How will the Terps stack up?

So, MD has joined the BIG 10. Basketball fans mourn the loss of great rivalries. Football fans wonder how they scored 24 pts on Ohio State. But fans of the grind are salivating over the chance to see the country’s best come to college park and wrestle our Terps. The general consensus is that Maryland wrestling does not belong in the NCAA’s powerhouse conference. But where do they stack up? Where does Maryland stack up in BIG competition?

BIG Team rankings?

NCAA tourney	Dual Strength	team	Number 1 ranked wrestlers	Top 8 wrestlers	Top 20 wrestlers	2014 NCAA finish	Projected 2015 finish
1	2	Minnesota	2	6	7	2nd	1st
2	1	Iowa	0	7	10	4th	2nd
3	3	Ohio State	1	6	9	6th	4th
4	4	Penn State	0	6	8	1st	5th
5	7	Northwestern	2	3	4	9th	7th
6	6	Nebraska	0	3	7	11th	10th
7	5	Illinois	1	2	8	13th	11th
8	8	Michigan	0	2	6	17th	16th
9	9	Wisconsin	0	2	5	16th	17th
10	11	Rutgers	0	1	2	34th	34th
11	10	Maryland	0	0	3	20th	36th
12	12	Indiana	0	0	1	25th	t44th
13	13	Purdue	0	0	1	39th	t44th
14	14	Michigan State	0	0	1	32nd	51st

Fri, Nov 14   WisconsinMaryland’s BIG 10 schedule

Maryland will have a great first test. The badgers are not a BIG powerhouse. But they will expose the Terp’s lack of consistency throughout the lineup. Alexander and brown should earn victories but the rest of the squad will struggle to stay off their backs. 7-31

Sun, Nov 16   Nebraska

Nebraska is a top 10 team in the country. Alexander should get a victory. Brown will have a great contest with Anthony Abodin at 141 lbs. Nebraska should tear through the rest of the lineup. 6-35

Thu, Dec 11   Penn State

Alexander will have a tough match against Jimmy Gulibon. If he wins, the Terps can avoid the shutout. 3-39

Sun, Jan 18   Rutgers

With Spencer myers back in the Lineup, MD should have a chance for their first BIG win. 22-14

 Sun, Jan 25   Ohio State

Alexander will have a great match with Johnni DiJulius. Spencer Myers will put on a heavy show with Nick Tavanello. The rest of the match will be quick and painful. 3-42

 Fri, Jan 30   Illinois

This one may be a shut out. Brown, at 141, is probably MD’s  best chance for a win. 0-42

Fri, Feb 06   Iowa 

Iowa is a powerhouse duals team this year. Minnesota (maybe Cornell) is the only team that can challenge them in a dual.  0-49

 Sun, Feb 08   Minnesota 

Minnesota is the favorite to win the NCAA tourney. If Chris Dardanes wrestles 133 this could be another shutout. 3-42

 Fri, Feb 13   Northwestern 

Northwestern does not have the consistent lineup of Illinois or Iowa, But MD is not ready to compete with them yet. 9-24

There are 9 teams at the top of the heap. Then there are Maryland, Rutgers, Indiana, Purdue and Michigan state. Unfortunately for McCoy’s crew, the only bottom third team they see is Rutgers.