5 key points ahead of Sunday’s dual between Iowa and Iowa State

Here are five key items for Sunday’s Cy-Hawk Series dual as No. 8-ranked Iowa State hosts No. 4 Iowa at 2 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum (ESPN).

1. A swing match at 125

Expect Iowa Coach Tom Brands and Iowa State Coach Kevin Dresser to choose a traditional start, going from lightest to heaviest. The 125-pound match is a swing match, especially with Iowa’s Drake Ayala coming off a loss and Iowa State’s Kysen Terukina thumping Wisconsin’s then-No. 6 Eric Barnett, 14-3. Either team will receive a boost and a six-point swing.

2. Transfers will have an impact

Both teams field multiple transfers for this year’s dual. They might be new to the Cy-Hawk Series but they aren’t new to the programs. Iowa’s Victor Voinovich (149) went to Oklahoma State, while No. 2 Jared Franek (157) and No. 5 Michael Caliendo (165) are from North Dakota State. They faced Iowa State in the Big 12 Conference. Iowa State’s 141-pounder Anthony Echemendia wrestled at Ohio State and 157-pounder Cody Chittum gray-shirted in Iowa City last year. Their debuts in the rivalry will make a great impact on the result.

3. Gabe Arnold called on again

Gabe Arnold won his Iowa debut Sunday. The freshman 174-pounder defeated Oregon State’s No. 11 Travis Wittlake, a past All-American. He could be called on again Sunday to face MJ Gaitan in one of a handful of swing matches. Arnold was a high-profile recruit and could be a season-long contributor this year. His results could influence the dual and his status for the entire year.

4. Chances for bonus points

Match-by-match breakdowns lead to different results with toss-up matches at 125, 149, 157, 174 and 197. Bonus points could be huge and both teams need them when the opportunity is presented. Iowa’s best chances for bonus are at 133 with Brody Teske and top-ranked 141-pounder Real Woods. Iowa State’s top opportunities for bonus are at 165 with NCAA champion and No. 2 David Carr, 184-pounder Will Feldkamp and heavyweight Younger Bastida.

5. Cy-Hawk Series history

Iowa and Iowa State will meet for the 87th time, dating back to 1912. Iowa has never lost to Iowa State in 17 meetings during Tom Brands’ 18th season as the Hawkeyes’ head coach. This is the second straight meeting with both teams back in the top 10 of national dual rankings. Iowa State’s last dual win over Iowa was a 19-16 victory on Dec. 5, 2004.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com