Have we slipped versus the world or is it my imagination? Especially the men.

For the men, don't expect another Michael Phelps but do we even have an individual gold?

For the women, Katie Ledecky is great at the 1,500 meter and should win the 800 meter but besides that the Australian women clearly dominate us.

From watching the races, my observation is that we fade the last 50 meters, no closing speed.

How about we call a one week truce on any bashing of rival schools while our men and women are competing against the rest of the world.

For the next week the cheer will be:

WE ARE …. USA!!!!!!

Give me your projected starters.

Class of 2026 defensive end/outside linebacker Zion Elee announced his top-five schools on Saturday: Penn State, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon.

He has built a relationship with PSU defensive line coach Deion Barnes and is well aware of Penn State's track record of developing edge rushers. Distance from home also in the Nittany Lions' favor, but there is tough competition.

Full thoughts from Elee here on the Nittany Lions and his other top teams:

Login to view embedded media The Northeast region is strong with interior offensive line prospects, boasting the top-two offensive guard prospects in the 2026 class.

Currently, Tyler Merrill out of Cumberland Valley High in Pennsylvania holds down the top spot in the positional ranking, while Darius Gray out of St. Christopher's School in Virginia is the No. 2 guard. This battle will be something to watch when the next 2026 update is released.

Merrill is a little bigger at 6-foot-5, 305 pounds, compared with Gray at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds. However, the two have very similar wingspans (with Gray actually having a slightly longer wingspan).
Both are highly coveted prospects, with Merrill pushing close to 30 scholarship offers and Gray inching closer to 40 offers. Merrill is coming off of a visit with Notre Dame, while Gray was most recently at Florida State.

It will be interesting to see if Gray gets the nod over Merrill this time around, or if Merrill can hold onto the top spot once again.

Login to view embedded media Moving on to the 2026 class, Harrisburg (Pa.) offensive tackle Kevin Brown was one of the standouts at the Rivals Five-Star event and earned recognition as being one of the very best offensive linemen there, despite several class of 2025 trench players in attendance.

Brown has an impressive, muscular build at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds and plays with a mean streak in between the whistles. After stonewalling many defenders in front of Rivals' evaluators in Jacksonville, Brown squarely put himself in the five-star prospect conversation.

Brown certainly looks like one of the top tackles in his class. However, while the recent Penn State commit is in consideration for five-star status, it is a difficult group to join and a question the analysts need to ponder.

Kirk Herbstreit on Pat McAfee Show mentions Penn State as a threat to make the College Football Playoff.

"I think in the Big Ten, if their quarterback can step up, Drew Allar and Penn State are always a threat. They are close."

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Starting in 2010, of course, when wrestling was invented . . . I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at some old names, circumstances, and outcomes in anticipation of the big match tomorrow night. These results (and associated rankings) are copied from the pertinent PSU post-match news release. I took the liberty of inserting some notes and highlighting "on-paper" upsets of ranked wrestlers.



2010: Iowa 29-6
2011: Iowa 22-13
2012: PSU 22-12
2013: Iowa 22-16
2014: PSU 24-12*
2015: Iowa 18-12
2016: no dual (Iowa declined non-conference)
2017: PSU 26-11
2018: PSU 28-13
2019: no dual (Iowa again declined non-conference)
2020: Iowa 19-17
2021: no dual (Iowa got COVID)
2022: PSU 19-13
*Non-conference dual, actually wrestled Dec 2013

Series Record: PSU 5, Iowa 5



2010 (at Iowa) -- #1 Iowa 29, #13 Penn State 6
125: #4 Matt McDonough IOWA dec. #12 Brad Pataky PSU, 7-2 / 0-3
133: #6 Daniel Dennis IOWA maj. dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU, 17-7 / 0-7
141: Adam Lynch PSU dec. #5 Montel Marion IOWA, 8-6 (sv) / 3-7
149: #1 Brent Metcalf IOWA pinned #5 Frank Molinaro PSU, WBF (3:56) / 3-13
157: Jake Kerr IOWA dec. #5 Cyler Sanderson PSU, 4-2 / 3-16
165: #5 Ryan Morningstar IOWA dec. #8 Dan Vallimont PSU, 2-0 / 3-19
174: #2 Jay Borschel IOWA maj. dec. Justin Ortega PSU, 14-2 / 3-23
184: #13 David Erwin PSU dec. #7 Phil Keddy IOWA, 6-4 / 6-23
197: Luke Lofthouse IOWA dec. Clay Steadman PSU, 5-2 / 6-26
285: #9 Dan Erekson IOWA dec. #11 Cameron Wade PSU, 6-1 / 6-29

