Ohio State entered the NCAA Wrestling Championships with high hopes of claiming a strong second place, and maybe even snagging the title if Penn State stumbled. But Penn State has been rock solid, and the Buckeyes have hit some bumps on the mat. They're still in the mix for second, but Thursday didn't go as planned.
The day got off to a rocky start with Nic Bouzakis facing an upset by No. 14 seed Jacob Moran from Indiana. Bouzakis struggled early, not quite looking his usual self.
Whether it's a health concern or the challenge of maintaining weight at 125 pounds when he's more comfortable at 133, he'll need to regroup for the wrestlebacks. If he can get back on track, he has a shot at the "Blood Round" and could still achieve All-American status or even a third-place finish.
Things didn’t end well either, with heavyweight Nick Feldman falling to No. 21 seed Juan Mora from Oklahoma. Despite not being fully healthy, as coach Tom Ryan mentioned, Feldman is still showing resilience and will have chances to advance in the wrestlebacks.
The Buckeyes faced more setbacks in the evening session. Dylan Fishback and Paddy Gallagher were bested by stronger opponents.
Gallagher, however, put up a commendable fight against No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink from Penn State, preventing a pin or Tech Fall for the third time this season.
At 149 pounds, Ethan Stiles seemed to run out of steam against Stanford's No. 10 seed Aden Valencia, losing control in the final moments of the match.
Despite these challenges, the 133 and 141-pound weight classes provided a silver lining. Ben Davino and Jesse Mendez both secured Tech Fall victories, keeping them on track for podium finishes.
Carson Kharchla also looks promising, though he faces a tough quarterfinal against Iowa's Patrick Kennedy. Brandon Cannon pulled off a thrilling comeback with a late takedown against Daniel Cardenas from Stanford, setting up a quarterfinal clash with No. 1 seed P.J.
Duke from Penn State, who had previously dominated him at the Big Ten Championships.
In the team standings, Ohio State is currently sitting in fifth place, but they're just four points shy of second-place Nebraska. The challenge for the Buckeyes is that the teams ahead have more wrestlers advancing to the quarterfinals, giving them a potential edge. Ohio State will need a strong showing in the wrestlebacks to stay in the hunt for a podium finish.
The next session, featuring quarterfinals and wrestlebacks, kicks off Friday at noon Eastern. Here's what's next for the Buckeyes:
- 125 lbs (consolation): Nic Bouzakis vs. No.
29 Tyler Chappell (Pitt)
- 133 lbs (quarterfinal): Ben Davino vs.
No. 7 Lucas Byrd (Illinois)
- 141 lbs (quarterfinal): Jesse Mendez vs. No.
8 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota)
- 149 lbs (consolation): Ethan Stiles vs.
No. 25 Michael Gioffre (Illinois)
- 157 lbs (quarterfinal): Brandon Cannon vs. No.
1 P.J. Duke (Penn State)
- 165 lbs (consolation): Paddy Gallagher vs. No.
31 Jared Keslar (Pitt)
- 174 lbs (championship): Carson Kharchla vs.
No. 5 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)
- 184 lbs (consolation): Dylan Fishback vs. No.
11 Shane Cartagena-Walsh (Rutgers)
- 197 lbs (consolation): Luke Geog vs.
No. 6 Justin Rademacher (Oregon State)
Ohio State will need to bring their A-game to make a significant impact in the standings.