Before opening the Big 12 dual season, the ISU wrestling team will face a team it hasn’t seen in a meet in more than 45 years.

The meeting between the second-ranked Cyclones (6–2) and No. 25 Illinois (5–2) on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum will be the teams’ first matchup since 1964.

While the teams haven’t met in a dual in a long time, they aren’t complete strangers to one another.

Three individual matchups between the schools occurred at the Midlands Championships earlier this season, resulting in three ISU wins from Duke Burk, at 174 pounds; Jake Varner, at 197 pounds; and David Zabriskie in the heavyweight division.

Illinois’ biggest threat will be 184-pound senior John Dergo, who is ranked second in the weight class nationally.

However, Cyclone junior Jerome Ward is on a hot streak since grabbing the 184 spot for himself. After going 4–0 in the Cliff Keen National Duals, Ward was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week and passed Iowa’s Phil Keddy to jump to the eighth-ranked 184-pounder in the nation.

Illinois boasts two other national top-10 wrestlers in their weight classes: Ryan Prater at 141 and Patrick Bond at 197, both of whom are ranked 10th.

Varner defeated Bond at the Midlands, and ISU sophomore Dalton Jensen will have the task of taking on Prater while he continues to fill in for injured senior Nick Gallick. Jensen has recorded three wins by fall since taking over as the regular starter at 141.

The 157 weight class will remain a toss-up for the dual, as Jackson has split time between Nate Carr Jr. and Andrew Sorenson. Sorenson was given the nod for the rest of the Cliff Keen duals after Carr was defeated by major decision against Bloomsburg University.

Three Illinois natives in Burk, Ward and Nick Fanthorpe (133) will more than likely see the mat against the Illini.

The dual is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.