It's a relatively light schedule for this mid-December weekend. But there are still a good number of worthy dual meets taking place that yule be sure to enjoy. I simply cannot wait to describe them to you! All times Eastern and a tip of the hat to SHP for the schedules. 

Friday, Dec. 14

Arizona State at Penn State, 6 p.m.

The non-Flo Dual of the Century of the Week. This one is going to be on ESPN2 for all you lucky folks with cable TV. For all you unlucky guys and gals, I will be live blogging the match, and I'm frankly pumped up about it. I haven't exercised my live blogging muscles since Budapest.  

#13 Josh Maruca of Arizona State vs. either Brady Berge or Jarod Verkleeren for the Nittany Lions will be a fun one. As will the two top-20 matchups at 157 and 165.

But those are all mere appetizers for the main course. A rematch of the 2017 NCAA semifinals and 2018 finals between wRECk Hall and Z Money. 

157: #20 Christian Pagdilao, ASU vs. #1 Jason Nolf, PSU

165: #12 Joshua Shields, ASU vs. #1 Vincenzo Joseph, PSU

174: #1 Zahid Valencia, ASU vs. #2 Mark Hall, PSU

Here's Zahid discussing his rivalry with Mark Hall:

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This was from earlier this fall when Mike Mal and Holmes stopped by ASU and got 70-plus videos for your viewing enjoyment. Check them all out here. They make for great post-dual meet entertainment. 

Saturday, Dec. 15

Cleveland State Open (Cleveland State, Edinboro, Kent State, Maryland), 9 AM

A few seasons ago, Cleveland State got a new athletic director who had a plan to cut the wrestling program in order to start a lacrosse team. Eventually, the CSU student body stepped up and helped save the wrestling team.

Although I have nothing personal against the sport of lacrosse, I take offense to the notion that the greater Cleveland community would be better served by a D1 lacrosse team than a wrestling program. There are many reasons I hold this opinion. One of them is because a wrestling program is more likely than a lacrosse program to provide a path to college for a high school student might not otherwise have one, as evidenced by the fact that 23% of NCAA wrestlers are first-generation college students, as opposed to just 9% of NCAA laxers. 

25% of NCAA football players and 23% of wrestlers are first-generation college students. Men's basketball, ice hockey and soccer at 20%.

Among women, highest % of #firstgen students in softball (18%), basketball (17%) and track/field (17%). pic.twitter.com/JU0uDAjdm1

— NCAA Research (@NCAAResearch) October 25, 2018

In addition to being a superior sport in general, wrestling teams objectively do more good for society than lacrosse teams. Then there's the fact that laxers are for more likely to binge drink, smoke tobacco and use illicit drugs than most other sports, often by considerable margins. 

Not that I'm here to stigmatize that kind of behavior, but it's something athletic directors should consider when they think about dropping wrestling in favor of a lacrosse team. My suggestion is to not do that. 

Nebraska at North Carolina, 6:30 PM

We're slated for two ranked matchups, but also Colin Purinton vs. #6 Austin O'Connor at 149 should be entertaining. The Cornhusker Purinton gave Anthony Ashnault a go at the CKLV and UNC's AOC is one of the brightest young middleweight stars in the NCAA. Looks like this one is going to be on WatchESPN if you want to check it out, although I believe you also need a cable subscription.

157: #4 Tyler Berger, Nebraska vs. #12 Kennedy Monday, UNC

184: #3 Taylor Venz, Nebraska vs. #13 Chip Ness, UNC

West Virginia at Pittsburgh, 7:00 PM

It's the Backyard Brawl! New Mountaineer head coach Tim Flynn will take on Keith Gavin, who's in his second year as head coach of the Panthers. You can also get this one on WatchESPN. Also looks like Pitt will be busting out some sharp looking throwback singlets. 

Saturday sneak peek?#pinzburgh » #H2P pic.twitter.com/wJK5QhcJcG

— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) December 13, 2018

Speaking of throwbacks, why is egg nog a seasonal drink? What bozo decided that? I am on Team Year Round Egg Nog. It would probably be even better in the summer. Who at BIG NOG do I have to talk to about this fixing this travesty? 

Here is Clark Griswold enjoying a nice refreshing nog sesh. 

It's good.

Sunday, Dec. 16

Rider at Rutgers, 1 p.m.

WATCH LIVE ON FLO

Sleep in on Sunday, enjoy a Taylor Ham, egg and cheese on a bagel for brunch, then settle in to watch the Fearless Warrior Nick Suriano and He Who Is Mobbin Anthony Ashnault lead the Scarlet Knights as they play host to their Garden State rivals for the first time since 2012. This is also the first time Rutgers will wrestle at the RAC, their home gym, since their quad meet in the first weekend of the year. Over 3,000 season ticket holders are expected on hand. 

