#7 Iowa and #10 Iowa State are set to wrestle the dual of the year Sunday at 3 pm Eastern inside Hilton Coliseum. This is Kevin Dresser’s best team since taking over in Ames and they not only have a real shot to win but might be the favorite. This would be coach Tom Brands’ first-ever loss to the Cyclones as head coach at Iowa.

Projected Lineups

125: #21 Drake Ayala, Iowa vs #10 Kysen Terukina, Iowa State

133: Brody Teske, Iowa vs #20 Evan Frost, Iowa State

141: #1 Real Woods, Iowa vs #30 Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State

149: #9 Victory Voinovich, Iowa vs #13 Casey Swiderski, Iowa State

157: Jared Franek, Iowa vs Cody Chittum, Iowa State

165: Michael Caliendo, Iowa vs #2 David Carr, Iowa State

174: #18 Gabe Arnold, Iowa vs #29 MJ Gaitan, Iowa State

184: Brennan Swafford, Iowa vs #6 Will Feldkamp, Iowa State

197: #26 Zach Glazier, Iowa vs #24 Julien Broderson, Iowa State

285: Bradley Hill, Iowa vs #6 Yonger Bastida, Iowa State

One of the interesting things about this dual is that not one match is the same as last year's dual. So, let's get into it.

125: #21 Drake Ayala, Iowa vs #10 Kysen Terukina, Iowa State

The outlook on this match completely flipped after this past weekend. Going into the weekend, Drake Ayala was ranked #10 and Kysen Terukin was ranked #17. However, Ayala suffered a loss to Oregon State’s Brandon Kaylor and Terukina majored #5 Eric Barnett, Terukina is now the odds-on-favorite. With that being said, Terukina has been prone to up-and-down performances in his college career and Ayala is capable of winning this match. I expect both guys to score takedowns in a high-scoring bout. Ayala loves single legs and the slide by while Terukina might be a little more diverse in his attacks.

Match Prediction: Terukina by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa State 3 - Iowa 0

Hear from Kysen Terukina after a big win over #5 Eric Barnett on Sunday

133: #8 Brody Teske, Iowa vs #20 Evan Frost, Iowa State

A lot of fans assumed that Virginia transfer Garret Grice would be the starter for Iowa State this year at 133, but Evan Frost has emerged as the guy and a good option for the Cyclones. He beat Iowa’s Jesse Ybarra and Jace Rhodes at the UNI Open last year, but Brody Teske is a different cat. After medically forfeiting out of the Luther Open two weekends ago, Teske looked healthy putting up a major decision victory over Oregon State’s Gabe Whisenhunt. Teske’s also been in these high pressure matches before, but this will be the biggest match of Frost’s young career so far.

Match Prediction: Teske by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa State 3 - Iowa 3

141: #1 Real Woods, Iowa vs #30 Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State

Another pleasant surprise for Cyclone fans this season has been Anthony Echemendia. After competing last season unattached and the beginning of this season at 149, he dropped down to 141 where he looks lean and mean. He’ll still be a massive underdog against the returning national finalist Real Woods, however. While Echemendia might be able to match Woods in the neutral game (he also might not be able to), I think Woods’ ability to turn could really cause Echemendia some trouble. If Echemendia is able to avoid getting turned and/or the bottom position completely, this match could be interesting.

Match Prediction: Woods by tech fall

Dual Prediction: Iowa 8 - Iowa State 3

Watch the FRL crew discuss Echemendia's potential this season

149: #9 Victor Voinovich, Iowa vs #13 Casey Swiderski, Iowa State

A real toss-up here at 149 lbs. Swiderski went 15-12 last season and made the bloodround at NCAAs at 141 lbs. Competing for Oklahoma State, Voinovich went 17-13 and made the round of 16 at 149 lbs. The only loss between the two so far this season is Voinovich’s 2-1 loss to Anthony Ferrari at the Luther Open. I think this one will be tight without a whole lot of points on the board. It sounds obvious, but I think whoever can finish their shots, Swiderski favors the high crotch while Voinovich the single, will win. Voinovich was mean on top in high school, but we haven’t seen that from him in college.

Match Prediction: Swiderski by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa 8 - Iowa State 6

157: #2 Jared Franek, Iowa vs Cody Chittum, Iowa State

Don’t let the fact there is no ranking next to Cody Chittum’s name fool you. This is actually the match I’m looking forward to most of the dual. Originally the #1 recruit in the class of 2023, Chittum made the decision to graduate a year early and moved to Iowa City to train at the Hawkeye Wrestling Club and greyshirt. However, in May of this year, Chittum decided to move two hours east to Ames and join the Cyclones.

