Blue White Illustrated

WRESTLING STILL HUNGRY After winning Big Tens, the Lions look to claim their third consecutive national title WHEN March 21-23 WHERE Iowa State, Cael Sanderson's alma mater, is playing host to the tournament at the Wells Fargo Center in Des Moines. The Cyclones may be considered the home team in the near-17,000-seat arena, but Iowa, too, will be out in full force. The Hawkeyes consider this their home territory. AT STAKE A threepeat, of course. After cruising to a Big Ten tournament title, Penn State is the clear favorite for a third consecutive NCAA championship, a feat that would match Iowa's run in 2008-10. Defending national champion David Taylor is poised to have the match of his life vs. Cornell senior Kyle Dake. And since ESPN and the NCAA will air the 165-pound final as the very last bout of the tournament, more eyes are expected to be on this matchup than any in history. LAST SEASON Heavily favored Penn State took St. Louis by storm in 2012, winning its second consecutive NCAA team championship while crowning three individual champions. In all, Penn State tallied 143.5 team points. It was the highest point total in school history, the most by any Division I program in seven years and 25.5 more than second-place Minnesota. Six Nittany Lions earned All-America laurels, five of whom are back in 2013. BEST FINISH Thirty-six points separated Penn State's title run last year from its title run in 2011, so technically, 2012 was the best year in school history. Before 2011, Penn State hadn't won a title since 1953. FAVORITES Unless Oklahoma State makes a run, the national title is going to stay within the Big Ten. But that doesn't necessarily mean the results of the conference tournament will translate to NCAAs. It's a larger, more complex tournament than Big Tens, and since individual results are bound to be different, team results could fluctuate, too. For the entire season, Penn State has sat atop Intermat's Tournament Power Index. So the Nittany Lions are certainly the favorite, but they aren't as heavily fa- MAIN EVENT The NCAA and ESPN changed the format of the NCAA championships so the 165-pound final – presumably between Taylor and Cornell's Kyle Dake – will be the last bout of the tournament. NCAA TOURNAMENT PREVIEW M A R C H Steve Manuel vored as the 2012 squad. Minnesota was nipping at Penn State's heels throughout the Big Ten tournament, and the Gophers appear to be the Lions' biggest threat. Iowa is dangerous, too. Sure, the Hawkeyes didn't crown even one Big Ten champ – the first time that's happened in seven years – but that could be the motivation they need. They have at least three individuals who could be standing atop the podium, and that's what they'll need in order to dethrone Penn State. DARK HORSE It's extremely unlikely that a program other than Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota or Oklahoma State will take the team crown. They are just too loaded with bonus-point firepower. Ohio State, however, has spent most of the season ranked in the top five. If the Stieber brothers reach their respective finals and some of the top teams falter, the Buckeyes could squeeze their way into the top four. As for the smaller programs, look for Central Michigan to make a push into the top 10. Also, North Dakota State has a few upset-minded wrestlers who could shake up the final results. OW CANDIDATES Whoever wins the 165pound blockbuster – that's assuming Taylor and Dake do actually meet – will 2 0 , 2 0 1 3 10 likely be the favorite. But Penn State's Ed Ruth has been nearly untouchable during the regular season, and if he steamrolls through the 184-pound bracket like he did a year ago at 174, he will deserve strong consideration. The NCAA announces the Hodge Trophy afterward, too, and there's a strong sentiment within the the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex that, with another title, Ruth should be named the top collegiate wrestler in the country. PENN STATE'S OUTLOOK Penn State has the bonus-point firepower to win its third title in a row. But it won't come easy – not with the tournament taking place in Hawkeye territory. The Nittany Lions could send at least five wrestlers to the championship round, but, realistically, they could also finish with only one individual champ. Meanwhile, Iowa could have three wrestlers standing atop the podium when it's all said and done, and Oklahoma State and Minnesota could have at least two. They are the biggest threats to Penn State, so look for this team race to come down to the final few bouts. During the past two seasons, Penn State clinched the team title before the final round even began. That's unlikely to happen this year. – TIM OWEN B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M

• Cover