University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling coach Heath Eslinger spoke during the preseason about tough early-season tests that were going to challenge his Mocs.
With two matches against top-10 competition already, their biggest test to date awaits this afternoon.
UTC (2-2) will face second-ranked Ohio State (5-0) at The Cooler in Alpharetta, Ga., at 2. The Mocs have defeated Virginia Military Institute and Davidson and lost to eighth-ranked Virginia Tech and sixth-ranked North Carolina State.
After today's match, the Mocs return home to face Ohio (0-3) on Monday at Maclellan Gymnasium.
The expected lineup for UTC today includes Alonzo Allen (125 pounds), Jake Huffine or Wade Cummings (133), Michael Pongracz (141), Chris Debien (149), Dylan Forzani (157), Chad Pyke (165), Justin Lampe (174), Bryce Carr (184), Scottie Boykin (197) and Ben Stacey (285).
Boykin has moved into the Intermat Wrestle top 20, checking in at No. 15. Carr, who was ranked as high as 12th, is now also 15th in the country in his weight class. Each is 9-2 this season.
Nine of the Buckeyes' 10 wrestlers are ranked in the top 11, led by two - Kollin Moore (197) and Kyle Snyder (285) - who are ranked first in their respective weight classes.
Basketball teams also in action
The UTC women's basketball team hosts Florida Gulf Coast at 1 p.m. today at McKenzie Arena in a game that features two of the top mid-major programs in the country, while the men's team plays Tennessee Tech at 2 p.m. EST in Cookeville.
The Mocs women (6-4) had a six-game win streak end last Sunday with a 64-44 loss to Virginia Tech, which dropped them four spots to No. 14 in the CollegeInsider.com Top 25 poll. The Eagles, who defeated UTC 68-55 last season in Fort Myers, Fla., are 10-2 and ranked third. They've won their last four games.
UTC's men (5-5) are coming off a 14-point home win against Charlotte, which later fired head coach Mark Price. The Mocs are seeking their first win away from McKenzie, although three of the four road losses have been by a combined 18 points.
The Golden Eagles (7-4) are 4-0 at home.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.