Live coverage: #14 ISU at #6 Iowa wrestling

One of the biggest and best rivalries in college wrestling is 50 minutes away from starting. The sixth-ranked University of Iowa Hawkeyes are hosting No. 6 Iowa State University. It's the 77th meeting between the two programs. Iowa leads the series, 58-16-2, winning in Ames 18-16, and in the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, 19-12, last season.

Pom-poms were set on every seat of the arena and the call was out for this to be a "black out" event with fans wearing black. Right now, it seems like the majority of the fans have answered the call. Just about all have black on with a smattering of gold. They are expecting well over 10,000 fans in attendance. Should be fun.

The best part of this meet is the amount of uncertainty that surrounds it. So many unknowns. This is perfect test to see, in my best Brands impersonation, "Who's going to get tough when it's time to get tough, Stud." and "Who is going to poop their pants?"

We'll see shortly. By the way, Jerome Ward is warming up right now. I would say if the meet is close he wrestles at 197.

Interesting fact: we'll be starting at 197 pounds. I would guess that not starting at 125 would be more beneficial to ISU.

Here are the rules. 1) Refresh so the updates fill in as we go along, and 2) Deal with the typos. I'll make them and won't have time to go back and correct them.

Introductions are going on. We're a couple minutes away from some major awesomeness.

We're starting. At 197, Luke Lofthbouse (Iowa) vs. Jerome Ward (ISU).

Ward opens with a T2 in final minute of the first. Last 30 seconds, Ward just hangs on to the legs as Lofthouse tries to escape repeatedly. Ward maintains control and rides him out. 2-0 at end of 1. Ward with 51 seconds of RT.

Lofthouse gets E1 after Ward gets RT and Ward hit for stalling. 2-1. Lofthouse can't convert on a takedown attempt and Ward looks gassed already in second. Ward going down to start third. Lofthouse needs to ride 11 seconds to erase RT. 2-1 Ward.

Ward called for stalling with 35 seconds to go and it's 3-2 Ward now. A third stall call in the last 5 seconds ties it 3-3. Jackson protests at scorer's table but that could be a ploy to get Ward a breather. We're going OT.

Ward gets a T2 in OT for 5-3 win. The argument tactic may have helped out ISU there.

Heavyweight, Blake Rasing (Iowa) vs. Kyle Simonson (ISU). Scoreless after 1. Simonson chooses down for second.

rasing rides him out the entire second period. Rasing goes down to start third.

rasing with an E1 and owns 1:21 of RT. 35 seconds to go.

Simonson makes a couple shot attempts and Rasing literally back-pedals part of the last 12 seconds. Rasing holds on to win, 2-0. We're tied, 3-3.

At 125, Matt McDonough (Iowa) vs. Patrick Hunter (ISU). McDonough has two T2 in first two minutes. make that a third with 51 seconds to go. McD rides out Hunter and finishes first with 6-2 lead and 1:31 RT. Figured this match might be one of the uglier ones.

McD with two more T2 and opens up 10-4 lead. Hunter called for stalling as McD surpasses 2:45 of RT at the end of second.

One minute to go and McD gets a stall call to go up, 13-4. As a media colleague just said, not quite the McD vs. Long matches we watched last year. McD with 4:36 Rt and wins 14-4. Iowa up, 7-3.

At 133, Tony Ramos is wrestling for Iowa. This was a question mark coming in, but it appears Ramos got the nod over #9 Nate Moore. Ramos didn't waste time, scoring a T2 in first 16 seconds.

Ramos as impressive as McD, scoring three T2 in the first and ending opening period up, 6-2, with 1:30 of RT.

Ramos with his fourth T2 and leads 8-3 with 1 minute to go in second. Ramos up, 8-4, after 2 periods.

Ramos wins 14-5, which included six T2 and 2:40 of RT. Iowa up, 11-3, after four matches.

At 141, Mark Ballweg vs. Chris Drouin. Scoreless after 1. Drouin got in on a couple shots, but Ballweg was able to defend and prevent any points. Drouin chooses down for 2nd.

Drouin gets nin on a shot with 23 seconds left. Ballweg rolls and grabs a leg comes out from behind and pushes back into Drouin, coming out on top for a T2 with 11 seconds to go and a big 3-1 win to give Iowa a 14-3 lead at the break.

Ballweg's defense has really saved him. Drouin got in on another shot and Ballweg fought him off rolling him through and almost getting two himself. After 2, Drouin leads, 1-0. Ballweg chooses down for third.

Drouin in deep with 24 seconds to go and ballweg fights it off again, slipping out the back door between his legs and turning into Drouin and getting winning takedown with 11 seconds to go. Iowa up 14-3 at intermission.

At 149, Jeret Chiri (Iowa) vs. Nate Carr Jr. Chiri scored opening takedown, but it has been all Carr after that, scoring an E1, T2 and adding two seperate NF2 in the second period. Carr leads 7-2 with 2:28 of RT after second.

Carr adds two t2 in the third and wins, 13-3. ISU pulls within 14-7.

At 157, Derek St. John (Iowa) vs. Trent Weatherman (ISU). These two were among Iowa's best preps a few years back when Weatherman was at ballard and St. John at IC West.

St. John fends off a couple Weatherman shots before scoring a T2 off his own. DSJ up, 2-0. DSJ rides him out.

DSJ adds E1 in second to go up, 3-0. DSJ scores another T2 and goes up 5-0 with 1:50+ of RT after second.

DSJ scores three T2 in third for 12-3 major decision. DSJ showed some toughness, giving up an E1 with 34 seconds to go to cost him a major, but kept battling and got a T2 in last 20 seconds to get the major after all.

At 165, Jake Kerr is going for Iowa. Had been an either/or with Aaron Janssen, who wrestled at Ames last year. Brands said both "were capable" at a press conference Tuesday. Kerr is facing Andrew Sorenson, who Janssen beat last year.

After a scoreless first, Sorenson takes control with an E1 and then comes out on top of a wild scramble for a T2. Sorenson builds 1:14 of RT and leads, 3-0, after two.

Sorenson wins, 4-1. Iowa leads, 18-10, with two matches to go.

At 174, #3 Jon Reader (ISU) vs. Ethen Lofthouse. reader scores a T2 early and rides Lofthouse out. reader adds an E1 and  T2 in second and leads 5-0 with 3:18 RT.

Reader wins, 6-1. Iowa leads, 18-13, with Grant Gambrall vs. Cole Shafer to close the dual at 184.

gambrall scores a T2 in the first and ends the period with a 2-0 lead.

gambrall gets E1 to open second-period scoring and is up 3-0. Gambrall scores his second T2. He's up, 5-0, with 1:45 of RT after two periods.

Shafer with an E1, but Gambrall wins closes with three third-period T2 and wins 12-3. Iowa wins, 22-13.