Five weights to watch

157 – This weight features all five wrestlers ranked in the top fifteen nationally. No. 3 Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska is the favorite. Iowa State’s Cyler Sanderson is the defending champion.

165 – Different styles and technique make this weight a dynamite bracket. Four wrestlers, ranked six through nine, are headed to a heated battle for the conference crown and seeding at the National Championships. Missouri’s Nick Marable is the defending champion but will have to work for a chance at a repeat.

174 – All five wrestlers rank in the top 20, but the weight is only guaranteed four automatic qualifiers. Third-ranked Brandon Browne of Nebraska is the slight favorite as the defending champion, but Missouri’s No. 5 Raymond Jordan won a conference title in 2007. Iowa State’s Duke Burk is seeded fifth.

197 – In what is viewed by many as a mini-national tournament, the 197-pound weight class features three of the top four wrestlers in the country, including defending Big 12 champion at 184 pounds last year and current No.1 Jake Varner of Iowa State. He will get a test from Nebraska’s second-ranked Craig Brester and defending champion Max Askren from Missouri, currently ranked No. 4.

HWT – Arguably the toughest weight of any conference in the country, the Big 12 team title could come down to the winner of the heavyweight bracket. Iowa State’s No. 1 David Zabriskie and No. 3 Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State each split the last two conference titles with Rosholt winning last year. However, Missouri’s second-ranked Mark Ellis figures to pose a threat to take the title in a weight that has not only the top-three wrestlers, but also, all five ranked among the top 20.