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We move on to the 125 lb weight class in our previews of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships. This is the seventh (and final) weight class in our previews that has a Penn State wrestler as the No. 1 seed. This time, it's Luke Lilledahl. But should Lilledahl be favored to win it all? And who can stick with him? Let's dive into the bracket.
Lilledahl actually took a stunning early upset in last year's NCAA Championships. Since then, his only loss is in an intra-squad match against Penn State's next star Nathan Desmond, who is redshirting this year. Lilledahl has lost a few matches in his career that he shouldn't, but he is usually so good in every single part of the mat. His draw has him facing No. 8 Dean Peterson (Iowa) in the quarterfinals. Peterson has given Lilledahl two good matches so far this year, so maybe a tiny upset alert in that one. Other than that, seeing Lilledahl lose before the final would be a pretty big surprise.
Bouzakis was one of Lilledahl's toughest matches of the year, giving up the match's lone takedown in Sudden Victory to lose. It seemed like he would be a clear No. 2 seed at the NCAAs, but he was stunningly upset by Jore Volk (Minnesota) in the Big Ten Championships. That bumped Bouzakis down to a three seed, but he is still both the most likely opponent for Lilledahl in the final and the most likely to be able to beat him.
The bad news for Bouzakis is that Volk is the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Championships. That means a likely rematch in the quarterfinals. Maybe Bouzakis gets revenge, but it was a pretty comprehensive match last time they met.
Bouzakis has also been troubled by a back injury the last few weeks of the season. Hopefully he's better by Thursday, but any lingering effects could stop his national championship dreams before they even start.
I have an eye on No. 2 seed Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), who is really solid and a potential threat to Lilledahl if he gets by Bouzakis or Volk. Volk could also be a threat to win it all, as he has been wrestling at an elite level to end the season.
But I want to focus on Robinson. He is criminally underseeded at No. 12. He has four losses on the season, all extremely close battles with top seven seeds. His wins were less impressive in February than early in the season, but he took down Oklahoma State's Troy Spratley (No. 5 seed at the NCAAs) way back in November. He should definitely be an All-American contender, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him facing Lilledahl in the semifinals.
Heavyweight (Nick Feldman)
197 lbs (Luke Geog)
184 lbs (Dylan Fishback)
174 lbs (Carson Kharchla)
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: NCAA Wrestling Championships Preview: 125 lbs
Continue reading...
Favorite: Luke Lilledahl (Penn State)
Lilledahl actually took a stunning early upset in last year's NCAA Championships. Since then, his only loss is in an intra-squad match against Penn State's next star Nathan Desmond, who is redshirting this year. Lilledahl has lost a few matches in his career that he shouldn't, but he is usually so good in every single part of the mat. His draw has him facing No. 8 Dean Peterson (Iowa) in the quarterfinals. Peterson has given Lilledahl two good matches so far this year, so maybe a tiny upset alert in that one. Other than that, seeing Lilledahl lose before the final would be a pretty big surprise.
Ohio State's Wrestler: Nic Bouzakis
Bouzakis was one of Lilledahl's toughest matches of the year, giving up the match's lone takedown in Sudden Victory to lose. It seemed like he would be a clear No. 2 seed at the NCAAs, but he was stunningly upset by Jore Volk (Minnesota) in the Big Ten Championships. That bumped Bouzakis down to a three seed, but he is still both the most likely opponent for Lilledahl in the final and the most likely to be able to beat him.
The bad news for Bouzakis is that Volk is the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Championships. That means a likely rematch in the quarterfinals. Maybe Bouzakis gets revenge, but it was a pretty comprehensive match last time they met.
Bouzakis has also been troubled by a back injury the last few weeks of the season. Hopefully he's better by Thursday, but any lingering effects could stop his national championship dreams before they even start.
Sleeper: Vincent Robinson (N.C. State)
I have an eye on No. 2 seed Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), who is really solid and a potential threat to Lilledahl if he gets by Bouzakis or Volk. Volk could also be a threat to win it all, as he has been wrestling at an elite level to end the season.
But I want to focus on Robinson. He is criminally underseeded at No. 12. He has four losses on the season, all extremely close battles with top seven seeds. His wins were less impressive in February than early in the season, but he took down Oklahoma State's Troy Spratley (No. 5 seed at the NCAAs) way back in November. He should definitely be an All-American contender, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him facing Lilledahl in the semifinals.
Other Previews:
Heavyweight (Nick Feldman)
197 lbs (Luke Geog)
184 lbs (Dylan Fishback)
174 lbs (Carson Kharchla)
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: NCAA Wrestling Championships Preview: 125 lbs
Continue reading...
