College wrestling is back, and North Dakota State is kicking off the season in style by welcoming Missouri, Oregon State, and South Dakota State to Fargo for the deepest event of week 1. Here are 5 reasons to get excited for NDSU's quad on January 3.

Watch NDSU, Missouri, Oregon State, and SDSU LIVE on FloWrestling

Sunday, January 3, 2020

Kyle Bratke already broke down some of the big storylines and all the potential ranked matches we could see at this event in his comprehensive breakdown of what we'll see in week 1 of college wrestling, but here are some big reasons to watch.

1) Will Keegan O'Toole Make His Debut?

Since this year won't count against any of its participants' eligibility, coaches can send out guys they might typically redshirt. This creates a ton of intrigue about who we might or might not see in each team's lineup this year. One of the biggest questions in the entire country is whether we'll see Keegan O'Toole or Jarrett Jacques for Missouri.

Jacques is a two-time NCAA qualifier who's currently ranked #13 at 157, but Keegan O'Toole, the #2 recruit in the class of 2020 and just dominated his way through UWW Junior Nationals in November. By all accounts he has high All-American potential right away.

If we do see O'Toole this weekend, he'll have solid tests in #15 Jared Franek of NDSU, #17 Cade DeVos of SDSU, and #22 Hunter Willits of Oregon State. Here's O'Toole's dominant finals victory over Clayton Ulrey at UWW Juniors.

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2) Gunslingers Galore

Every year there are a few guys who are must-watch because they let it fly every time they step on the mat. We've got a few in action this weekend. Missouri's #3 ranked 149-pounder Brock Mauller often fits in this category because of his leg attacks and unique scrambling ability.

Another guy you can't miss is gator-bacon magnet Tanner Cook. The #17 guy at 165 might be taking years off Damion Hahn's life with his reckless abandon, but it makes for entertaining wrestling. Check out this 30-point thriller from last season where he hit a lat drop and a cement mixer in the first period!

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If we do end up seeing Keegan O'Toole in the lineup this weekend, he has the potential to fit in this category. He was been gunslinging since high school, and that's unlikely to change at the NCAA level.

3) First Look at Pendleton & Company

Chris Pendleton took the reins in Corvallis over the summer and assembled a staff with a nice range of backgrounds to reinvigorate the Beaver program. Nate Engel, Isaiah Martinez, and Mike Kosoy have been building a new culture at Oregon State, and this will be our first chance to see them in action.

It generally takes multiple seasons to see significant shifts in a team's results, but this will be an chance to watch for subtle culture changes that may already be taking root. Earlier this summer, the whole staff joined The Bader Show to talk about how they came together and what they're hoping to accomplish.

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4) Nearly Half of the Field is Ranked

Of the 40 starters in action this weekend, 17 are in the preseason rankings. That means we'll have a ton of ranked matches plus plenty of opportunities for unranked guys to make a jump. Here's the complete list of ranked wrestlers:

125

#24 Danny Vega, SD State

133

#11 Devan Turner, Oregon State

#12 Matt Schmitt, Missouri

#24 Zach Price, SD State

141

#17 Allan Hart, Missouri

#19 Grant Willits, Oregon State

#25 Clay Carlson, SD State

149

#3 Brock Mauller, Missouri

157

#13 Jarrett Jacques, Missouri

#15 Jared Franek, ND State

#17 Cade DeVos, SD State

#22 Hunter Willits, Oregon State

165

#17 Tanner Cook, SD State

#18 Peyton Mocco, Missouri

184

#24 Jeremiah Kent, Missouri

197

#10 Tanner Sloan, SD State

285

#8 Zach Elam, Missouri

#15 Brandon Metz, ND State

5) Ranked Matchups? How About A Baker's Dozen

133: #12 Matt Schmitt (Missouri) vs #11 Devan Turner (Oregon State)

133: #24 Zach Price (SDSU) vs #11 Devan Turner (Oregon State) 

133: #24 Zach Price (SDSU) vs #12 Matt Schmitt (Missouri)

141: #19 Grant Willits (Oregon State) vs #17 Allan Hart (Missouri)

141: #25 Clay Carlson (SDSU) vs #17 Allan Hart (Missouri)

141: #25 Clay Carlson (SDSU) vs #19 Grant Willits (Oregon State)

157: #15 Jared Franek (NDSU) vs #13 Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)

157: #17 Cade DeVos (SDSU) vs #13 Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)

157: #22 Hunter Willits (Oregon State) vs vs #13 Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)

157: #22 Hunter Willits (Oregon State) vs #15 Jared Franek (NDSU)

157: #22 Hunter Willits (Oregon State) vs #17 Cade DeVos (SDSU)

165: #18 Peyton Mocco (Missouri) vs #17 Tanner Cook (SDSU)

285: #15 Brandon Metz (NDSU) vs #8 Zach Elam (Missouri)

Complete Schedule for Sunday's Action

All times shown are Eastern.

11 AM - Missouri vs South Dakota State

11 AM - Oregon State vs North Dakota State

1 PM - Missouri vs North Dakota State

1 PM - Oregon State vs South Dakota State

3 PM - Missouri vs Oregon State