CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 10 Fighting Illini wrestling team begins the 2025 calendar year with the Big Ten home opener against No. 5 Ohio State on Friday (Jan. 10) in Huff Hall at 7 p.m. and host Northwestern two days later, Sunday (Jan. 12) at 1 p.m. CT.
The Orange and Blue grapplers are off to a flawless 6-0 (1-0 B1G) start to their dual season, the best they've started since the 2015-16 team began 8-0. They've scored 20+ dual points in every one of their wins this season and have scored 30+ dual points in three of those contests. The season-high points scored was in the season opener against SIUE where they put up 41 points.
Their last dual was against No. 28 Indiana in the Big Ten opener on Dec. 6 where the Illini dominated in a 34-3 triumph. No. 11 at 149 pounds redshirt freshman Kannon Webster picked up his first pin of the season turning Anthony Bahl (IND) to his back in 4:43. No. 11 at 285 pounds redshirt senior Luke Luffman put the stamp on the Illinois win when he ended the dual pinning No. 26 Jacob Bullock (IND) in 5:52 for his first pin of the season as well.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes are off to a perfect 8-0 start to their 2024-25 campaign with their most recent being a 40-3 blowout against Oregon State on Jan. 5. There is one common opponent between the Buckeyes and Fighting Illini being the North Carolina Tar Heels. Illinois beat them 24-14 on Nov. 25 and Ohio State won 23-11 on Dec. 21.
The all-time series record between the Buckeyes and Illini is 37-37-1 with the first meeting dating back to 1934. The last meeting was Jan. 12, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio where the Buckeyes bested the Illini 36-6. The last win for Illinois came on Jan. 17, 2021, in the State Farm Center in a tight 18-15 victory.
The Northwestern Wildcats currently hold a 2-1 dual record in their 2024-25 campaign. Their most recent dual was a 29-14 win over Cal Poly on Dec. 19. There have been no common opponents between the Wildcats and Fighting Illini so far this season. The all-time series record between the two programs is 50-35-2 in Illinois' favor with the first meeting dating back to 1922. The last meeting was a 21-20 victory for Illinois on Feb. 18, 2024, in Evanston, Ill.
NOTES
- The Fighting Illini grapplers have started 6-0 (1-0 B1G) in dual action with 20+ points scored in each win for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they started 8-0 scoring 20+ points in each win.
- Nine of the 10 Illinois starters have scored double digit dual points for the team.
- Two Illinois starters have perfect 9-0 records to start the year: Lucas Byrd and Braeden Scoles.
- Braeden Scoles leads the team in falls with three and dual points with 31.
- Has won seven of his matches by bonus points: three pins, three tech. falls and a major decision.
- Kannon Webster owns an 8-1 record and ranks second on the team in dual points with 24.
- Has the fastest fall out of the 10 starers (1:17).
- Luke Luffman (8-1) and Zac Braunagel (7-2) are tied for third on the team in dual points with 23.
- Luffman is undefeated in duals (6-0) and his only loss came in overtime.
- Lucas Byrd (9-0) and Jason Kraisser (6-3) are tied for fifth on the team in dual points with 21.
- Byrd leads all starters in wins by major decision (3) and decisions (6).
- Danny Pucino (17), Danny Braunagel (17) and Edmond Ruth (12) are the final starters in double digit dual points.
