decisions on what he feels is the best for the squad.
In all, there have been five different wrestlers who have seen action between the 125 and 141 weight classes, creating an anxious atmosphere for Hawkeye fans who are eager to see who will step on the mat.
One of those notable decisions came against in-state rival Iowa State on Nov. 23 when Brands elected to give first-year Angelo Ferrari the big stage at 184 pounds. Brands’ choice ultimately proved to be successful, as Ferrari defeated No. 15 Evan Bockman, 8-2.
When asked why he decided to start Ferrari on the mat, Brands offered a straightforward answer that required no follow-up questions.
“Just shaking it up,” Brands said before the dual.
The Hawkeyes’ lineup changes in the top half of the order have also been finding a groove, especially in the 125 and 141 weight classes. Brands has fluctuated between Iowa native Kale Peterson and Oklahoma transfer Joey Cruz at 125.
Peterson is 5-2 on the season with a loss to No. 27 ranked Adrian Meza of Iowa State and another loss to teammate Drake Ayala in the championship round of the Soldier Salute in late December.
On the other hand, Cruz is a respectable 12-6 on the season, owning losses to No. 27 Max Renteria of Oregon State and No. 22 Charles Farmer of Army. Cruz is 1-2 on the season in dual matches.
The pair of Hawkeye 125-pound wrestlers have collected a cumulative record of 17-8 this season. If the Hawkeyes want to have a chance at the Nittany Lions in March, they will almost have to perform almost perfectly across the board, which includes the critical 125 bout.
With the Big Ten dual season already in progress, Iowa’s time is dwindling to find the right lineup that will give them the best opportunity to win the national title. The Hawkeyes looked every bit a contender in the conference opener against Wisconsin on Jan. 12, winning in a 45-0 sweep.
Brands again discussed lineup changes after the dual, specifically at 141 pounds. Second-year Jace Rhodes earned the start, but fourth-year Cullan Schriever could join the mix if needed.
“Schriever could have went at 141,” Brands said. “Those two guys [Schriever and Rhodes], we have confidence in both of those guys. Rhodes was in his first Big Ten dual. Schriever has been on the mat more. And it was my call. It was my call.”
Rhodes took advantage of his opportunity and claimed a 6-3 decision over Brice Bobzien. While Rhodes admitted it wasn’t the prettiest victory, he was still pleased with his performance.
His triumph was also his first-ever Big Ten win.
“I liked the first period. In the second half, I let up a reversal. Not exactly ideal,” Rhodes said. “Overall, it was a gutsy win, and I was glad I could pull it out to keep giving myself opportunities to go out there and win.”