Penn State Vs. Iowa Wrestling Preview: Another Cael Sanderson Milestone?

Sanderson goes for his 200th victory as Penn State's head coach when the Nittany Lions visit Iowa.

Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson can reach a milestone Friday night at Iowa, where the top-ranked Nittany Lions sustained their last dual-meet loss four years ago. If Penn State wins to extend its streak to 53 consecutive matches, Sanderson also will reach 200 career victories in his 15th season as the team's head coach. Of course, Sanderson considers this little more than a round number.

"It just means I've been here a long time," Sanderson said this week.

Penn State vs. Iowa has become one of college wrestling's great rivalries, which the Hawkeyes have controlled historically. Iowa has won 28 of the 42 matches between the teams and is 15-7 at home against the Lions. But Penn State has won four of the last five matches, including the last two meetings since its 19-17 loss at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 31, 2020. That also was the last time Penn State lost a dual to anyone. Iowa coach Tom Brands acknowledged as much this week.

"He is a worthy opponent. I've said that a lot," Brands said of Sanderson this week in Iowa City. "... He's the best of the last decade or longer. He's been the standard, and we've got to pick it up."

This match had 1-vs-2 vibes until last Friday, when Michigan pretty well dominated Iowa 24-11. Instead, it's 1-vs-3, and Penn State is a decided favorite. Still, Carver-Hawkeye can be unpredictable, which Sanderson understands.

"Wrestling at Iowa, it's a lot of fun," Sanderson said. "Their fans know the sport, their event staff is probably second to none. ... It's a great place to compete, but everywhere we wrestle we generally see a big crowd. We wrestle in big environments all the time."

Friday night will bring another. Here's what to watch when Penn State visits Iowa for an entertaining Big Ten wrestling match.

No. 1 Penn State (8-0) vs. No. 3 Iowa (10-1)

When: 9 p.m. ET Friday

Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa

TV: Big Ten Network

Streaming: FuboTV (start your free trial)

Last meeting: Penn State 23-14 in 2023

About the Nittany Lions

Penn State brings 10 top-10 wrestlers to Iowa, including five ranked at No. 1, according to InterMat. Seven Penn State starters are undefeated and only two are ranked lower than Iowa's projected starters. This is a loaded dual lineup that has posted some dominant numbers. The Lions have won their eight matches by an average margin of 30 points. Their team dual-meet record is 68-12, 44-6 in the Big Ten. And they have a remarkable 206-32 advantage in dual-meet takedowns. Tyler Kasak, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks and Greg Kerkvliet haven't allowed a dual takedown yet. Brooks has a 40-0 edge in takedowns vs. duals opponents. About the only questions lately have involved Aaron Nagao at 133 pounds and Bernie Truax at 184. Both lost against Ohio State last week, though Sanderson wasn't concerned. "They're all just learning experiences, and it's all about getting ready for the end," Sanderson said.

Penn State-Iowa matchups to watch

After decisioning third-ranked Jesse Mendez in sudden victory last week, Penn State's Beau Bartlett ascended to No. 1 at 141 pounds to set up another showdown against Real Woods. Woods defeated Bartlett 4-1 last year on his way to the 2023 NCAA final and was ranked No. 1 this season until getting majored by Michigan's Sergio Lemley last week. Now it's 1-vs-2, but Bartlett is No. 1. "Are you going to measure the response by if he wins or not against the now-No. 1 guy in America?" Brands asked. "That’s probably a good way to measure it. But just go out and wrestle your match."

At 125, Penn State freshman Braeden Davis (ranked second at 14-0) meets No. 7 Drake Ayala (18-3). Ayala also enters the match following a loss, to Michigan's Michael DeAugustino. Davis beat DeAugustino 5-1. At 149, No. 10 Tyler Kasak vs. No. 12 Caleb Rathjen appears to be among the match's tossups, though Kasak has three ranked wins and hasn't lost to anyone other than Bartlett at a tournament. And at 165, seventh-ranked Mitchell Mesenbrink of Penn State meets No. 6 Michael Caliendo. Mesenbrink (15-0) has beaten three top-10 wrestlers, while Caliendo (19-1) has won 12 straight since his loss to Iowa State's David Carr. Overall, Iowa needs a much better performance from its lightweights. Michigan swept Iowa from 125-157 in dominating their match. The Hawkeyes can't match Penn State from 174-285, so they'll need to score points early. 

How to watch the Penn State vs. Iowa wrestling match

Penn State takes on Iowa at a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena starting at 9 p.m. ET on Friday. Big Ten Network will televise. Streamers should check out FuboTV (start your free trial here).

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.