Previews, predictions for this Sunday's National Duals Championships

Who will win the 2012 National Duals Championships Sunday?

No one can say with any certainty; however, three major amateur wrestling websites -- InterMatWrestle.com, TheMat.com, and TheOpenMat.com -- have all weighed in with extensive previews and bold predictions about the outcome in articles posted Friday.

Four top-ranked teams -- Big Ten conference members Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota, along with the Big 12's Oklahoma State -- won their respective Regionals last weekend, and will be competing Sunday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena on the Oklahoma State campus in Stillwater, Okla.

In the semifinals at 2 p.m. Central, top-seeded Oklahoma State will wrestle No. 4 Illinois, while second-seeded Iowa goes up against No. 3 seed Minnesota.

Each of the three websites looks at the individual weight-by-weight match-ups for the semis... then makes its predictions for which two teams will then face each other in the finals at 6 p.m., complete with final team scores.

In their predictions, InterMat, TheMat, and TheOpenMat all agree on which two teams win the semis... with very similar scoring outcomes across the board. As for the final score of the finals... that's where the three websites part company. Two websites pick the same winner, one by a two-point margin, the other by five points... while the third website has the other team winning in a runaway. 

Team rankings: In this week's rankings, Oklahoma State is ranked No. 1 or 2 (depending on the website)... Iowa is No. 2 or 3, as is Minnesota... and Illinois is ranked fifth or sixth.

Team records: For the 2011-12 season, Oklahoma State is 15-0 (the only "perfect" Division I program)... Iowa is 13-3 (one of those losses is to the Cowboys)... Minnesota is 12-3 (one of those losses is to the Hawkeyes)... and Illinois is 16-2.

Follow the action: InterMat will provide its live chat service Sunday... while LiveSportsVideo.com will provide live video coverage of all four matches (two semis, finals, and consolation bout between the two semifinals losers). Twitter users can keep up with the goings-on via Twitter feeds from the four programs: @IlliniWrestling @CowboyWrestling @GopherWrestling @Hawks_Wrestling.

Recaps and results: Check in with College Wrestling Examiner and via Twitter @matwriter.

TV coverage:  Fox College Sports will show two of 2012 National Duals Championships match-ups on a tape-delay basis; check your local listings for details.