The Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling team might have five champions at the Southern Scuffle, but it was not close to being enough. Despite Cael Sanderson’s prodigies, including Connor Pierce at 149 lbs, Connor Mirasola at 197 lbs, Zack Ryder at 184 lbs, and Cole Mirasola at 285 lbs winning, it still wasn’t enough to put PSU on top! As the Southern Scuffle ended, PSU was seen finishing second.

Army West Point led the charts with 132.5 points while Penn State tied with Oklahoma at 126.5 points. It’s a bit of slacking from a roster that has ten ranked wrestlers! However, the Sanderson squad still has time to win the title. Next, PSU is heading into the Big Ten season. And to kick it off in style, the Nittany Lions are going up against Michigan State, who are coming with a 2-1 record on January 10th. So what do the odds look like?

Nittany Lions to face off against big names in wrestling!

Against the Spartans, Penn State has a rather strong chance. Especially considering the fact that PSU leads the all-time series 25-9, and it was only last year that the Nittany Lions won 35-0 against the Spartans. While Michigan State might be a rather smooth sail for PSU, the road ahead could be tough, as it is riddled with opponents who are to be watched out for.

Soon after, PSU will face Nebraska, Rutgers, Iowa, and Ohio State. All of them are opponents in the Big Ten circuit. However, the 2024-25 season, despite Southern Scuffle debacles, looks rather promising for the Nittany Lions. But why? Well, at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals, Penn State recorded three straight wins, including shutouts against Binghamton (52-0) and No. 15 Little Rock (44-0). The Nittany Lions finished the event with a 41-3 score against Missouri, who’s ranked #8. However, the Big Ten buck does not stop here!

Soon after the Iowa and Penn State rivalry goes down on the mat, Cael Sanderson and his team are up for bigger duals. On Feb. 7, the Nittany Lions go up against Michigan, followed by duals with Maryland on Feb 9th. PSU will also go up against Ohio State, Illinois, and American, before the Big Ten Wrestling Championships on March 8th. Then comes the final moments of glory, the NCAA showdown. So, what do the odds look like for the Nittany Lions for the 2024-25 season? Well, Coach Sanderson’s words perhaps say it all!

Can Cael Sanderson’s squad take it all?

As Coach Cael Sanderson sees it, “If you can make the lineup at Penn State, you can win the national tournament.” And looking at the roster that has ten ranked wrestlers, it becomes evident that those are not just mere words. The lineup has veterans like Carter Starocci who’s ranked #1 in 184 lbs and Greg Kerkvliet who’s ranked #2 in 285 lbs weight class. Both names have made history in their weight classes, with Carter even having won 4 NCAA titles already. But these are not the only big names!

There’s also No. 2 Shayne Van Ness, who’s returning to the mat after recovering from injuries. Then, there’s also 157-pounder Tyler Kasak at No. 3, Levi Haines at No. 2 at 174 lbs, and even the crowd favorite and All-American, Mitchell Mesenbrink who’s ranked No. 1 at 165 lbs. Now that’s a squad that cannot be messed around with. So it’s no wonder that Sanderson seems confident. However, he had something else to say too.

As Sanderson sees it, “These kids want to win the national tournament. Some kids want to be four-year starters. Some kids want to be national champions. It just depends on the kids. It depends on what their ultimate goals are.” Looking at the roster and their rankings, combined with their recent performances, the national title doesn’t seem that far off after all. Despite recent debacles, the future looks great for the Nittany Lions. And the national title? Well, it could very well be the Cael Sanderson squad’s to take!