PREVIEW: Penn State wrestling faces first test of season with top-20 dual

Penn State wrestling returns to the mat for the first time in 2024 when it travels to Corvallis on Friday for a top-20 matchup with Oregon State. The Nittany Lions will be looking to extend their dual win streak to 47 in a row. This will be the best team that Penn State has faced so far this season. What should we expect to see from the Nittany Lions against the Beavers?

Penn State wrestling vs. Oregon State preview

Penn State wrestling will make its first road trip of the dual season as the Nittany Lions travel to the West Coast to take on Oregon State. The Beavers are currently ranked No. 18 in the country, and will be the toughest test of the young season for the Nittany Lions. Oregon State has depth throughout its entire lineup that includes 9 out of 10 wrestlers being ranked at their respective weight classes.

Oregon State is 4-1 on the season, with wins over Queens University, Greensboro, No. 27 North Carolina, and most recently over CSU Bakersfield. The lone loss on the season so far came on the road against No. 7 Iowa. This will be the 4^th all-time meeting between the two schools, with Penn State leading the series 3-0. The last matchup was a 31-3 victory in December 2022 in Rec Hall.

Match to Watch

184: No. 2 Bernie Truax (PSU) vs No. 6 Trey Munoz (OSU)

Bernie Truax is off to a fast start for Penn State after transferring from Cal Poly in the offseason. The senior has a 5-0 start with an 80% bonus percentage. Munoz is 11-2 to start the 2024 campaign and has had a bonus percentage of 61.54%. Munoz’s last loss came by fall to Will Feldkamp of Iowa State in the Cliff Keen Invitational.

This will be a great opportunity for Truax to wrestle against another contender at 184. Munoz finished 6^th last season with a 26-3 record and is on pace to be an All-American once again. If Truax is the national title contender that many think he is, then getting a win over a top 6 opponent on the road would solidify that.

Projected Lineups

125: Braeden Davis (PSU) vs No. 15 Brandon Kaylor (OSU)

133: No. 4 Aaron Nagao (PSU) vs No. 26 Gabe Whisenhunt (OSU)

141: No. 2 Beau Bartlett (PSU) vs No. 25 Cleveland Belton (OSU)

149: David Evans/Tyler Kasak (PSU) vs No. 12 Nash Singleton (OSU)

157: No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU) vs Murphy Menke/Isaiah Crosby (OSU)

165: No. 12 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) vs No. 10 Matthew Olguin (OSU)

174: No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) vs No. 7 Travis Wittlake (OSU)

184: No. 2 Bernie Truax (PSU) vs No. 6 Trey Munoz (OSU)

197: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) vs No. 30 Justin Rademacher (OSU)

285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) vs No. 12 Boone McDermott (OSU)

Penn State vs Oregon State Predictions:

125: No. 15 Brandon Kaylor (OSU) by decision

133: No. 4 Aaron Nagao (PSU) by decision

141: No. 2 Beau Bartlett (PSU) by major

149: No. 12 Nash Singleton (OSU) by major

157: No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU) by tech fall

165: No. 10 Matthew Olguin (OSU) by decision

174: No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) by major

184: No. 2 Bernie Truax (PSU) by decision

197: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) by tech fall

285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) by major

FINAL SCORE:

Penn State 28 – Oregon State 10

Penn State wrestling will have some challenges throughout this dual that we haven’t seen so far this season. I expect the crowd to be into it early, especially since it could be an early win for OSU by Kaylor and possibly 7-7 after 4 matches.

Keep an eye on Braeden Davis for the Nittany Lions. While he isn’t ranked this season, the 8-0 start has proven why he was such a highly-ranked recruit. The true freshman will get his first real opportunity to take down a highly-ranked foe.

Another key matchup will be at 165, where we see a top-12 matchup. Mitchell Mesenbrink has been hovering outside of the top 10 this season, and this will be a tremendous opportunity to beat a quality opponent. He has continued to creep up towards getting a higher seed and potentially being another wrestler to make a push for All-American status when the NCAA Tournament starts in March.

Penn State wrestling has the potential to win 9 out of 10 matches, with 149 being the only weight class in which I don’t think the Nittany Lions have a chance. Obviously, the final score will depend on who Cael Sanderson decides to wrestle at each weight. As we have seen all season, Sanderson typically likes to rest at least one of his top starters to keep them fresh for the postseason. Regardless, Penn State should win this one with rather ease and pick up most of its points in the back half of the lineup, per usual.

Where to Watch?

Date: January 5^th, 2024

Time: 8:00 pm ET

TV: PAC 12 Network

Venue: Gill Coliseum

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