Gophers redshirt freshman Aaron Nagao and redshirt senior Michael Blockhus — both sixth seeds — won semifinal matches at their weights on Saturday in the Big Ten championships in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Nagao beat second seed Jesse Mendez of Ohio State 6-4 in overtime on an ankle takedown. Blockhus defeated seventh seed Graham Rooks of Indiana 6-2.
Both will face top seeds in Sunday's finals. Nagao will meet Roman Bravo-Young of Penn State. Blockhus will go against Sammy Sasso of Ohio State.
Three other Minnesota wrestlers lost in the semifinals: Patrick McKee on a technical fall at 125 pounds, Bailee O'Reilly 8-2 at 174 and Isaiah Salazar 3-2 at 184.
The Gophers were in fifth place with 73 points after two sessions, trailing Penn State (120), Iowa (105.5), Nebraska (98.5) and Ohio State (77).
Minnesota wrestlers went 8-2 in the first round, 5-3 in the quarterfinals and 2-3 in the semifinals.
Seven Gophers are still alive in the wrestlebacks, including the three who lost in the semifinals.
Jake Bergeland at 141 pounds and Michial Foy at 197 will compete in seventh-place matches Sunday, while Andrew Sparks at 165 and Garrett Joles at heavyweight are still alive in the ninth-place brackets.