This could be a breakout performance for Chittum who has only wrestled in the Davidson and Wisconson duals so far this year. He’s got a tough task on his hands with All-American Jared Franek. The two both wrestle hard-nosed. This match is going to be a dog fight. I wouldn’t be surprised if either guy won.

Match Prediction: Franek by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa 11 - Iowa State 6

165: #5 Michael Caliendo, Iowa vs #2 David Carr, Iowa State

Just like Franek, Michael Caliendo was a huge transfer for Iowa from NDSU this past offseason. Caliendo went 29 - 5 and finished in 7th place as a freshman last year for the Bison. He’ll still be a sizable underdog against David Carr, the heart and soul of the soul of the Cyclone lineup.  Despite being in the Big 12 last season, Caliendo and Carr never hit, so this will be the first meeting between the two. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is a one or two-point match, but Carr does love a crowd, so it also wouldn’t surprise me if he uses the energy in Hilton to help him open things up and start to push for a major with the new three-point takedown.

Match Prediction: Carr by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa 11 - Iowa State 9 

174: #18 Gabe Arnold, Iowa vs #29 MJ Gaitan, Iowa State

Gabe Arnold was in a similar situation to Chittum this past weekend. The #5 overall recruit in the class of 2023, he made his Carver-Hawkeye debut by taking out previously ninth-ranked and sixth-year senior Travis Wittlake of Oregon State. As just a true freshman, Arnold is the real deal. While Arnold is incredibly clean and disciplined with his techniques, MJ Gaitan is more of a “kitchen sink” unconventional type of guy who is always capable of high flyering someone to their back. That potential big move X factor is why Gaitan got the start last year against Brands. However, I see this one going similarly to that match with Arnold winning handily. He’s just too good.

Match Prediction: Arnold by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa 14 - Iowa State 9

184: Brennan Swafford, Iowa vs #6 Wil Feldkamp, Iowa State

While Arnold, a blue-chip recruit, is taking the place of suspended Nelson Brands this season, there is a little bit bigger drop off in talent at 184 from Abe Assad, who is also suspended, to Brennan Swafford. Swafford was a 2X state finalist for Mediapolis High School before becoming an NAIA national champion at Graceland and eventually transferring to Iowa in 2021.

Feldkamp has had an interesting path to Iowa State as well. He spent the first four years of his college career at Northern Illinois before transferring to Clarion for the past two years where he became an All-American last year, and then transferred to Ames this past offseason. Feldkamp is a pinner from top and I think that’s what happens on Sunday.

Match Prediction: Feldkamp by fall

Dual Prediction: Iowa State 15 - Iowa 14

197: #26 Zach Glazier, Iowa vs #24 Julien Broderson, Iowa State

While I’ve told you to ignore some rankings for one reason or another, the rankings at 197 hold pretty true. This is a toss-up match. Broderson was the starter for the Cyclones at 174 last season where he went 18 - 13. While Glazier did wrestle at 197 last season, he went just 5-2 competing as an attached wrestler and 7-2 overall. In the two years prior to that, Glazer went just 2-2 and 1-1. This could go either way, but I’m giving my nod to the big match experience and home crowd advantage of Broderson.

Match Prediction: Broderson by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa State 18 - Iowa 14

285: Bradley Hill, Iowa vs #6 Yonger Bastida, Iowa Stae

Yonger Bastida has become a bit of a fan favorite in Ames. He’s shown great improvements since moving from Cuba several years ago. He’s now up at heavyweight and says this is a much better weight for him. Bastida will be a big favorite over Bradley Hill, a redshirt freshman from Bettendorf. Hill has been tossed into the lineup this year as normal starter Anthony Cassioppi is sidelined as part of the gambling suspensions that hit these two schools.

Match Prediction: Bastida by decision

Dual Prediction: Iowa State 21 - Iowa 14

Dual Prediction

I have Iowa State winning 21-14, but only six matches. The big difference being a pin for Feldkamp. However, I also gave a tech fall to Iowa’s Woods at 141 in a match that could be tight. 125, 149, 197, and even 157 are toss-ups IMO that I wouldn’t be surprised to see go either way. That is what makes this dual so fun and my dual of the year! If you can’t tune into ESPN, we’ll have you covered with updates on www.flowrestling.org.