With the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships coming up this weekend, Rivals wrestling analyst Lex Knapp has decided to go one by one in each weight class offering his predictions and a breakdown of the top and bottom halves of the bracket.
With that being said, let's take a look at the 197-pound bracket.
THE TOP SEED -- Max Dean (Penn State)
THE DARK HORSE -- No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh)
THE SCARLET KNIGHT – No. 14 Greg Bulsak
TOP HALF OF THE BRACKET.....
Several All-Americans, and two National finalists sit up top in a very deep side of the bracket. The Nittany Lion, Max Dean, is the top seed after an 18 – 1 season. Dean could possibly have a chance to avenge his lone loss of the year if the 9th seed Cameron Caffey reaches the quarter-finals. Nino Bonaccorsi, a national runner-up in 2021, comes in at the five seed, and is a viable contender to make a run here. Michigan’s Pat Brucki, who placed fourth as a sophomore for Princeton in 2019, lost in overtime to Max Dean earlier this year, and should not be counted out as someone who can reach the finals. I believe Dean will get payback on Caffey, and make the semis. Even though Bonaccorsi was a finalist last year, I think Brucki has the advantage over him, and makes the semi-final with Dean coming out on top once again. Dean is just so stingy, and refuses to give up easy points. Whoever does make it out of this side, I like them to win it all.
BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET.....
The bottom side of the bracket is wide open. There is no clear frontrunner on this side, as there is at least four or five guys who are capable of making a run. Stephen Buchanan has two losses this year, one of which was to the injured AJ Ferrari. Aside from those loses, Buchanan has been dominant this year, with bonus points in two-thirds of his matches. No. 3 Eric Schultz and No. 14 Greg Bulsak are two seniors who have had exceptional careers, but have always fallen short in the national tournament. Both guys have over 100 career wins, but no podium appearances to their names. The sixth-seeded Jacob Warner gave the top-seeded Max Dean a tough match earlier this year, and he could be someone who could come out of this side of the bracket, as well. Of course, you cannot forget about Missouri’s Rocky Elam, who was a fifth place finisher as a freshman just a season ago. I like Schultz and Buchanan to meet in this semi, with Schultz getting the win. Schultz has had such a great career, but he is missing that All-American title next to his name. I think this is the year he gets the job done, by reaching the finals.
THE SCARLET KNIGHT SKINNY...
Much like John Poznanski, Greg Bulsak had a much better start to the year than he did finish. Bulsak went 7 – 6 in his last 13 matches, which included a number of head-scratching losses. Bulsak is not seeded high, but I really like his path through the wrestlebacks. I have him meeting Cameron Caffey in the bloodround, where I believe he gets his revenge and finally lands on the podium. Regardless of what happens this weekend, Bulsak was a great pick up for Rutgers, and I think he finishes his final season in strong fashion.
PREDICTIONS.....
1. Dean (Penn State)
2. Schultz (Nebraska)
3. Brucki (Michigan)
4. Buchanan (Wyoming)
5. Warner (Iowa)
6. Bulsak (Rutgers)
7. Bonaccorsi (Pitt)
8. Elam (Missouri)
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