#20 Boilers Open Big Ten Slate Friday at #7 Nebraska

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — No. 20 Purdue Wrestling will open its Big Ten Conference schedule with a dual at No. 7 Nebraska on Friday night.

The matchup from Devaney Center in Lincoln is set for 8 p.m. ET. A live broadcast will be available on B1G+.

PROJECTED MATCH CARD

Rankings via InterMat

#20 PURDUE	WEIGHT (lbs)	#7 NEBRASKA
Ashton Jackson / Isaiah Quintero	125	Alan Koehler / Kael Lauridsen
Blake Boarman	133	#8 Jacob Van Dee
Vincent Paino	141	#3 Brock Hardy / Blake Cushing
#21 Gavin Brown	149	#11 Chance Lamer / Scott Robertson
#19 Stoney Buell / Isaac Ruble	157	#5 Antrell Taylor
#4 Joey Blaze	165	#8 LJ Araujo / Jagger Condomitti
#16 Brody Baumann	174	#6 Christopher Minto
#25 James Rowley	184	#9 Silas Allred
#23 Ben Vanadia	197	#12 Camden McDanel
Hayden Filipovich / Tyson Russell	285	#4 AJ Ferrari

SERIES HISTORY

The Boilermakers (7-1, 0-0 B1G) and the Cornhuskers (7-3, 0-0 B1G) will be wrestling each other in a dual format for the 17^th time. Nebraska holds a 14-2 edge in the series history, including a 4-1 mark in Lincoln.

Purdue’s lone win at Nebraska came on Jan. 7, 2022, when the No. 15 Boilermakers shocked the No. 9 Huskers in an 18-15 upset. That remains Purdue’s most recent top-10 victory over any school, and it was the first since 2011.

Nebraska owns a three-dual win streak over the Boilers since then, most recently earning a 35-6 decision last year in West Lafayette.

RANKED MATCHUP PREVIEW

Purdue has six wrestlers ranked in the InterMat weekly polls. All six are projected to compete in ranked-on-ranked matches Friday night.

165: #4 Blaze vs. #8 Araujo

In the dual’s premier bout, No. 4 Joey Blaze could square off with No. 8 LJ Araujo. Blaze has a big history against Nebraska; arguably the first big statement win of his career came in Lincoln two years ago when he pinned No. 3 Peyton Robb as a true freshman.

Last season, Blaze developed a rivalry with Nebraska’s starting 157-pounder Antrell Taylor, wrestling each other four times, including the final match of the season in the NCAA title match, which Taylor narrowly won.

157: #19 Buell vs. #5 Taylor

However, with Blaze competing at 165 this season, No. 19 Stoney Buell slots as Purdue’s likely starter against No. 5 Taylor. Buell is 1-1 all-time against Taylor; he won a 12-1 major decision at the 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite before falling to Taylor, 14-6, in the dual meet later that season at 165 lbs.

174: #16 Baumann vs. #6 Minto

No. 16 Brody Baumann will face a stiff test against No. 6 Christopher Minto, a 2025 All-American. Baumann himself is a two-time NCAA qualifier riding a 12-4 record this season. Minto is 10-2 so far through his redshirt sophomore year.

149: #21 Brown vs. #11 Lamer

No. 21 Gavin Brown and No. 11 Chance Lamer figures to be a fun one to watch midway through. Per WrestleStat, Brown is 3-2 vs. common opponents throughout their careers while Lamer is 3-0.

Brown is Purdue’s current win leader with a record of 15-3, having his best season yet after wrestling at Ohio State for three years. Lamer, a senior, enters the match at 9-1.

197: #23 Vanadia vs. #15 McDanel

A showdown between two Ohio natives, No. 23 Ben Vanadia will look to avenge his last meeting with No. 15 Camden McDanel, who beat him in a 22-6 technical fall in Holloway Gymnasium last season.

Vanadia comes into this match much improved from a year ago, however. He’s a career-best 13-4 this season for four ranked victories. McDanel is a 2025 All-American with a 10-4 record this year.

184: #25 Rowley vs. #9 Allred

For the first time in two years, No. 25 James Rowley opens Big Ten season healthy and ready to go. He missed the entire second half of the 2024-25 season due to injury but returns with an 8-5 record in his redshirt junior campaign.

Allred, the 2023 Big Ten champion at 197 and a 2025 All-American, is 10-3 early in his senior season.

UP NEXT

Purdue will close a long stretch of road competition with two duals back east next weekend. The Boilers will wrestle at No. 21 Maryland on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and at No. 19 Rutgers on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Both duals will be televised on B1G+.