Iowa Breaks Record, Cowboys

42,287 people was the official attendance at Kinnick Stadium on the campus of the University of Iowa Saturday as the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the record breaking college match. It was a great win for Iowa, but it was an even bigger success for the sport of wrestling. Both teams should get a ton of credit for putting on the biggest display wrestling has seen since before the Great Depression. 

Did we really think Iowa wasn't going to win this thing? I foolishly chose the Cowboys, because I was looking at the matchups. However, the Hawkeyes find a way to win these big matches. Why would we think this, wrestling's biggest stage since the Model T era, would be any different? 

The weight classes went as most predicted. Yet the Hawkeyes won the bonus point battle. It was good coaching on Iowa's part, because you knew you had to counteract Dieringer's impending bonus points everyone knew he would get. Brands' team came out firing in every match they could to get everything they could. This and an apparent conditioning advantage allowed Iowa to defend their home turf (cheesy but couldn't resist). Thomas Gilman and Sammy Brooks were men possessed and got the major & tech, respectively, to give them three bonus points to Dierenger's one. Don't forget Patrick Rhoads at 165 for the effort in keeping his match just a major. 

As for National Title implications, it is not exactly a big mover. The weights went five and five how most expected so not sure this moves the meter much. However, it's a great win for Iowa as they try to end their national title drought but it was an even bigger day for wrestling. 

Iowa-18 Oklahoma State-16

125: No. 4 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) maj. dec. No. 7 Eddie Klimara (OSU), 9-1
133: No. 2 Cory Clark (Iowa) dec. Gary Wayne Harding (OSU), 7-2
141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) dec. Logan Ryan (Iowa), 7-1
149: No. 3 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) dec. No. 8 Anthony Collica (OSU), 6-1
157: No. 15 Chance Marsteller (OSU) dec. Edwin Cooper (Iowa), 14-11
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) maj. dec. Patrick Rhoads (Iowa), 17-5
174: No. 4 Kyle Crutchmer (OSU) dec. No. 6 Alex Meyer (Iowa), 11-10
184: No. 12 Sammy Brooks (Iowa) tech. fall No. 15 Jordan Rogers (OSU), 17-2
197: No. 4 Nathan Burak (Iowa) dec. Nolan Boyd (OSU), 5-3
285: No. 5 Austin Marsden (Oklahoma State) dec. Sam Stoll (Iowa), 6-1