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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on September 22, 2025
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Wrestle offs are only about a month away
125- microbe/kilkeary. They look pretty even to me. Have to go with Mccrone as the bonus point threat. Both are probably top 15 guys but don’t see either being an all
American
133 bouzakis/davino. Davion is the smarter wrestler and nearly impossible to score on. Bouzakis gets too sloppy. Davino I think has the ability to beat anyone. Expect a high all American finish
141- national champ. Biggest challenger may be ono/blaze and hardy.
149-stiles. Should be an all American once again. Maddox Shaw is listed at 149. He wrestled 157 last year. Wonder if he thinks he can challenge for the spot. Seems like a big weight cut if not. Had an impressive win over Zepeda this summer.
157-cannon. Looking forward to watching him jump another level after a blood round finish. Always looking to score. He can beat anyone at this weight.
165- paddy/birden. Hoping birden wins this wrestle off. He nearly beat caliendo this summer. I think he has the higher ceiling.
174- Kharchla. First season in a long time he wasn’t hurt in offseason. He looked like he could be a national finalist first half the year last year. He may need to be on a match count as he faded last season. Expect him to finish his career as AA.
184-fishback low aa/ round 12
197shumate/ geog/rotogotzke. Who knows who wrestles here. With the new 5 year rule about to pass rotogotzke will not sit if he’s the best wrestler. Shumate was much improved last year and we haven’t really seen geog for a while. Last year the weight cut was too much for Rotogotke. This is the battle I’m most interested in seeing.
285-Feldman. Looks like he took a step back last year. Feels like he was banged up. Regardless should be a top 5 guy who has finalist potential.
Team is probably the fourth best behind penn state Iowa and Nebraska. Unc screwed us by not allowing Ferrari or I think we could have jumped Nebraska. Can finish anywhere from 2-6. Davino, Cannon, and Feldman all have finalist potential and would need to all have big tourneys. Goal is to at least get a team trophy.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on September 22, 2025
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Kharchla looked excellent until Big Tens. More prudent with his attacks and much better at finishing. His loss to the Illini wrestler seemed to impact him for the rest of the season. His biggest battle is the mental challenge of the sport. Or so I think...
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Michael Rodriguez added to this discussion on September 22, 2025
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To say that a guy can “beat anyone at this weight” doesn’t really mean anything. Anyone can beat anyone on a given day. Didn’t McCrone beat Lilledahl last year? Both Davio and Cannon are excellent and both are All American contenders (particularly Davino), but to say that they have “finalist potential” is like saying they can beat anyone in the weight. Sure, they COULD, but is it likely? I feel like it’s a stretch.
Davino, while excellent, has the deepest weight class in the NCAA. The returning champion and runner-up are back at this weight, along with tru-frosh Blaze and former third place finisher Ryan Crookham. Shawver, Fugit and VanDee are gonna be floating around the bracket too. “High All American” is what? Top three? Top four? I think his absolute ceiling is fourth (which is an incredible finish for a freshman). Do you disagree?
I know Cannon is a fan favorite, and with good reason. He’s aggressive and fun to watch. Cannon’s weight isn’t as deep as 133, but if P.J. Duke wrestles it has a clear cut favorite. And he doesn’t wrestle, then 2X third place finisher Kasak will be there to contend with. Not to mention the defending champ from Nebraska. You see Cannon being a finalist over one of those two? Don’t forget Shapiro will be at the weight as well. You’d have to put him below a guy like Zerban, right? Again, I’m not seeing “high All American”. But as we all know, I’m wrong frequently.
A side note, I don’t know either of these two young men and I’m not criticizing their wrestling at all. They are both excellent. The fact that they are DI All American contenders speaks to that. I absolutely respect their skills. I just think Mr Lecklider got a little carried away with his scarlet colored glasses.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Bruce Andrews added to this discussion on September 23, 2025
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"
125- microbe/kilkeary. They look pretty even to me. Have to go with Mccrone as the bonus point threat. Both are probably top 15 guys but don’t see either being an all American."
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I think microbe may be a little small for the weight.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on September 23, 2025
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Quote from Bruce Andrews's post:
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"
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"
125- microbe/kilkeary. They look pretty even to me. Have to go with Mccrone as the bonus point threat. Both are probably top 15 guys but don’t see either being an all American."
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I think microbe may be a little small for the weight."
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This comment made me chuckle aloud. Well done, Bruce. And thank you.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Brady Hiatt added to this discussion on September 23, 2025
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Quote from Bruce Andrews's post:
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"
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"
125- microbe/kilkeary. They look pretty even to me. Have to go with Mccrone as the bonus point threat. Both are probably top 15 guys but don’t see either being an all American."
