STATE COLLEGE — For the first time all season, Penn State wrestling took a real punch and for a brief moment Friday night, it looked like Nebraska might keep swinging.
The sixth-ranked Cornhuskers matched the top-ranked Nittany Lions early inside the Bryce Jordan Center, trading wins and momentum and heading into intermission trailing by just one point. Nebraska scored nine team points in the opening half, more than Penn State had allowed in any dual all year.
That was as close as it got.
Penn State’s lineup of top-ranked stars asserted itself after the break, methodically pulling away to secure a 26-12 victory and extend its NCAA-record winning streak to 83 straight dual meets. The Lions improved to 12-0 on the season and have now outscored opponents by a staggering 506-31. They also continued a remarkable home dominance, remaining unbeaten in State College for 11 consecutive years.
Second-half surge seals it
Once the dual reached the middle weights, the outcome felt inevitable. Penn State rattled off four straight wins from 165 through 197 pounds, turning a tight contest into a comfortable lead.
At 165 pounds, No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink overwhelmed seventh-ranked LJ Araujo. After three takedowns in the first period, Mesenbrink never eased up, piling on points and cruising to a 20-5 technical fall — his 16th win of the season — to give Penn State breathing room.
That momentum carried into 174 pounds, where No. 1 Levi Haines delivered one of the night’s most impressive performances. Facing fourth-ranked Christopher Minto, Haines pushed the pace throughout and broke a late tie with a takedown in the final minute, earning an 8-5 victory and extending the Lions’ lead to 18-9.
At 184, top-ranked Rocco Welsh was in full control from the opening whistle. Welsh scored early and often against No. 6 Silas Allred, securing bonus points with a major decision and pushing Penn State’s advantage to 22-9.
Josh Barr followed at 197 pounds with another dominant showing. The No. 1 sophomore dismantled Camden McDaniel, building a 12-3 lead after one period and eventually winning 21-9. Though Barr surrendered his first takedown of the season late, the result was never in doubt as Penn State surged ahead 26-9.
Nebraska battles early
Nebraska’s strongest stretch came in the opening half, when the Cornhuskers showed they were not intimidated by the defending champions.
At 125 pounds, Penn State’s Luke Lilledahl wasted no time, scoring three first-period takedowns and rolling to a 20-4 technical fall over Alan Koehler to open the night.
Freshman Marcus Blaze kept the momentum going at 133, remaining undefeated with a composed 5-1 win over Jacob Van Dee.
The dual took a dramatic turn at 141 pounds. Penn State’s Braeden Davis jumped out to a fast start against No. 4 Brock Hardy, leading 6-2 after one period. Hardy stormed back in the second, however, and eventually pinned Davis late in the bout. The Lions were also docked a team point following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, shrinking their lead to just one point after three matches.
Nebraska stayed close at 157 pounds, where national champion Antrell Taylor handed Penn State freshman PJ Duke the first loss of his collegiate career. After a scoreless first period and a 1-1 regulation, Taylor escaped in the tiebreaker and held on for a 2-1 decision, giving Nebraska its narrowest margin of the night.
Shayne Van Ness steadied the ship at 149 pounds. The top-ranked Lion surrendered an early takedown for the second straight match but responded with a strong finish, scoring twice in the third period to defeat Chance Lamer and send Penn State into halftime with a slim 10-9 advantage.
Final bout
At heavyweight, redshirt freshman Cole Mirasola capped the night with a gritty effort against fourth-ranked AJ Ferrari. Mirasola battled to a late tie but ultimately fell 2-1 on riding time, closing out the dual.
By then, the result was already decided.
Penn State proved again that even when challenged, its depth, discipline and elite talent are unmatched. Nebraska landed the first blows, but the Lions’ championship core took over when it mattered most — just as it has throughout a historic run that shows no signs of slowing.
