logo
Penn State wrestling news: When can it break the nation's longest win streak?

Penn State wrestling news: When can it break the nation's longest win streak?

Yahoo10-02-2025
Penn State wrestling is closing in on a 75-year-old record.
This comes as coach Cael Sanderson's No. 1 Nittany Lions have been putting on a stunning show since November: They're producing another undefeated season (12-0 and counting) ... are outscoring opponents by an incredulous 493-37 margin ... and doing it with an entire starting lineup ranked in the nation's Top 10.
And yet this is season is just a part of their march toward crushing one of the longest-held college wrestling records.
The Nittany Lions have won 68 straight dual meets − including weekend dominations of Michigan and Maryland − and will be prohibitive favorites in their final three this season. They haven't lost a meet in five years, since before COVID.
They currently own the fifth-best winning streak in Division I and major college men's history. (Grand View, an NAIA school in Iowa, owns the top all-time college win streak at 117).
Winning-out this season would jump them to No. 2 in major college history, passing 69-win runs by Oklahoma State (1921 to 1932, 1996 to 1999) and Iowa (2007 to 2011).
History would then await at 76 consecutive victories. The Oklahoma State Cowboys accomplished the feat from 1937 to 1951, before college wrestling was divided into divisions.
Penn State could end this season with 71 straight dual meet victories.
So when could it tie the record of 76 and break it?
That's still to be determined.
For perspective, Penn State won its fifth dual meet of this season before the end of December, during the middle of the Journeyman Duals in Tennessee.
Penn State wrestling analysis: Another star spurns No. 1 Penn State wrestling: So, what's up with America's dynasty?
Why did Lions lose No. 1 recruit? Penn State wrestling news: Why top recruit Bo Bassett picks Iowa over PSU, Cael Sanderson
What's next for PSU: Penn State wrestling, 2025: schedule, results, details
A similar situation could arise next season, particularly if Sanderson and Penn State agree to attend the 16-team National Duals Invitational at Oklahoma State in November.
Beyond that?
It will be difficult to know exactly when or who the Lions could make history against for quite a while. Penn State does not usually release its finalized schedule until late September or early October, less than two months before the season begins.
(Records provided by Jason Bryant at Mat Talk Online, via the NCAA)
Penn State's 68 consecutive dual meet victories is sixth among all college divisions. The list is below:
117 − Grand View, NAIA (2013-22)
92 − SUNY Dehli, NJCAA (1979-83)
77 − St. Cloud State, Division II (2017-22)
76 − Oklahoma State, Division I and Major College (1937-51)
75 − Oklahoma City, Women's (2008-12)
68 − Penn State, Division I (2020-25)
Frank Bodani covers Penn State sports for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State wrestling schedule: When can it own the longest win streak?
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Penn State QB Drew Allar facing pressure of high expectations in 2025
Penn State QB Drew Allar facing pressure of high expectations in 2025

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Penn State QB Drew Allar facing pressure of high expectations in 2025

The Penn State Nittany Lions are coming off one of the most successful seasons under head coach James Franklin and will enter the 2025 season with high expectations placed upon them. After a shot at a Big Ten title and a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals, Penn State should be hungry to take the next step and bring home some championship gold in the 2025 season, and the pieces are in place for that level of success. Of course, a lot of that relies on the performance of Penn State's best players on the roster in the biggest spotlight opportunities. Starting quarterback Drew Allar enters his third season leading the Penn State offense, and he has been one to have some ups and downs in the position. Allar's numbers tend to be good, but they could be better in the toughest matchups against teams like Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon. Armed with an NFL-caliber arm and a new wid erecweiveing corp from the transfer portal, and one of the Big Ten's best offensive lines and running back stables behind him, Allar will face some pressure to get this Penn State team to take the next elusive step toward being a national championship contender, if not a favorite. Here is a look at one of the biggest pieces of Penn State's 2025 season, the starting quarterback. 2024 in review Drew Allar improved on his overall stats and efficiency in 2024 compared to his first season as Penn State's starting quarterback in 2023. Allar had one fewer touchdown pass thrown in the 2024 season despite playing in more games during Penn State's postseason run, but his completion percentage increased, as well as his total passing yards. This is despite not really having a strong connection with his wide receivers all season long. Allar was reliant on All-American tight end Tyler Warren, as any quarterback should have been, and he did take advantage of some opportunities with receivers at times, but the season ended without a single completion to a wide receiver in Penn State's College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Allar's biggest blemishes came in the biggest spotlight, unfortunately, with a bad interception in the Big Ten championship essentially gifting Oregon a touchdown from the one-yard line and setting up Penn State's fate in the playoff, leading to a game-winning field goal by Notre Dame. For the season, Allar completed 66.5% of his passes, but he was below 60% in each of Penn State's four postseason games, including the Big Ten championship game and three College Football Playoff games. Biggest question in 2025 Drew Allar will face some tough questions in the 2025 season. The first is how he comes back after the way last season ended. But the biggest question will be how effective Allar is with his new wide receiving corp. Penn State added some experienced wide receivers to the roster from the transfer portal, each with good stats at their previous schools. Allar will need to get in rhythm with his new receiving targets and establish a new trust in his tight ends under the leadership of offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who is in his second season with the Nittany Lions, calling the plays for the offense. 2025 will be a success if... Simply put, if Drew Allar is connecting with his wide receivers far more frequently and effectively this season, Penn State should be in great shape for another fun postseason run. With all of the other ingredients in place for a solid offense, the difference maker will be Allar continuing to improve his game and use his receivers with bigger and more consistent results in the passing game. 2025 will be a disappointment if... If Allar does not put up better numbers in the biggest games on the schedule, then Penn State will likely suffered a similar disappointing fate at the end of the year. To his credit, Allar had some good numbers against Orgeon in the Big Ten championship, but his two interceptions didn't help the cause, and his untimely interception against Notre Dame was a sting that would carry over into the offseason. Allar was also without a touchdown in the game against eventual national champion Ohio State last season, a 20-13 setback at home. If Allar comes out without a win against Ohio State and Oregon again, and takes an early exit in the postseason, this will be a disappointing end result. Realistic outlook for 2025 We should be about to see the best Drew Allar has to offer. In his second season under innovative offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and with a new trio of wide receivers to trust, Allar should have a chance for another 3,000-yard season with 25 touchdowns en route to another playoff run that could include another shot at a Big Ten title. Allar could cut down on his interception total of eight last season as well. Allar should play well enough to put up the kind of numbers that will continue to keep him on the radar as a potential first-round NFL draft pick in 2026. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Best is still to come for Penn State QB Drew Allar in 2025