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I think microbe may be a little small for the weight."
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Well played good sir!
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on September 23, 2025
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Quote from Bruce Andrews's post:
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"
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"
125- microbe/kilkeary. They look pretty even to me. Have to go with Mccrone as the bonus point threat. Both are probably top 15 guys but don’t see either being an all American."
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I think microbe may be a little small for the weight."
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Seconding Mark's praise. Clever indeed.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on September 24, 2025
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Ben Davino hasn’t been taken down in a folk style match since 2021 in the Ironman finals. Since then he has wrestled one of the toughest high school schedules in the nation winning super 32 twice and Ironman twice. He has wins over Marcus Blaze, Raney, Braeden Davis( who finished fifth this year), among others without giving up a takedown.
Then he went college and went 19-1 and wrestled 8 NCAA qualifiers I believe without again giving up a takedown. His one loss was to Shawver who stalled for 9 minutes to win in rideluts. His absolute ceiling is not 4th place. He will be in the match with anyone.
Cannon on the other hand is still growing and getting better at wrestling. He sat out half his high school career with a life threatening disease. Blaze and Taylor were finalist last year at this weight. Both finished behind cannon at big tens. I would take Cannon over both of them. Taylor barely got by paddy last year. Shapiro and whoever penn state throws out are the only wrestlers in this weight I would rather have on my team. I just feel Cannon still has a lot more upside than anyone in this weight. Look at cannons bracket last year. If he didn’t get screwed in the fish match he had a pretty easy path to finals. I just feel with another year under his belt he could make a big jump.
Again I’m not predicting finals for either wrestling but wouldn’t not be one bit surprised if either made it.
Edit correction he did get taken down in 2023 at super 32 by sergio vega
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Roe Fox added to this discussion on September 27, 2025
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Edit correction he did get taken down in 2023 at super 32 by sergio vega
The exception that proves the rule…
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Roe Fox added to this discussion on September 27, 2025
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Edit correction he did get taken down in 2023 at super 32 by sergio vega
The exception that proves the rule…
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Jack Muni added to this discussion on September 30, 2025
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The 2025-2026 OSU schedule is out. KSU back on the schedule, along with National Duals and Collegiate Duals. Not sure what the difference is between the 2, but it looks like plenty of matches on tap. Big Tens are at PSU this season.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on September 30, 2025
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Josh Moore did excellent work at Cleveland State and should have even better success at Kent. Glad the Bucks are giving them this opportunity.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Jared Ball added to this discussion on October 3, 2025
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Pumped for the December 12th dual with NC St. I believe both teams dualed a couple of years ago in some sort of dual tournament. Should be a lot of fun. It’s always great to welcome the Wolverines and Hawkeyes into Covelli. This should be a really good dual team. If on, probably one of the top three in the country.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Jeff Reid added to this discussion on October 3, 2025
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Quote from Jared Ball's post:
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"Pumped for the December 12th dual with NC St. I believe both teams dualed a couple of years ago in some sort of dual tournament. Should be a lot of fun. It’s always great to welcome the Wolverines and Hawkeyes into Covelli. This should be a really good dual team. If on, probably one of the top three in the country."
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FRL highlighted tOSU on Tuesday and said the same team. Very good dual team.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-2026 buckeyes
Brian Mathews added to this discussion on October 6, 2025
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Quote from Michael Rodriguez's post:
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"but to say that they have “finalist potential” is like saying they can beat anyone in the weight. Sure, they COULD, but is it likely? I feel like it’s a stretch."
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While true, I would note that "finalist potential" is about as conservative of a description as you're going to get from Mr. Lecklider... I think it roughly translates to "should be top 8" in normal parlance.
I agree with what others have said--this is a very strong dual lineup that probably lacks high end firepower for March.
There is a huge gap between PSU and the field, but there is enough upside in Ohio State's lineup to think they could challenge Iowa and Nebraska.
Some random thoughts...
- I want to see Kilkeary at 125. McCrone has done an admirable job but, respectfully, it was difficult to watch him at the end of last season.
- Both Cannon and Stiles still have a lot to prove.
- 165 - 174 are potential weak points. I don't think either of Gallagher or Kharchla can wrestle a full season, and even if they can it's hard to know what you're going to get from them. Birden's ceiling doesn't appear to be as high as some thought.
- Feldman... hoping we see a different guy this season.
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