This is it, folks.

The top-ranked Nittany Lions put their 84-consecutive dual win streak and Big Ten Regular Season Championship on the line against their toughest opponent to date, the No. 2-ranked and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.

So far, both teams have shredded the competition and have been the consensus top two teams in the country throughout the season. Penn State has yet to relinquish the top spot as a team; however, the Buckeyes have consistently received at least one first-place vote in the NWCA coaches poll.

According to Intermat’s individual rankings, the Bryce Jordan Center is in for a real treat, as there are slated to be three top-five matchups and three additional top-10 matchups. Between the two teams, there are eight No. 1-ranked wrestlers, with every starting wrestler on each team ranked within the top-16 in the country.

Bout-By-Bout Breakdown

125 Pounds

If the dual were to start at 125 pounds (as per usual with Penn State home duals), there would be immediate star power and arguably the best match of the night. No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (15-0) is slated to wrestle No. 2 Nic Bouzakis (12-0).

Lilledahl boasts wins over nine ranked wrestlers, with the last three coming by way of technical fall or pinfall. The Nittany Lion has beaten two top 10 opponents thus far, including an 11-5 decision over No. 6 Dean Peterson and a 4-2 decision over No. 10 Nico Provo. The Nittany Lion has a 68.75% bonus-point percentage, which is currently a 10% increase from his first season.

Bouzakis has seven ranked wins, including two against Peterson. When the Buckeye met the Hawkeye for the first time, it ended in a Bouzakis pin; however, in their second match of the season, the Ohio State wrestler managed to secure a 9-5 decision. Bouzakis has his best bonus-point percentage since becoming a starter for the Buckeyes in 2024, with 61.54%.

After some concerns that Bouzakis may not wrestle due to an injury he sustained in last week’s dual against Iowa, the Buckeye will likely meet No. 1 Lilledahl for the first time.

133 Pounds

Another match of the night candidate features No. 4 Marcus Blaze (17-0) taking on No. 2 Ben Davino (20-0) at 133 pounds. In a rivalry that goes back to 2016, it should be noted that Davino is the last wrestler to defeat Blaze in a folkstyle match, winning a 3-2 overtime thriller at the 2023 Ironman tournament.

Blaze has eight ranked wins this season, with his most impressive coming against Stanford’s Tyler Knox, where the Nittany Lion pinned the Cardinal in the third period. Blaze has a 75% bonus-point percentage against ranked opponents while boasting an 88.24% bonus rate for his total matches.

Davino has seven ranked wins under his belt this season, including two against Iowa’s Ayala. Every ranked win the Buckeye has put together this season has come by way of a decision, a much different trend than Blaze’s dominance over ranked opponents. Regardless, Davino has a 63% bonus rate, including 12 technical falls, a pin, and a major decision.

141 Pounds

At 141 pounds, All-American Braeden Davis (8-2) is set to take on the defending two-time national champion and No. 1 -ranked wrestler at 141 pounds, Jesse Mendez (17-0).

Davis has two ranked wins this season against No. 25 Henry Porter and No. 32 Billy Dekraker, both of which he won by major decision. The Nittany Lion was called on to replace Aaron Nagao after originally being slated to redshirt this season. Although it’s been a decent showing from Davis, the Nittany Lion suffered an injury before his match with Nebraska’s Brock Hardy and then was not given the chance to wrestle against Michigan due to a “skin issue.”

Mendez has nine ranked wins, including a technical fall victory over No. 11 Nasir Bailey and two wins over No. 4 Brock Hardy. Davis has lost to both of those opponents this season, which could signify how this matchup against the defending national champion could go. This season, the Buckeye has an 88% bonus rate with four pins, eight technical falls, and three major decisions.

149 Pounds

At 149 pounds, No. 1 Shayne Van Ness is set to take on No. 6 Ethan Stiles.

Van Ness has an 82.35% bonus rate with seven ranked wins, including a technical fall over No. 4 Carter Young of Maryland. Although he’s the clear favorite against Stiles, the Buckeye has a unique style that may disrupt the Nittany Lion’s offensive consistency.

Stiles is coming off a 4-1 sudden victory over No. 19 Ryder Block, an opponent that Van Ness defeated in a 13-4 major decision. So far this season, Stiles has six ranked wins, including two over Block and a 35.29% bonus rate.

If there was a path for Ohio State to win the dual, 149 pounds may be a weight class that needs to be flipped. It’ll be an uphill battle for the Buckeye as Van Ness pinned Stiles last year in the national tournament.

157 Pounds

Unfortunately for wrestling fans, Penn State’s No. 4-ranked PJ Duke (14-1) will not square off against No. 1 Brandon Cannon (13-0). The Buckeye recently had some work done on his knee following an injury in the Ohio State-Minnesota dual earlier this year. In his place, expect Landon Dessekke or Daxton Chase to take the mat against Duke.

