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Penn State Wrestling’s top 25 dual meets in the Cael Sanderson era

By Chris Snyder

STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Head coach Cael Sanderson of the Penn State Nittany Lions . (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

No. 1

February 3, 2018
University Park, Pa
No. 1 Ohio State 18, No. 2 Penn State 19

Dubbed the “Dual of the Century,” the 2018 clash between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Penn State Wrestling has to be one of the best dual meets in college wrestling history.

The Nittany Lions were able to pull out the win 19-18 yet somehow the score doesn’t indicate just how close this match was.

The dual started out at 125 where Ohio State was able to get out to an early lead 4-0 thanks to a major decision from No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (OSU). Their lead was extended in the 133 match when No. 2 Luke Pletcher (OSU) won in a decision to make it 7-0.

Penn State Wrestling’s hopes were on No. 6 Nick Lee (PSU) as he went up against No. 11 Joey McKenna (OSU). A shocked crowd watched as Ohio State’s lead once again grew when Lee lost a 7-6 decision. Hope had seemingly vanished from the normally friendly confines of Rec Hall. It looked hopeless.

Thankfully, No. 1 Zain Retherford (PSU) was up next and he earned a 20-4 technical fall to get Penn State on the board. Bo Pipher (PSU) then lost in a technical fall against No. 5 Micah Jordan (OSU) and Ohio State pushed their lead to 15-5 with only 5 matches remaining. It wasn’t looking good for PSU.

Remember when I said Penn State usually has a string of elite wrestlers in a row in their lineup? No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph (PSU), No. 2 Mark Hall (PSU), and No. 1 Bo Nickal (PSU) all took care of business earning two major decisions and a decision to give Penn State the lead 16-15. This was the good news. The bad news was Ohio State’s next two wrestlers were each the No. 1 for the 197 and 285 weight classes.

No. 1 Kollin Moore (OSU) had not lost a match yet in the 2017-2018 season. And who did Cael throw out there to wrestle him? Unranked Anthony Cassar (PSU). We all know about Cassar now, however not much was really known about him then. This was about to change as Cassar shocked Ohio State, Ohio State fans, and Penn State fans when he defeated Moore in an improbable 6-3 decision giving Penn State a slim 19-15 edge.

Next up was No. 6 Nick Nevills (PSU) going against No. 1 Kyle Snyder (OSU). All Nevills had to do was lose no worse than a decision and Penn State would win the dual. He did just that with a thrilling 15-10 decision win by Snyder.

Thus the “Dual of the Century” had ended with Penn State Wrestling topping Ohio State 19-18. Incredible.

light. More. Ranking Cael Sanderson's top-10 career wins

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