Kaytron Allen poised for big 2025 season after strong postseason showing in 2024
Kaytron Allen poised for big 2025 season after strong postseason showing in 2024

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Kaytron Allen poised for big 2025 season after strong postseason showing in 2024

Running back Kaytron Allen has been one of the most consistent weapons in Penn State's arsenal over the last three seasons, averaging over 1,000 all-purpose yards per year. After foregoing the 2025 NFL draft to return for his senior season, Allen and Nick Singleton form one of the best running back duos in the country. With another year of development under new running backs coach Stan Drayton, Allen may be able to increase his production before heading to the pros. Here's a look at Allen heading into the 2025 season with the Nittany Lions. 2024 in review Though his 2023 campaign fell short of expectations, Allen bounced back last year with over 1,100 rushing yards on 5.0 yards per carry, adding eight rushing touchdowns. He battled injuries throughout the middle of the season and was less than 100% for several games, but Allen peaked during Penn State's postseason run with 124 yards against Oregon in the Big Ten championship, 70 yards on just 11 carries against SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff, 134 yards against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl and 82 yards against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Biggest question in 2025 The biggest question entering 2025 is whether Allen can stay healthy for a full season. His physical play style and penchant for violence cause wear and tear that leaves him at less than 100%. If Penn State can keep him healthy and reduce his workload in blowouts, Allen is likely to perform better against top competition. 2025 will be a success if… This season will be a success if Allen can generate more explosive plays. His longest run in 2024 was just 32 yards, and his yards per carry dropped slightly from his first two seasons. For Allen to truly take the next step in his development, more chunk plays could lead to a career-high in rushing yards in 2025. 2025 will be a disappointment if… If Penn State's wide receivers aren't able to demonstrate a credible vertical threat, Allen may struggle against loaded boxes. If the Nittany Lions' passing game is unable to take the attention of Allen, it'll be hard for him to find much success as he relies on running through defenders rather than around them. Realistic outlook for 2025 Based on Allen's steady output over the past three seasons, another 1,000-yard campaign seems likely, particularly if Penn State enjoys a deep postseason run. Without Tyler Warren competing for red-zone targets, Allen could see his touchdown total reach double digits. Sustaining his postseason form into the regular season would solidify his status as one of the nation's elite running backs. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Kaytron Allen primed for another 1,000-yard season

James Franklin focused on Penn State's big goals, not hype, in 2025
James Franklin focused on Penn State's big goals, not hype, in 2025

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

James Franklin focused on Penn State's big goals, not hype, in 2025

As Penn State head coach James Franklin approached the microphone for his annual round at the podium for Big Ten football media day on Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas, he did so with the eyes of the college football world on him like never before. Penn State arrived at Big Ten media day with many around the nation considering the Nittany Lions a top threat in the conference, and perhaps more. That rising pressure was not lost on the head coach of the program, who is no stranger to talking about his position being under pressure in the big moments during his career at Penn State. "There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that," Franklin said to the media at the annual Big Ten football media day event, referring to the offseason talk placing high expectations on Penn State. "We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. There's a lot of people that are excited on a national level talking about us." Penn State returns a roster with an experienced starting quarterback (Drew Allar), a dynamic running back duo (Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen), a talented defense under a new high profile defensive coordinator, and a wide receiver unit boosted by additions form the transfer portal to help the one biggest concern on the roster coming off the 2024 season. Penn State played for a Big Ten championship and reached the College Football Playoff semifinal, and was as close to playing for a national title as they have been under Franklin to this point. "We had what a lot of people would consider a really good season last year," Franklin said. "We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high." Penn State has been appearing at the top of many preseason rankings and polls this offseason despite not being the defending Big Ten champion (Oregon) or the reigning national champion (Ohio State). Penn State faces both of those teams in the 2025 season and lost to both last season. But Franklin is not wasting time worrying about the preseason hype train running at full steam. "It's a great conversation, but who really cares about preseason rankings? They mean nothing," Franklin said. "It's a good argument to have and everybody has fun with it, but the only rankings that matter are the ones that happen at the end of the season, and that's what we're concerned about. The only way we'll do that is by handling our business today." Penn State begins its season at home on Aug. 30 with a home game against Nevada. View the full 2025 Penn State football schedule and updated kickoff times. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: James Franklin embraces expectations on Penn State in 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store