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#13 MN has an exciting home opener this Sunday at 12pm against the #12 SDSU Jackrabbits!!
It should be a fairly close match, but I have it at MN 24 - SDSU 10. If SDSU. If SDSU was able to flip two matches that I called for MN, that would still be an 18-16 win for us!!
It will be a fun dual to watch, so come on down to the Pav if you can!! If not, it will be streamed live on BTN +/
Here's the article from Gophersports.com:
Home Opener Set for Sunday vs. South Dakota State
Gophersports.com
11/24/2023
Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS -- After opening the dual season with a 3-0 East Coast road trip, No. 13 Minnesota hosts No. 12 South Dakota State in its home opener Sunday at Maturi Pavilion. The match is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. and will be available to stream on B1G+ with live results on TrackWrestling.com.
Minnesota leads the all-time series with South Dakota State, 27-5, including 11 straight wins dating to 1977. The teams have met each season since the 2015-16 campaign, except for 2020-21 when the Gophers faced a conference-only slate.
The Golden Gophers are looking to win their season opener for the second straight year after topping Binghamton, 19-15, to open 2022-23. Minnesota has won four straight home openers since the 2019-20 season. Since the beginning of last season, Minnesota has won six of its last seven home duals at Maturi Pavilion.
South Dakota State is led by head coach Damion Hahn, a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Minnesota (2000-04). A three-time Big Ten champion, Hahn was the conference's Male Athlete of the Year in 2004. He was inducted into the University of Minnesota's M Club Hall of Fame in 2018.
Last season in Brookings, trailing 16-7 with four bouts remaining, the Gophers rattled off four-straight decision victories to complete the comeback and beat No. 24 South Dakota State, 19-16.
Isaiah Salazar won with a major decision victory over Bennett Berge, 12-0 at 184 pounds, while
Patrick McKee defeated Tanner Jordan by a 7-3 decision at 125 pounds. The match of the night came at 141 pounds, where
Vance VomBaur upset former All-American and sixth-ranked Clay Carlson by a score of 6-4. With the dual on the line,
Michael Blockhus closed out the comeback win with a 4-1 decision victory over Alek Martin at 157 pounds.
Sunday's dual could feature as many as five ranked matchups, according to Intermat, with the Golden Gophers having the edge at 125 pounds with No. 6
Patrick McKee taking on No. 22 Tanner Jordan, as well as at 184 pounds with No. 7
Isaiah Salazar facing No. 19 Bennett Berge. In addition, Minnesota has the advantage on paper at 133, 141 and 149 with No. 20
Jake Gliva, #31
Vance VomBaur and No. 19
Drew Roberts, respectively, taking on unranked Jackrabbit foes.
#13 MN vs #12 SDSU
My Predictions:
125 - #6 Patrick McKee wins over #22 Tanner Jordan
(MN 3 - SDSU 0)
133 - #20 Jake Gliva wins over Derrick Cardinal
(6-0)
141 - #31 Vance VomBaur wins over Caleb Gross
(9-0)
149 - #19 Drew Roberts wins over Daniel Kimball
(12-0)
157 - #13 Michael Blockhus wins over #11 Cael Swensen
(15-0)
165 - Blaine Brenner loses by major dec. to #19 Tanner Cook
(15-4)
174 - #16 Andrew Sparks loses to #7 Cade Devos
(15-7)
184 - #7 Isaiah Salazar wins over #19 Bennett Berge
(18-7)
197 - #17 Garrett Joles loses to #3 Tanner Sloan
(21-10)
285 - #33 Bennett Tabor wins over Bowen McConville
(24-10)
Final Team Score MN 24 - SDSU 10)
PARKING ADVISORY
Fans arriving on campus should park in the Gold, Ski-U-Mah, Victory, or Gopher surface lots east of Huntington Bank Stadium or the Oak Street or Fourth Street Parking Ramps south and west of 3M Arena at Mariucci. Limited ADA space is available at University Avenue Ramp for fans with the appropriate state issued handicap designated tag or pass.
FAN PROMOTIONS
Military Appreciation: All current military members and veterans can receive a discounted ticket to the dual. Visit the ticket office on the day of the dual to receive your discounted ticket.
Pre-match Youth Clinic: For $12, your child will receive a ticket to the dual and a chance to participate in a pre-match youth clinic taught by the Gophers. All participants will receive a Gopher Wrestling water bottle.