No. 6 Nebraska wrestling uses early run to dominate dual vs. No. 21 Wisconsin

Nebraska took down Wisconsin Sunday in a controlling effort to improve to 9-1 overall and 4-1 in conference duals. The Badgers fell to 6-4 and 0-3 in Big Ten wrestling.

After starting out on the right foot, the Badgers slipped in the next four bouts after the dual started at 125 pounds. Eric Barnett started off with a ranked win over Caleb Smith to give the host squad a 3-0 lead.

However, it was all Huskers from there. The full results can be seen below.

Nebraska defeats Wisconsin: Full results

125: #3 Eric Barnett (WIS) over #12 Caleb Smith (NEB), Dec. 5-3 | 3-0
133: #19 Jacob Van Dee (NEB) over Nicolar Rivera (WIS), Dec. 6-4 | 3-3
141: #7 Brock Hardy (NEB) over Felix Lettini (WIS), Tech Fall 19-4 4:37 | 8-3
149: #1 Ridge Lovett (NEB) over Julian George (WIS), Fall 2:34 | 14-3
157: Ethan Stiles (NEB) over Luke Mechler (WIS), Dec. 4-1 | 17-3
165: #5 Dean Hamiti (WIS) over #18 Antrell Taylor (NEB), Dec. 7-2 | 17-6
174: #12 Max Maylor (WIS) over #33 Bubba Wilson (NEB), Dec. 4-2 | 17-9
184: #3 Lenny Pinto (NEB) over #16 Shane Liegel (WIS), Dec. 7-2 | 20-9
197: #15 Silas Allred (NEB) over Josh Otto (WIS), Tech Fall 19-4 5:00 | 25-9
285: Nash Hutmacher (NEB) over Gannon Rosenfeld (WIS), Dec. 19-14 | 28-9

Van Dee got it going for the Huskers with his 6-4 decision and then the route was on as the big guns came out for Nebraska.

Hardy’s tech fall quieted the Badger crowd and it only got tougher for Chris Bono’s crew. No. 1 Lovett, who is the national title favorite this season, dominated George and managed to get the first period pin.

Being in a 14-3 hole, Wisconsin needed Mechler to win a swing bout. However, Stiles got the decision in just a one takedown match. That’s how close that one was.

Up by 14 going into intermission, Nebraska cruised, despite two straight wins from Wisconsin. An All-American got it going in Hamiti, who earned a ranked win over Taylor. That at least got the Badgers back on the plus side of things.

The dual started to turn with Maylor’s win over Wilson, another ranked decision and suddenly the match was within reach for Wisconsin. But Pinto ended that fast.

Pinto, who could very well earn his way to the NCAA finals this season, got the decision over Liegel and avoided the upset, all but clinching the dual for Nebraska.

Allred, last year’s Big Ten champion, dominated Otto via tech fall to wrap things up. In the final bout, Hutmacher, who made headlines after playing football and then joining the team, won a high scoring affair.

It was the exclamation point on a dominating victory for Nebraska as the Huskers earned a road win over the Badgers.