2026 BigTen Seeding Criteria

[Acacia]

Willie Saylor shared that the BigTen will use a scoring matrix to seed BigTens this year (Basch and the Brain 366 Podcast)

Criteria POINTS
Head to Head Results 25
Record against common BigTen opponents 25
Better Conference Dual Record 20
# of quality wins against the 33 ranked wrestlers in the coaches ranking 10
Better RPI 10
Better Coaches Ranking 5
Earned Conference Allocation 5
TOTAL 100

Each BigTen wrestler will be scored against the each other wrestler in their weight class and seeded by their overall score.

 

[Acacia]

Comparing Byrd vs Blaze

Byrd Blaze
12.5 12.5 Did not wrestle H2H
12.5 12.5 Both Undefeated in conference
10 10 Byrd 8-0, Blaze 8-0 overall conference record
0 10 Byrd 4 wins, Blaze 8 wins quality wins top 33
0 10 Blaze #1, Byrd #5 RPI
5 0 Byrd #1, Blaze #3 Coached Rank
5 5 Both will earn conference allocation
45 60

This is a sample scoring. What I don't know if the individual points are prorated (split somehow). Looking for more feedback from anyone with a better grasp on the scoring. Thanks.

 

[Acacia]

Hey FLO, @Koczak --- this looks right up your alley!!!

 

[WillieTheBrain]

they are prorated. although i don't know exactly how.

the example told to me is if Byrd is ranked #1 to Blaze's #2

Byrd gets 3 points and Blaze gets 2. not sure what that breakdown would be if it were, say, Byrd and Davino. or Byrd and Van Dee.

also it's

• HTH vs Field
• Record vs Common Opponents
• Conference Dual Record
• Quality Wins (Top 33 Coaches Rank)
• Coaches Rank
• RPI
• Allocation Earned Y/N

 

[Efejle]

Sack the nerds and let Willy seed them. Best idea yet.

 

[WillieTheBrain]

well, they took a little bit of my b*t@hing to heart.

they told me they added 'conference dual record' because they heard my constant pleas on the show about guys sitting out big duals. not perfect but it's a start.

 

[Acacia]

So Willie.... will Blaze get the #1 seed at BigTens?

And could you tell JD and Koczak how to do rankngs in November and December?

 

[CarolinaFan1]

well, they took a little bit of my b*t@hing to heart.

they told me they added 'conference dual record' because they heard my constant pleas on the show about guys sitting out big duals. not perfect but it's a start.

Thanks Willie. Appreciate your work.

 

[District 4]

Sack the nerds and let Willy seed them. Best idea yet.

Willie did an awesome analysis on the basch show a week or two ago explained in terms even i could understand lol

 

[Nitlion1986]

Willie Saylor shared that the BigTen will use a scoring matrix to seed BigTens this year (Basch and the Brain 366 Podcast)

Criteria POINTS
Head to Head Results 25
Record against common BigTen opponents 25
Better Conference Dual Record 20
# of quality wins against the 33 ranked wrestlers in the coaches ranking 10
Better RPI 10
Better Coaches Ranking 5
Earned Conference Allocation 5
TOTAL 100

Each BigTen wrestler will be scored against the each other wrestler in their weight class and seeded by their overall score.

Not sure how you seed 14 guys (who haven't wrestled a round robin regular season) on criteria points when point distribution seems to be head to head

 

[Acacia]

With all the experts on this board, no one cares to weigh in???

Based on the criteria, Byrd vs Blaze

H2H , record against common opponents, and conference record --- all even
Quality wins against top 33 - Blaze 8 and Byrd 4 (although Van Dee ducked so give Byrd 5)
RPI Blaze #1 Byrd #5 (Blaze wrestled a tougher schedule)
Coaches Rank Byrd #1 Blaze #3 (soon to be at least #2)

So based on the criteria that's Plus 20 for Blaze vs Plus 5 for Byrd --- obviously Blaze should be seeded #1 (otherwise why even have criteria with weightings)

Prove me wrong.

 

[Nitlion1986]

With all the experts on this board, no one cares to weigh in???

Based on the criteria, Byrd vs Blaze

H2H , record against common opponents, and conference record --- all even
Quality wins against top 33 - Blaze 8 and Byrd 4 (although Van Dee ducked so give Byrd 5)
RPI Blaze #1 Byrd #5 (Blaze wrestled a tougher schedule)
Coaches Rank Byrd #1 Blaze #3 (soon to be at least #2)

So based on the criteria that's Plus 20 for Blaze vs Plus 5 for Byrd --- obviously Blaze should be seeded #1 (otherwise why even have criteria with weightings)

Prove me wrong.

Head to head criteria as described above isn't going to be how they seed 1 thru 14. I can see the described criteria being used if there is a coaches challenge between two guys seeded next to one another. Like 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4 and on and on.

 

[LostInTransition]

With all the experts on this board, no one cares to weigh in???

Based on the criteria, Byrd vs Blaze

H2H , record against common opponents, and conference record --- all even
Quality wins against top 33 - Blaze 8 and Byrd 4 (although Van Dee ducked so give Byrd 5)
RPI Blaze #1 Byrd #5 (Blaze wrestled a tougher schedule)
Coaches Rank Byrd #1 Blaze #3 (soon to be at least #2)

So based on the criteria that's Plus 20 for Blaze vs Plus 5 for Byrd --- obviously Blaze should be seeded #1 (otherwise why even have criteria with weightings)

Prove me wrong.

Who are you trying to argue with? This scoring has been posted by several others and you've posted it multiple times yourself. Most reasonable people get it.

Maybe Illinois has a board where you can find a differing opinion.

 

[Acacia]

Head to head criteria as described above isn't going to be how they seed 1 thru 14. I can see the described criteria being used if there is a coaches challenge between two guys seeded next to one another. Like 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4 and on and on.

According to Willie, the computer will generate the seeds based criteria first and then mailed to each of the coaches who can then challenge a seed if within 15 points of the higher wrestler. We will see how this works.

Based on criteria, Taylor should be #1 over Cannon and McEnelly over Ferrari/Arnold. Criteria rewards quality wins and more wrestling vs just the coaches ranking. Duck (injured or not) an in conference opponent and the wrestler is penalized.

 

[watoos]

well, they took a little bit of my b*t@hing to heart.

they told me they added 'conference dual record' because they heard my constant pleas on the show about guys sitting out big duals. not perfect but it's a start.

Yeah but you got bonus money for that, thanks.