This year’s Huskers are in third place after the first day of the Big Ten Championships just like a year ago, but instead of doing it with a number of finalists, they’re doing it through the back side of their brackets.
Last year, Nebraska had five finalists. This year, the Huskers have just one with Ridge Lovett at 149 pounds. Yet they still sit in third place after Day 1 with nine wrestlers still alive. Despite some quarterfinal and semifinal losses, Nebraska will have seven wrestlers in Sunday’s consolation semifinal round, meaning that they’re all still alive for third place yet guaranteed sixth.