Welcome to the post season, friends. Last week we learned the conference’s automatic qualifying bids. By the end of the day on Monday, we’ll learn about the conference’s preseeding for the Big Ten tournament. Until then, we’re taking our own swipe at seeds, and projected tournament points.

Who wants to wait any longer to talk about wrestling, when we can start right now? Let’s begin.

UPDATE

The pre-seeds have been released. Here’s how our Nittany Lions fared:

Neither Shak nor RBY suffered in seeding for their injuries.

And your updated Team Points based on those pre-seeds:

1. Penn State: 140.5
2. Ohio State: 105.5
3. Michigan: 102
4. Iowa: 99

125 LBS

Automatic Bids: 9

Here’s the good news for Devin Schnupp: he has nothing to lose.

The bad news, of course, is that when you go 1-7 in conference, you’re going to have a difficult row to hoe. There’s zero chance that Devin gets seeded any higher than 12th - so he’ll begin the tournament against one of seeds 3, 4, or 5 (with the entire 125 lbs bracket being seeded (on account of 9 bids), the top 2 seeds will get a BYE). Those seeds figure to be Russell, Foley, and Mattin/Piotrowski in some order. That’s a rough way to start.

If Devin drops his opener, he’ll need to win more matches on the backside of the bracket than he won all season. Optimistically, it’d be two straight, to grab 8th place. Less optimistically, it’ll be 3 wins before losing a second time, and getting bounced.

133 LBS

Automatic Bids: 8

This is going to be interesting. RBY could - could - be seeded as high as 4. Though he lost to Thornton on the backflip, it’s difficult to see the coaches seeding RBY lower than 6. Either the 4 or 5 would give him a quarterfinal against either Pletcher or Lizak. The 6-seed would likely get him Nick Suriano. Which matchup do you like best?

141 LBS

Automatic Bids: 9

Will the coaches do it? Will Mikey Carr take the top seed, despite missing both McKenna and Nick Lee?

Whether Maverick snares the 1 or the 2, he’s going to have some difficult matches. If he’s the 1-seed, he’s likely getting Chad Red in the quarters, and either Tristan Moran or Mitch McKee in the semis. If he’s the 2-seed, it’s probably Max Murin in the quarters, and McKenna in the semis. No easy path, either way.

149 LBS

Automatic Bids: 6

With only 6 bids, the top 8 will be seeded, and 9 thru 14 will be randomly drawn into the bracket. Like RBY at 133, Brady Berge could be seeded 4, 5, or 6. We’re guessing 6, which would give him a quarterfinals matchup against Iowa’s Pat Lugo, who’s been wrestling much better since January. But that’s a winnable match. And if he does win it, then he’s punched his ticket, as a semifinalist can finish no worse than 6th place.

157 LBS

Automatic Bids: 9

Jason Nolf is going to win. That’s a certainty. But if you wonder why the Big Ten tournament is way different than NCAAs, this is a perfect example of why.

If the seeds shake out like the table above, Nolf will get a BYE first round, then John Van Brill in the quarters (against whom Jason injured his knee last year), followed by Pantaleo in the semis (the one guy who has kept it close), followed by (probably) Pup Berger, who won’t wrestle him in an attempt to keep the score respectable.

In other words, Nolf’s scoring a lot more points at NCAAs, because Big Tens is a goofy short tournament.

165 LBS

Automatic Bids: 9

There’s a reasonable argument for Marinelli to get the 1-seed over Cenzo. But we’re not making it. And, frankly, it doesn’t matter much anyhow. The semi-finals are going to be battles across the board.

Even if there was an advantage to getting the 1 vs the 2 - so what? Drop Our Little Meatball anywhere into a tournament bracket, and savor the flavor. He seems to enjoy tournaments.

174 LBS

Automatic Bids: 8

Another weight class, another top seed, and another first round BYE. Remember not to panic after the first round at Big Tens, and Penn State’s sitting in 5th place because most of our lineup had a BYE. Keep it in mind, too, as PSU seemingly plays catch up most of Day 1.

Oh, right - um, Mark Hall’s winning this weight. So, that’s 174lbs.

184 LBS

Automatic Bids: 8

This seeding is going to be a real hoot.

Shak just scored the #2 ranking in the latest Coaches’ Poll. That means - nationally, at least - coaching folks figure he’s pretty good, despite his truncated season record. I think they’re probably right.

Conversely, Cash Wilcke was ranked 13th. The coaching folks figure he’s outside the top tier of contenders, despite his gaudy regular season record. (I think they’re probably right).

And unlike our discussion at 165, there’s a sizable difference between the 2-seed at 184lbs, and the 5-seed, in both the quarterfinals, and semifinals. If you’re wondering if any weights include some heated arguments on the coaches seeding teleconference, this 184 is a pretty solid bet to have some.

197 LBS

Automatic Bids: 5

Unlike Nolf’s bracket, Bo’s bracket will be randomly drawn - meaning, Bo could get a first round opponent, rather than a BYE. Also note that Bo is going to raze the field and salt the land.

285 LBS

Automatic Bids: 7

This field features 9 of the national top 11 wrestlers - and earned just 7 automatic bids. Sam Stoll, Yousef Hemida, and David Jensen didn’t wrestle enough D1 matches in the prior 5 months, so they’ll have to fight it out at Big Tens.

PROJECTED TEAM POINTS, BEFORE BONUS

It’s important to note the “Before Bonus” part, because as discussed, PSU’s top dogs will have substantially fewer opportunities to score bonus points, owing to precious few first round matches. In other words - expect the margins below to shrink.

1. Penn State: 131
2. Michigan: 105.5
3. Iowa: 105
4. Ohio State: 103.5

That, friends, is one whale of a battle (for second place). Can’t wait to see how it unfolds.