Upsets: PSU 2, Iowa 1



2011 (at PSU) -- #8 Iowa 22, #1 Penn State 13
125: #2 Matt McDonough IOWA pinned Nathan Morgan PSU, WBF (4:16) / 0-6
133: #10 Tony Ramos IOWA dec. #5 Andrew Long PSU, 3-2 / 0-9
141: *Montell Marion IOWA dec. #5 Andrew Alton PSU, 11-9 / 0-12
149: #5 Frank Molinaro PSU dec. #15 Mark Ballweg IOWA, 10-3 / 3-12
157: #3 David Taylor PSU maj. dec. Derek St. John IOWA, 12-4 / 7-12
165: #14 Aaron Janssen IOWA dec. Jake Kemerer PSU, 6-2 / 7-15
174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU dec. #13 Ethan Lofthouse IOWA, 10-3 / 10-15
184: #16 Grant Gambrall IOWA dec. #6 Quentin Wright PSU, 8-3 / 10-18
197: #14 Luke Lofthouse IOWA maj. dec. Justin Ortega PSU, 17-6 / 10-22
285: #5 Cameron Wade PSU dec. Blake Raising IOWA, 1-0 / 13-22
*Returning national runner-up, not ranked (first match back from Permanent Suspension)

Upsets: Iowa 2, PSU 0



2012 (at PSU) -- #3 Penn State 22, #2 IOWA 12
125: #2 Matt McDonough IOWA dec. #8 Nico Megaludis PSU, 3-1 (sv) / 0-3
133: #3 Tony Ramos IOWA pinned Frank Martellotti PSU, WBF (4:20) / 0-9
141: #3 Montell Marion IOWA dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU, 7-3 / 0-12
149: #1 Frank Molinaro PSU dec. Mike Kelly IOWA, 11-5 / 3-12
157: #8 Dylan Alton PSU dec. Nick Moore IOWA, 5-3 / 6-12
165: #1 David Taylor PSU dec. #6 Mike Evans IOWA, 9-4 / 9-12
174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU maj. dec. #9 Ethan Lofthouse IOWA, 10-1 / 13-12
184: #2 Quentin Wright PSU dec. Vinnie Wagner IOWA, 8-2 / 16-12
197: #12 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. Grant Gambrall IOWA, 5-3 (sv) / 19-12
285: #6 Cameron Wade PSU dec. Blake Raising IOWA, 4-0 / 22-12

Upsets: none



2013 (at Iowa) -- #3 Iowa 22, #1 Penn State 16
125: #1 Matt McDonough IOWA dec. #2 Nico Megaludis PSU, 2-1 (TB) / 0-3
133: #2 Tony Ramos IOWA pinned Jordan Conaway PSU, WBF (4:23) / 0-9
141: #8 Matt Ballweg IOAW maj. dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU, 12-2 / 0-13
149: #8 Andrew Alton PSU maj. dec. Brody Grothus IOWA, 18-8 / 4-13
157: #1 Derek St. John IOWA dec. #5 Dylan Alton PSU, 4-3 / 4-16
165: #2 David Taylor PSU tech fall #13 Nick Moore IOWA, 18-2 (TF; 6:42) / 9-16
174: #6 Mike Evans IOWA dec. #4 Matt Brown PSU, 4-3 / 9-19
184: #1 Ed Ruth PSU maj. dec. Grant Gambrall IOWA, 21-10 / 13-19
197: #3 Quentin Wright PSU dec. #19 Nathan Burak IOWA, 8-3 / 16-19
285: #6 Bobby Telford IOWA dec. #17 Jon Gingrich PSU, 9-2 / 16-22

