The energy was remarkable as 14th-ranked Rutgers faced the top-ranked Penn State. It was an unforgettable showdown. As the game went on, though, one move by Rutgers had everyone confused. With so much on the line, the community is starting to question whether Rutgers’ gutsy call ended up working against them. Now, Bo Bassett’s list of achievements is incredible. With impressive Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State titles and a gold from the 2021 Cadet World Championship, he’s made his name as a wrestling’s shining star. But here’s where it gets interesting—Rutgers asked him to come check out the place right during their big game against Penn State. Was this a clever play, or did they chance throwing off their own focus during the match?

The big match at Jersey Mike’s Arena didn’t turn out the way Rutgers hoped, and it’s got the wrestling world talking, but not in a good way. A recent tweet by Flo Wrestling highlighted, “Jersey Mike’s Arena was rocking for Rutgers when Penn State came to town, but was it a good idea to have Bo Bassett visit?” . Basset visited Rutgers for his recruitment process that was scheduled to be held in January.

But even with this Scarlet Knights’ strategy, their performance against the top-ranked Penn State fell short. With 8,057 fans, making it the second-biggest wrestling crowd ever at the school, Rutgers had a tough time on the mat. The only bright spot for the Scarlet Knights was No. 19 Dean Peterson. He pulled off a surprise win against No. 6 Luke Lilledahl, ending his undefeated 10-0 streak.

Even though Peterson kicked things off well, Rutgers couldn’t keep the momentum going. They lost the last five matches as Penn State swept to a clear 35-3 win. Dylan Shawver gave it his all but just lost 2-1 to Braeden Davis. Meanwhile, Joseph Olivieri, Conner Harer, and Alex Nini all took heavy hits against Penn State’s top guns. This left Rutgers down 14-3 at halftime.

Rutgers’ Head Coach Scott Goodale praised Dean Peterson’s performance to scarletknights.com, saying, “Good win for [Dean] Peterson. Great crowd. We probably underestimated them a little bit on the mat. They were really, really good in the top position, but you have to create. Dean got off in three seconds, but he was the only guy that really got off the bottom for us tonight.” His words highlighted how hard it was to match Penn State’s dominance on the mat.

Behind Bo Bassett’s whole recruitment process

Bassett has quickly become a name everyone in high school wrestling knows. With a 100-0 record, he has been amazing at major tournaments like Super 32, Powerade, and Ironman. His approach, where he often ends matches with tech falls or pins, has led everyone to call him the “17-year-old horror.” It shows that Bo isn’t just another talented high school wrestler, but he’s like on a whole new level. He’s establishing his position in the sport. Bassett is already being compared to legends like Spencer Lee because of his high-level performance.

Bo Bassett’s recruitment journey has been as impressive as his wrestling skills are. After visiting some of the best programs, he has narrowed down his college options. This includes Virginia Tech, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa, and Oklahoma State. Each visit has given him the chance to look beyond the coaches and feel out the wrestling culture at each one of them. With Rutgers still in the mix, everyone is eagerly waiting to see where Bo will land. His recruitment process has become a topic in the wrestling world.

Was Rutgers’ decision to bring Bo Bassett in during such an important match right? Did having Bo visit during the match throw off the team, or was it just bad luck facing a powerhouse like Penn State?