No. 1 Penn State Set to Clash with No. 6 Nebraska in Marquee Big Ten Wrestling Showdown
The Bryce Jordan Center is the place to be Friday night as top-ranked Penn State hosts No. 6 Nebraska in what promises to be a high-stakes Big Ten wrestling showdown.
The dual is the first of two major matchups for the Nittany Lions at the BJC, with the action scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
Let’s be clear - Penn State isn’t just winning this season; they’re steamrolling. Through five Big Ten duals, the Nittany Lions have outscored their opponents by a jaw-dropping 228-3 margin.
That includes a dominant 32-3 win over No. 4 Iowa, plus shutouts of Rutgers (46-0), Northwestern (51-0), Indiana (48-0), and Maryland (51-0).
The numbers are staggering: 11-0 overall, just 19 points surrendered all season, and a total dual scoring margin of 480-19.
But the road gets tougher starting now.
Nebraska rolls into State College with a 9-5 record overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten - but don’t let those losses fool you. All five defeats have come at the hands of top-five teams.
Most recently, the Cornhuskers dropped back-to-back duals to Iowa (22-14) and Ohio State (17-16), with the latter coming down to the wire. That one was decided in overtime of the heavyweight match, where No.
3 Nick Feldman edged No. 4 A.J.
Ferrari, 4-1.
Ferrari and No. 4 Brock Hardy at 141 pounds are two of Nebraska’s headliners, but across the board, Penn State holds the edge in the rankings at nearly every weight class. That includes some intriguing top-tier matchups that could swing momentum either way.
One to circle: at 157 pounds, Nebraska’s Antrell Taylor - a returning national champ and currently ranked No. 5 - will try to hand No. 3 P.J.
Duke his first loss of the season. That’s a marquee bout with serious implications.
Another highlight comes at 174, where Penn State’s No. 1 Levi Haines will square off with No.
4 Christopher Minto. Haines has been a force this season, and this is one of the few matchups where he’ll see someone who can truly push him from start to finish.
Make no mistake, Nebraska is battle-tested. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with the best in the country and come within a whisker of pulling off upsets.
But Penn State, right now, is wrestling on another level. Their combination of elite talent, depth, and momentum makes them the team to beat - not just in the Big Ten, but nationally.
Friday night’s dual isn’t just another meet on the calendar. It’s a measuring stick for both programs.
For Penn State, it’s a chance to keep the dominance rolling as they look ahead to a Feb. 13 clash with No. 2 Ohio State.
For Nebraska, it’s an opportunity to shake up the rankings and prove they belong in the national title conversation.
Buckle up - this one’s got all the makings of a classic.