Upsets: Iowa 1, PSU 0



2014 (at Iowa, non-conference) -- #1 Penn State 24, #3 Iowa 12

125: #3 Nico Megaludis PSU dec. Thomas Gilman IOWA, 4-1 / 3-0
133: #3 Tony Ramos IOWA pinned #15 Jimmy Gulibon PSU, WBF (5:22) / 3-6
141: #8 Zain Retherford PSU dec. #9 Josh Dziewa IOWA, 4-2 / 6-6
149: Zack Beitz PSU dec. Michael Kelly IOWA, 6-1 / 9-6
157: #1 Derek St. John IOWA dec. James Vollrath PSU , 10-4 / 9-9
165: #1 David Taylor PSU maj. dec. #4 Nick Moore, 12-3 / 13-9
174: #3 Matt Brown PSU dec. #6 Mike Evans IOWA, 4-1 / 16-9
184: #1 Ed Ruth PSU maj. dec. #2 Ethan Lofthouse IOWA, 12-4 / 20-9
197: #3 Morgan McIntosh PSU maj. dec. Sam Brooks IOWA, 16-4 / 24-9
285: #3 Bobby Telford IOWA dec. #12 Jimmy Lawson PSU, 3-2 / 24-12

Upsets: none



2015 (at PSU) -- #1 Iowa 18, #5 Penn State 12
125: #5 Thomas Gilman IOWA dec. #8 Jordan Conaway PSU, 6-5 / 0-3
133: #7 Jimmy Gulibon PSU dec. #3 Cory Clark IOWA, 8-5 / 3-3
141: #6 Josh Dziewa IOWA dec. Kade Moss PSU, 9-4 / 3-6
149: #2 Brandon Sorensen IOWA dec. #18 Zack Beitz PSU, 6-4 / 3-9
157: #15 Michael Kelly IOWA dec. Luke Frey PSU, 7-4 / 3-12
165: Garett Hammond PSU dec. #7 Nick Moore IOWA, 4-2 / 6-12
174: #3 Matt Brown PSU dec. #2 Mike Evans IOWA, 2-0 / 9-12
184: #8 Sammy Brooks dec. #17 Matt McCutcheon PSU, 7-1 / 9-15
197: #4 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. #6 Nathan Burak IOWA, 7-1 / 12-15
285: #2 Bobby Telford IOWA dec. #6 Jimmy Lawson PSU, 3-0 / 12-18

Upsets: PSU 3, Iowa 0



2016 (no dual) -- Iowa declined non-conference match



2017 (at Iowa) -- #2 Penn State 26, #3 Iowa 11
125: #1 Thomas Gilman IOWA dec. #3 Nick Suriano PSU, 3-2 / 0-3
133: #3 Cory Clark IOWA tech fall George Carpenter PSU, 19-4 (TF; 7:00) / 0-8
141: #12 Jimmy Gulibon PSU dec. #18 Topher Carton IOWA, 8-6 / 3-8
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU dec. (TB2) #3 Brandon Sorensen IOWA, 9-8 / 6-8
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU dec. #2 Michael Kemerer IOWA, 9-4 / 9-8
165: #4 Vincenzo Joseph PSU dec. Joey Gunther IOWA, 7-4 / 12-8
174: #13 Alex Meyer IOWA dec. *Mark Hall PSU, 7-5 / 12-11
184: #2 Bo Nickal PSU pinned #5 Sammy Brooks IOWA, WBF (0:38) / 18-11
197: #10 Matt McCutcheon PSU dec. Cash Wilcke IOWA, 8-7 (TB2; RT) / 21-11
285: #5 Nick Nevills PSU tech fall Steven Holloway IOWA, 26-11 (TF; 7:00) / 26-11
*Debut match, not ranked (consensus upset)