Duke has five ranked wins and supports a 68.75% bonus rate. The Nittany Lion’s lone loss came from a controversial 2-1 loss to defending national champion Antrell Taylor.

165 Pounds

In the first match back from the intermission, No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (17-0) is expected to wrestle No. 16 Paddy Gallagher (9-6).

As one of the front-runners for the Hodge Trophy this season, Mesenbrink has throttled his opponents this season, posting a 100% bonus rate. The Nittany Lion has tallied seven tech falls, seven pins, and two major decisions, including a seventh consecutive win over No. 3 Mikey Caliendo of Iowa.

Gallagher has marquee wins over No. 7 LJ Araujo and No. 21 Matthew Olguin this season, but has struggled against some of the top wrestlers in the weight class, with losses coming from No. 11 Andrew Sparks, No. 15 Connor Euton, No. 10 Willy Denny, and Iowa’s Caliendo. To Gallagher’s credit, these have been close decision losses, but Mesenbrink has proved to be a level or two above the best at 165 pounds this season.

174 Pounds

At 174 pounds, No. 1 Levi Haines (16-0) is set to face No. 5 Carson Kharchla (14-3). The two wrestlers went at it in last season’s dual. Haines emerged victorious, but it took a clutch takedown and rideout after falling behind in the first period.

This season, Haines has been the clear leader of the 174-pound weight class. The Nittany Lion has a blazing 82.35% bonus rate, nearly a 20% increase from his next-best season. Haines has five ranked wins this season, highlighted by a pin over No. 8 Carter Schubert of Oklahoma and an 8-6 decision over No. 4 Christopher Minto.

Kharchla has been impressive in his own right, defeating seven ranked opponents, including No. 5 Minto in a 5-1 decision. The Buckeye lost the second meeting with the Cornhusker in January and has picked up two losses to Iowa’s Patrick Kennedy on two occasions. Kharchla is on pace to have his best season as the Buckeye is a 52.94% bonus rate.

184 Pounds

Another match that Ohio State is going to need to flip this dual on its head, No. 1 Rocco Welsh (15-0) is slated to face No. 8 Dylan Fishback (12-5).

Welsh has won every close match he’s had this season, including an overtime victory over No. 2 Angelo Ferrari, and decisive victories over No. 7 Brock Mantanona and No. 6 Silas Allred. The Nittany Lion has a 62.50% bonus rate as he looks to take on his former team.

Fishback has come close to beating some of the top guys in the weight class, which is good news for the Buckeye faithful. Fishback has pushed Ferrari, Allred, and No. 4 Max McEnelly to the brink but has lost each of those matchups in the end. It’ll be an uphill battle, but the fact that the Buckeye has kept it close should, at the bare minimum, force the Nittany Lion to just a decision.

197 Pounds

At 197 pounds, No. 1 Josh Barr (14-0) is set to face No. 10 Luke Geog (12-4).

Barr has been on a tear once again this season, jumping out to an undefeated record with a 100% bonus rate. The Nittany Lion has compiled seven tech falls, four pins, and three major decisions, including his highest-ranked win of the year coming against No. 9 Camden McDanel of Nebraska.

Geog has been decent this season, securing a 47.06% bonus rate; however, his chances of defeating Barr are slim as the Buckeye dropped his match with McDanel in a 9-6 decision. Geog has seen more top talent this season than Barr has, but each time the Buckeye has faced a top-10 opponent, he’s walked away defeated.

Heavyweight

In a must-win matchup, No. 12 Cole Mirasola (12-4) will take on No. 3 Nick Feldman (17-3). Feldman has defeated the Nittany Lion before, a 10-3 decision that came in last year’s dual matchup.

The Nittany Lion seems to be so close to eating some of the top guys in the division, but has fallen short in critical moments. Mirasola has not conceded a bonus-point loss yet, even while facing top-tier opponents such as No. 4 AJ Ferrari, No. 5 Taye Ghadiali, No. 6 Nathan Taylor, and No. 11 Christian Carroll. The Nittany Lion has shown flashes, though with great wins against No. 8 Ben Keuter and No. 24 Nate Schon. Mirasola has proven he can score points, but against the better heavyweights in the class, he has struggled to finish shots.

Feldman has been a great final act for the Buckeyes this season, clinching the dual win for Ohio State on multiple occasions. Feldman, like Mirasola, has struggled against the top guys in the country, as his lone three losses have come against the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 5 wrestlers in the country. Feldman and Mirasola will have a close matchup, but the Buckeye has had a better track record of finishing on promising offensive advances.

The dual will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network at 7 p.m. from the Bryce Jordan Center.