ISU wrestling fans can pay homage to the team’s four seniors Friday night in the last home dual of the season, but making the five-hour drive to Columbia, Mo. would be worth the time.

The third-ranked Cyclones (9-3, 3-0 Big 12) face second-ranked Missouri (10-1, 3-0) on Sunday afternoon for the unofficial regular-season conference title.

Both teams expect to win, and feature elite talent at most weight classes. Iowa State and Missouri haven’t met this season but expect to see each other on the mat often during the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments.

Still, Trent Paulson (157), Travis Paulson (165) and Kurt Backes (197) said Friday’s dual against Rider (9-6) in Hilton Coliseum is the highlight of the weekend.

The Paulsons and Backes have been anchors of the Cyclone lineup for the past four years.

“Us three seniors wrestling at Hilton, it’s kind of the beginning of the end, I think,” Trent Paulson said. “There is going to be a lot of Cyclone and gold there . Rider’s not as tough of a team, but just the Hilton Magic makes it special.”

The fourth senior, Grant Turner (174), has arguably the toughest weekend of any ISU wrestler, facing Rider’s 14th-ranked Doug Umbehauer (21-8) and top-ranked Ben Askren of Missouri (30-0) on Sunday.

Backes (19-4) will take on the Broncs’ other ranked wrestler, No. 17 T.J. Morrison (23-6), before facing first-ranked freshman Max Askren (24-0) on Sunday.

The 10th-ranked senior said he was thankful for his collegiate career in Ames.

“I still remember my first home dual,” Backes said. “I’ve been lucky to even experience this kind of Senior Night. I think its kind of sad [that it’s the last one], but I’m just thankful for everything.”

The showdown in Missouri will give both teams their first-ever chance at a Big 12 sweep. Iowa State’s last undefeated conference campaign was in the 1992-93 season, but that year the Cyclones didn’t have Oklahoma State on the schedule.

Expectations for Sunday’s meet are high, as the Tigers feature six top-10 wrestlers, while the Cyclones are ranked in eight weight classes.

Missouri has averaged more than 3,000 fans this season, and the billing has Tiger coach Brian Smith expecting an even larger crowd to pack the Hearnes Center.

Smith said it’s going to be a great dual meet with toss-up matches in most weight classes. Both Missouri and Iowa State have twice beaten Oklahoma State – the perennial powerhouse of the conference.

“I don’t know if it’s a changing of the guard, I just know that this year we are two really tough teams who are going to scrap it out on Sunday,” Smith said.

Trent Paulson said the matchup gives the Cyclones the opportunity to climb past the Tigers in the rankings.

“They’ve been number two, we’ve been number three, but we haven’t had a shot at them,” he said. “We’ve been wanting to wrestle them for a while now . I think we match up real well.”

Aside from the Tigers’ two No. 1-ranked wrestlers, Josh Wagner (141) and Matt Pell (165) are ranked seventh, while Raymond Jordan (184) is rated fourth.

“The way I see it, Iowa State and Missouri are the two toughest teams in the Big 12 and two of probably the top-three programs in the nation,” said Pell, a senior who is 3-1 against Travis Paulson in his career.

Missouri beat Iowa State twice last season, 21-18 in the National Duals and 16-15 in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones own the all-time series, winning 42 of 46 meetings, but Missouri isn’t the same program as in years past.