Penn State wrestling keeps putting its stamp in the books with yet one more dominating performance. Not only was its 30-8 demolition of Iowa not merely a win, but a record-breaker in its own right. With its win, the Nittany Lions’ dual meet win streak extended to 66 in a row, sole possession of ninth in all of NCAA history. It has been five years since January 31, 2020, when they had a dual meet loss, and that, ironically, at the hands of none other than Iowa. Under Cael Sanderson, nobody can stop them ever since then.

The Bryce Jordan Center was filled with a sellout crowd of 15,998, a record for the largest dual meet attendance in college history, and one that, not surprisingly, only took place two additional times, both in 2023 and 2018, for a matchup between Penn State and Iowa. That alone is a tribute to the fact that the program brings in such massive attendance regularly, and it speaks volumes about them and is a demonstration of how dominant they have become in college wrestling.

With five duals to go in the campaign, Penn State can rise even higher in record books. With success, they can go all the way to a tie for sixth in all-time NCAA dual meet win streaks at year’s end. Few programs have such a high level of success in any one sport, and under Sanderson, Penn State doesn’t seem to have any desire ever to slow down.

The numbers behind Penn State’s historic victory under Cael Sanderson’s leadership

Penn State’s dominance isn’t just evident in its win streak but in its dominating form in beating opponents. It’s outscored opponents 323-9 in duals in its current campaign, a near-unprecedented level of mastery over competition. In its seven duals in its current campaign, the Nittany Lions have won 67 out of 70 individual contests, a 96% win rate that’s simply astonishing. To add, it’s been near impenetrable in takedowns, earning 170 out of 180 takedowns in duals.

Beyond the boards, Penn State has been controlling pace and dictating all phases of competition. They have received 36 riding time penalties and taken five of them for themselves. In terms of controlling, the unit received riding time points in 11 overall contests and won 10 out of 11. In addition, 54 out of 70 times, they have received a bonus, and 77% of their wins have been in dominating form.

Cael Sanderson’s coaching presence is embodied in these statistics: 16 years at Penn State, a coaching record of 210-16-2, a 92% win record, 91 All-Americans, and 38 NCAA champions produced under him, with the program in a position of college wrestling’s undisputed dominant position.

How Far Can Penn State Go? With the performance of Penn State in the current campaign, no one can say that their win run will ever cease anytime soon. 76 dual meet wins in succession stand in record, and that is a feat accomplished by Oklahoma State between 1951 and 1937. Still, two other dominating runs have transpired: 69 in succession for Iowa between 1995 and 2000 and 68 in succession for Oklahoma State between 1999 and 1996. With five duals remaining, Penn State can move in on these record books at the campaign’s end.

The schedule will become even more challenging with ranked opponents No. 6 Nebraska, No. 13 Rutgers, No. 2 Iowa, No. 21 Michigan, No. 4 Ohio State, and No. 10 Illinois. As long as they can produce at least at a similar level, they will be rewriting history yet again. Sanderson’s crew has already beaten several of Iowa’s most dominant runs, and its case for being America’s most fearsome wrestling program is in its best shape ever.

Cael Sanderson has built one of college athletics’ most impressive coaching resumes, but his empire isn’t complete yet. His programs have smashed school and national records, overwhelmed blue-chip programs, and produced All-Americans at an unprecedented clip, year in and out. With Penn State soon to face a make-or-break portion of its schedule, maintaining momentum will be in the spotlight. For fans, no longer is it a matter of whether Penn State will continue to win, but for how long will it win? With a talented lineup and a head who hasn’t yet started to slow down, the Nittany Lions are trending towards a path that could make one of college wrestling’s greatest dynasties in years to come.