Penn State Wrestling: How to Watch, Stream Penn State Vs. Rutgers

The No. 1 Penn State wrestling team visits Rutgers on Friday night for another top-25 Big Ten match. The unbeaten Nittany Lions bring a 64-match win streak to Piscataway, where the No. 25 Scarlet Knights await. The road trip is Penn State's last before a pair of big home matches next week at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Here's what to know about the Penn State vs. Rutgers wrestling match.
Penn State (8-0, 2-0 Big Ten) Vs. Rutgers (10-3, 2-1)
- When: 8 p.m. ET Friday
- Where: Jersey Mike's Arena
- TV: Big Ten Network
- Streaming: B1G+
- Series History: Penn State leads 25-0
About the Nittany Lions: Penn State coach Cael Sanderson thought his team wrestled just OK in a 31-7 win at Nebraska last week, but this team certainly has lifted his expectations. Penn State hasn't been remotely tested in a dual match this season. The Nittany Lions have outscored their eight opponents by a combined score of 354-16 and have a ridiculous 75-5 individual-bout record in duals. The Nittany Lions have outscored the four ranked teams on their schedule by a combined 152-13. All 10 starters are ranked in the top-10 nationally, according to InterMat, with eight wrestlers ranked in their respective top 5s. Two ranked wrestlers seeking to bounce back from losses are Braeden Davis (seventh at 133 pounds) and Shayne Van Ness (fourth at 149). Redshirt fresham Josh Barr (9-0) has announced himself as a finalist contender at 197 pounds. Barr, a first-year starter, has beaten three ranked wrestlers and scored five pins. At 165 pounds, top-ranked Mitchell Mesenbrink (12-0) has scored technical falls over every opponent he has faced.
About the Scarlet Knights: Rutgers is coming off a 31-7 win over Wisconsin, preceded by a 17-15 loss to sixth-ranked Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights returned four NCAA All-Americans, including Dylan Shawver (133) and Yaraslau Slavikouski (285). Seven of Rutgers' projected starters are ranked in the InterMat top 20, with Slavikouski topping the list at No. 7. Shawver, a redshirt senior and the defending Big Ten champ at 133, is 14-3.
Penn State Vs. Rutgers Matchups to Watch
125: No. 6. Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. No. 19 Dean Peterson: Lilledahl has begun his freshman season 10-0 with an impressive run of ranked wins, including a 4-2 decision over former No. 6 Caleb Smith of Nebraska. Peterson (14-3) is 4-1 against ranked wrestlers this season.
133: No. 7 Braeden Davis (Penn State) vs. No. 9 Dylan Shawver: After a surprising 14-7 loss to Nebraska's Jacob Van Dee, Davis gets the weight class' defending Big Ten champion. Shawver, who placed seventh at NCAAs, is coming off back-to-back wins over top-25 opponents. Davis is the defending Big Ten champ at 125 pounds.
149: Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) vs. No. 20 Andrew Clark: Van Ness last week lost his first bout of the season, a surprising 10-2 major against Nebraska's Ridge Lovett. Van Ness can recalibrate against Clark, whom he beat 19-4 at a tournament in December.
How to Watch Penn State Vs. Rutgers Wrestling
Big Ten Network will carry the Penn State-Rutgers match live from Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, N.J. It's scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start. Zach Mackey and analyst Tim Johnson will have the call for BTN. The match will be streamed on BTN+.
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