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Penn State Wrestling: 5 keys to winning the National Championship

By Chris Snyder

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 23: Members and staff of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team pose for a team photo after winning the team title of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 23, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 23: Members and staff of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team pose for a team photo after winning the team title of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 23, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /
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Penn State Nittany Lions Seth Nevills (Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports) /

Key No. 4

This next key is a big ask, but of the four guys from the previous group who qualify for the NCAA’s, Penn State will need one of them to finish in the top eight.

Can it be done?

Sure.

But it’s a big ask because most likely it’s going to mean for Lee and Beard to take down opponents they’ve already lost to. Michigan’s No. 13 Cameron Amine and Ohio State’s No. 10 Ethan Smith got the best of Lee in the prior two matches.

Beard looked great in his last match with a fall over Ohio State‘s Gavin Hoffman, however the 197 group is stacked with talent and experience. The top three are Nebraska’s No. 1 Eric Shultz (Senior), Michigan’s No. 2 Myles Amine (Senior), and Iowa’s No. 3 Jacob Warner. A handful of Juniors and Seniors are also ranked ahead of Beard who sits at No. 16.

As for Robbie Howard and either Bartlett or Barraclough at 149? The Nittany Lions will be happy if they can just sneak into the NCAA tournament.

This leaves Seth Nevills at heavyweight. And I think he can be the man to do it. Obviously no one is going to beat the B1G duo of Minnesota’s No. 1 Gable Steveson and Michigan’s No. 2 Mason Parris. Unless Anthony Cassar has any eligibility left.

The B1G currently has 7 of the top 13 ranked wrestlers at heavyweight. Big Snacks is only a Sophomore and two full days of wrestling in the B1G tournament can go a long way in getting him ready for the NCAA’s.

Now for our last key to victory.

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