Illinois @ Maryland

Illinois topped Maryland 33-7 in College Park on Jan. 24, 2025, a meet decided by Illinois’ string of bonus-point finishes that turned what might have been a close dual into a lopsided result. The Fighting Illini collected several high-value team points on the way to a 26-point victory at 8500 Paint Branch Dr.

Kannon Webster’s fall at 149 pounds was the biggest single swing, a pin that awarded Illinois six team points and punctuated the dual. From there Illinois added three technical falls that crushed Maryland’s comeback hopes: Braeden Scoles went 20-3 by technical fall at 165, Dan Braunagel delivered a 22-7 technical at 174, and Zac Braunagel closed out his portion with a 20-4 technical fall at 197. Those bonus wins provided the backbone of the 33-team points Illinois scored.

Maryland’s top response came from Ethen Miller at 157, who picked up a 15-6 major decision for four team points and prevented a shutout on the scoreboard. Still, Illinois’ accumulation of bonus victories created an insurmountable margin, turning a handful of decisive individual outcomes into a dominant team result.

Standouts for Illinois included Webster and the Braunagel brothers, whose bonus-point performances spelled the difference. Maryland will take some positives from Miller’s major, but the dual highlighted Illinois’ ability to finish matches and rake in extra points when it mattered most.