Josh Barr vs. Connor Mirasola: Penn State's 197 Spot Has One Answer
Penn State has two ranked wrestlers at 197 and one NCAA ticket. The reigning champ holds it, but the backup is making noise.
Penn State has a problem most programs would love. Two of the top six wrestlers at 197 live in the same room, and only one of them gets to wear the singlet in March.
- Josh Barr, Penn State #1 at 197
- Connor Mirasola, Penn State #6 at 197
The No. 1 team in our preseason projection gets to sort this out at home. The answer looks obvious. The debate is still worth having.
The Case for Barr
Josh Barr Penn State #1 at 197
Josh Barr went 24-0 last season and finished it as NCAA champion. Undefeated champions do not usually give up their spot, and nothing suggests this one will.
The best wins hold up too. Barr ran past Joey Novak by major decision, 14-3, and handled Cody Merrill 6-3. Now a junior, Barr sits at No. 1 in our rankings at 197.
The Case for Mirasola
Connor Mirasola Penn State #6 at 197
Connor Mirasola is no ordinary backup. The redshirt sophomore went 6-1 and checks in at No. 6, which would make Mirasola the top option at 197 on plenty of rosters.
The wins had bite. Mirasola beat DJ Parker 13-3 and teched Wolfgang Frable 17-2 at 7:00. That is a wrestler who scores in bunches.
The Novak Test
These two have no head-to-head result to point to, so look at the common opponent. Barr majored Novak 14-3. Mirasola lost to Novak by major, 10-2.
That gap tells the story. Same opponent, opposite results, and both by bonus points.
Our pick: Barr starts at 197, and it is not close.
The bigger question is what Penn State does with a top-10 talent stuck behind a champion. We would bet fans hear a lot more about Mirasola before this season is over, just maybe not at 197 in March.