Upsets: Iowa 1, PSU 0



2018 (at PSU) -- #1 Penn State 28, #7 Iowa 13
125: #3 Spencer Lee IOWA pinned Carson Kuhn PSU, WBF (2:06) / 0-6
133: Corey Keener PSU dec. Paul Glynn IOWA, 5-2 / 3-6
141: #8 Nick Lee PSU dec. Vince Turk IOWA, 11-8 / 6-6
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU dec. No. 2 Brandon Sorensen IOWA, 6-2 / 9-6
157: #2 Michael Kemerer IOWA maj. dec. Bo Pipher PSU, 14-4 / 9-10
165: #7 Alex Marinelli IOWA dec. #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU, 9-6 / 9-13
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU pinned Joey Gunther IOWA, WBF (1:00) / 15-13
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Mitch Bowman IOWA, WBF (0:50) / 21-13
197: *Shakur Rasheed PSU maj. dec. #7 Cash Wilcke IOWA, 11-2 / 25-13
285: #6 Nick Nevills PSU dec. #3 Sam Stoll IOWA, 3-2 / 28-13
*Weight class unsettled for PSU, not ranked

Upsets: PSU 2, Iowa 1



2019 (no dual) -- Iowa again declined non-conference match



2020 (at Iowa) -- #1 Iowa 19, #5 Penn State 17
125: #1 Spencer Lee IOWA tech fall Brandon Meredith PSU, 16-1 (TF; 3:17) / 0-5
133: #3 Roman Bravo-Young PSU inj. def. #2 Austin DeSanto IOWA, Inj.Def. (1:50) / 6-4*
141: #2 Nick Lee PSU tech fall Carter Happel IOWA, 20-5 (TF; 5:53) / 11-4
149: #3 Pat Lugo IOWA dec. Jarod Verkleeren PSU, 6-1 / 11-7
157: #5 Kaleb Young IOWA dec. Bo Pipher PSU, 6-1 / 11-10
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU dec. #2 Alex Marinelli IOWA, 7-5 / 14-10
174: #2 Michael Kemerer dec. #1 Mark Hall PSU, 11-6 / 14-13
184: #9 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. #6 Abe Assad IOWA, 7-3 / 17-13
197: #7 Jacob Warner IOWA dec. #18 Shakur Rasheed PSU, 4-2 / 17-16
285: #3 Tony Cassioppi IOWA dec. #15 Seth Nevills PSU, 7-0 / 17-19
*Iowa deducted one team point

Upsets: PSU 2, Iowa 1



2021 (no dual) -- Iowa got COVID



2022 (at Iowa) -- #1 Penn State 19, #7 Iowa 13
125: #7 Drew Hildebrandt PSU maj. dec. Jesse Ybarra IOWA, 9-0 / 4-0
133: #1 Roman Bravo-Young PSU dec. #3 Austin DeSanto IOWA, 3-2 / 7-0
141: #1 Nick Lee PSU dec. #2 Jaydin Eierman IOWA, 6-4 (sv) / 10-0
149: #10 Max Murin IOWA dec. #19 Beau Bartlett PSU, 4-1 / 10-3
157: #12 Kaleb Young IOWA dec. Terrell Barraclough PSU, 2-0 / 10-6
165: #5 Alex Marinelli IOWA maj. dec. #11 Brady Berge PSU, 10-2 / 10-10
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU dec. #2 Michael Kemerer IOWA, 2-1 (tb) / 13-10
184: #1 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. #17 Abe Assad IOWA, 8-3 / 16-10
197: #2 Max Dean PSU dec. #4 Jacob Warner IOWA, 8-3 / 19-10
285: #5 Tony Cassioppi IOWA dec. #3 Greg Kerkvliet PSU, 7-2 / 19-13

Upsets: Iowa 1, PSU 0


Mean Avg. # Individual Upsets 2010-2022: PSU 0.9, Iowa 0.8

As previously mentioned, my wife and I are expecting well. We’re closing in on the proverbial toe meeting leather. Our little one is going to becoming tomorrow hopefully and we could not be more excited. That being said, I will no longer be able to make it to media day tomorrow, which will impact our coverage a bit for this weekend.

THE ONE MISSING BIT OF INFORMATION IS WHY.