Penn State Wrestling Can Break a Big Ten Record Vs. Illinois
The No. 1 Penn State wrestling team can complete another unbeaten Big Ten regular season and break the conference’s win-streak record Sunday when it visits Illinois. The Nittany Lions have won 69 consecutive matches dating to 2020 and are tied with Iowa for the longest Big Ten win streak (Iowa won 69 consecutive matches from 2007-11). With a win over Illinois, Penn State would become the first Big Ten program, and second in NCAA Division I men’s wrestling history, to win 70 straight matches. Oklahoma State holds the major college men’s win-streak record at 76, according to Mat Talk Online.
Penn State is a 29.5-point favorite at Illinois according to DraftKings and seeks to win its 42nd consecutive Big Ten match. With a win, the Nittany Lions (13-0) also would clinch their fifth straight unbeaten Big Ten season and ninth overall under head coach Cael Sanderson. Here’s what to watch Sunday when Penn State wrestles Illinois.
No. 1 Penn State (13-0, 7-0) vs. No. 13 Illinois (9-3, 4-3)
- When: 2 p.m. ET Sunday
- Where: Huff Hall, Champaign, Ill.
- Streaming: B1G+
How to Watch Penn State Vs. Illinois Wrestling
There’s no television coverage for Penn State’s Big Ten finale. B1G+ will stream the match live, though. Can’t watch? Listen to Jeff Byers on the Penn State Sports Network.
About the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State visits Illinois following a Friday night in Columbus, where it defeated No. 8 Ohio State 27-13. The match was Penn State’s closest of the season. Ohio State became the first team this year to win three bouts against the Nittany Lions, though two were against true freshmen making their Big Ten debuts. That’s an undercurrent of this road trip. Penn State wrestled without starters Tyler Kasak (injured) and Greg Kerkvliet (illness) at Ohio State. Meanwhile, Braeden Davis (133 pounds) returned to action after missing the previous three matches. Davis avoided giving up near-fall points after getting caught in a cradle and appeared winded at the end but gutted out an 8-5 decision. Davis will get another strong test vs. Illinois’ fourth-ranked Lucas Byrd.
Luke Lilledahl (125) seeks to rebound after getting pinned by Ohio State’s Brendan McCrone. Lilledahl led the bout 6-2 before getting caught in a second-period cradle, an educational moment for the true freshmen. Beau Bartlett (141) delivered the biggest win of his season, a 4-2 decision over Jesse Mendez, the top-ranked defending national champ. Bartlett had lost three straight to Mendez, all by 4-1 scores. Levi Haines (No. 1 at 174) delivered a strong 6-4 win over Ohio State’s fifth-ranked Carson Kharchla by scoring a third-period takedown. Kasak is unlikely to wrestle against Illinois, perhaps meaning that true freshman Joe Sealey gets another shot at 157. Sealey fell 10-1 in his Big Ten debut. Likewise, Cole Mirasola could get another look at 285 if Kerkvliet misses a second bout.
About the Illinois Fighting Illini
Lucas Byrd, a two-time All-American, is Illinois’ highest-ranked wrestler, according to InterMat. The redshirt senior is fourth at 133 with a 14-1 record. His lone loss was to Iowa’s Drake Ayala, against whom Penn State’s Davis did not compete due to injury. Illinois has six other wrestlers ranked in the top-20, though all six will be significant underdogs against Penn State’s starters. Danny Pucino (17th at 141) is 12-3 but could wrestle Bartlett after the Penn State senior’s best win of the season. Braeden Scoles (14th at 165) is 13-2 but could get top-ranked Mitchell Mesenbrink, who leads the nation in technical falls. Edmond Ruth (12th at 184) would square off against four-time national champ Carter Starocci. And Luke Luffman (10th at 285) might see Kerkvliet, the defending national champ, if he’s healthy. Illinois hasn’t wrestled a dual match since Feb. 1, when it defeated Purdue 35-8.
