Minnesota’s Jayson Ness wrestles in a match earlier this season. Ness, the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the 133-pound weight class, is 19-0 entering today’s match against Gomez.
It’s No. 1 versus No. 2. Tall and rangy against compact and aggressive. An undefeated 19-0 record against the undefeated defending national champ.
No matter how it’s broken down, tonight’s expected match between MSU’s No. 1-ranked 133-pound senior Franklin Gomez and Minnesota’s No. 2-ranked 133-pound senior Jayson Ness at 7 p.m. tonight at Jenison Field House promises to feature some of the best wrestling in the country.
Together, they’ve won 47 straight matches and have dominated the competition they’ve faced all season. Tonight, only one of them will walk away a winner.
“It’s huge,” MSU head coach Tom Minkel said. “It’s the marquee match in the country this weekend. Both are undefeated … It should be a great match.”
Gomez and Ness have faced off only twice before in dual competitions, with Ness winning both times. Tonight’s match figures to be significant on the national scale because of the success each wrestler recently has had in the NCAA championships.
Gomez, last season’s national champion, has been on a 26-match winning tear dating back to last season and has made easy work of his competition. Outings such as Gomez’s 12-1 major decision against Northern Illinois’ Zach Taylor last Saturday have become the staple of his 12-0 start to the season.
Gomez hasn’t lost since Feb. 6 of last year, completing nearly a year of undefeated wrestling, but seeks to benefit from an early season Big Ten victory.
“If I don’t make mistakes, I’ll be fine,” Gomez said. “Sometimes you want to do so much in a big match or something, but it might not be the right time. If you are just patient, good things will happen.”
Ness has put together an impressive 19-0 start to the season after finishing third at the NCAA championships last season. Like Gomez, he hasn’t overlooked an opponent yet this year in racing to his undefeated start.
Ness recorded a decision against then-No. 1 Gomez 6-5 on Jan. 25 of last season, marking as one of Gomez’s two losses on the year. In their only other meeting, in 2007, Ness defeated Gomez 8-5.
Aside from the duals, Gomez and Ness have seen each other in freestyle competitions, and the familiarity of the opponent should benefit both wrestlers.
“It’s fun to watch these two guys perform,” Minnesota assistant coach Joe Russell said. “Both are familiar with each other and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Ness has missed time this season due to injury, but has throttled the competition he’s faced. He is first in Golden Gophers’ history with 54 career pins entering this season and features a somewhat unconventional but highly effective wrestling approach.
“He tries to keep it close,” Gomez said. “A lot of people try to slow me down, but he tries to keep it close and then capitalize on the mistakes that I make. I think I just need to go out there and give my best and try not to make mistakes.”
Gomez has been on the biggest of stages, relying on his patience in key matches. He’s lost just four matches in the past two-plus seasons and has a 103-12 career record.
Friday’s match between No. 5 Minnesota and host MSU is the Big Ten opener for both schools. The potential match between Gomez and Ness is expected to be the second match of the contest.
The last time Gomez faced a wrestler ranked No. 2, he defeated Ohio State’s Reece Humphrey for last season’s national title.
“I think Franklin’s in a good spot right now,” 285-pound senior Alan O’Donnell said. “He’s been training hard, and everybody’s been training hard, so I think he’ll be in a good spot when they start wrestling.”
Regardless of which wrestler wins, one of the 20-plus win streaks is set to fall. Gomez had a 12-match winning streak heading into his showdown with Ness last season.
Gomez has defeated several ranked opponents during his current win streak, while Ness, whose win streak stands at 21, already has recorded 14 pins this year.
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“Time and time again he goes out there and gives us his best effort,” Russell said. “(Each time) he wants to go out there and show all the time and training he’s put in during the week.”
Minkel said the key for Gomez’s sustained success has been his ability to remain even-keeled throughout wins and losses. An honors student who’s involved in his church, Gomez has been through nearly every possible situation on the mat and has come out on top for the Spartans.
Gomez once again will look to give his best effort in tonight’s match, with the winner gaining an early season edge in Big Ten competition and a chance to showcase his best stuff in what figures to be one of the most exciting individual matches of the Spartans’ season.
Despite the magnitude of the match, Minkel said Gomez is treating it like he would any other.
“A big part of wrestling is your mental approach, and Franklin is a very grounded young man,” Minkel said. “He’s got a good frame of reference in terms of where wrestling is in the grand scheme of things, so he tends to be a little more relaxed and a little bit more under control than other wrestlers.”