BOOM! We've reached 3,000 season tickets sold for 2018-19!

THANK YOU FANS! We'll see you all next Sunday at the RAC.#RUWR | #RelentlessPursuit pic.twitter.com/ZfG2rVgBVV

— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) December 6, 2018

Hey, you know that movie, Garden State? Yeah, I don't care for it. This dual meet, though? I care for it very much. 

Buffalo at Missouri, 1 p.m.

There are a couple top-20 matchups in this dual. This should also be the dual meet debut of true freshman stud Brock Mauller, taking over for the injured Grant Leeth. Expect to see Mauller in the next set of NCAA rankings. Not exactly sure how to watch this one but you can try this link.

141: #12 Bryan Lantry, Buffalo vs. #3 Jaydin Eierman, Mizzou

285: #13 Jake Gunning, Buffalo vs. #11 Zach Elam, Mizzou

Nebraska at NC State, 1 p.m.

Expect a lot of red and white at this dual meet. Also Chad Red and Isaiah White. And a lot of other top-20 wrestlers. WatchESPN will carry this Wolfpack home dual. Might we see the season debut for Sean Fausz? Also, don't sleep on another ranked foe for Colin Purinton as he gets the Wolfpack's #4 Justin Oliver. 

Every match should be a battle but 157 and 184 stand out as rare top-10 first semester dual meet matchups.

125: #6 Zeke Moisey, Nebraska vs. #12 Sean Fausz, NCSU

141: #15 Chad Red, Nebraska vs. #17 Jamal Morris, NCSU

157: #3 Tyler Berger, Nebraska vs. #4 Hayden Hidlay, NCSU

165: #5 Isaiah White, Nebraska vs. #19 Thomas Bullard, NCSU

184: #3 Taylor Venz, Nebraska vs. #7 Nick Reenan, NCSU

Oklahoma at Appalachian State, 3 PM

Dangerous Dom Demas alone is enough of an enticement. Hopefully, this link will take you to a free stream when it's match time. Only thing better than free is if they paid you to watch it. Wouldn't that be something?

The Dual of the Century... OF THE WEEK

Cornell at Northern Iowa, 3 p.m.

WATCH LIVE ON FLO

The first dual meet of the season for national champion Yianni Diakomihalis. Our own Daniel Lobdell will be on location delivering choice content all day long.

141: #1 Yianni Diakomihalis, CU vs. #11 Josh Alber, UNI

174: #14 Brandon Womack, CU vs. #8 Taylor Lujan, UNI

184: #11 Max Dean, CU vs. #4 Drew Foster, UNI

Watch Yianni and Alber wrestle in last year's CKLV: 

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Oklahoma State at Northern Colorado, 4 p.m.

Preston Weigel was back in action last week, which is a good thing. He'll have a top-20 opponent if Jacob Seely wrestles for the Bears. You can watch this match on Pluto TV, I think. I know nothing about Pluto TV but maybe now is a good time to learn!

197: #6 Preston Weigel, OSU vs. #17 Jacob Seely, UNC

South Dakota State at Oregon State, 4 p.m.

Two potential #1s could wrestle in SDSU's Seth Gross at 133 and OSU's Amar Dhesi at 285. However, Jackrabbit head coach Damion Hahn may hold Gross out as he continues to convalesce and it's unclear exactly when Dhesi will be rejoining the Beavers for competitions. But even without those two studs, Oregon State's #3 Ronnie Bresser is a must-see wrestler no matter who he faces. 

By the way, public service announcement: if you buy your "ugly Christmas sweater" from the Ugly Sweater department of Wal-Mart or whatever then you have acquired your tacky party attire fraudulently. True ugly holiday sweaters cannot have been manufactured to be purposefully garish. To be authentic, someone had to have once thought they were stylish and were worn unironically. Please do not buy brand-new ugly Christmas sweaters. Thank you.

Ohio at Iowa State, 7 p.m.

WATCH LIVE ON FLO

Spend your Sunday evening with your friends at Flo as the Bobcats travel to Ames to take on the Cyclones. There won't be any top-20 matchups but 125, 133, 149 and 157 should all be fun competitive bouts. Iowa State's Austin Gomez at 133 and Ohio's Shakur Laney at 125 are both guys you want to pay attention to. 

Speaking of quality entertainment, Charles Dickens is considered to have told the greatest Christmas tale of all time. Then there's this story:

Will this supplant A Christmas Carol as this the definitive yuletide chronicle? Only time will tell!