The best wrestling dual of all-time? No. 1 Penn State vs. No. 2 Ohio State

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Penn State beats Rutgers 25-15 in B1G wrestling

By Bill Evans

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

On Saturday night, No. 1 Penn State hosts No. 2 Ohio State in what has some in the wrestling community considering it the greatest dual meet of all-time. 

Buckeye senior heavyweight Kyle Snyder, he of the two NCAA titles, two world championships and an Olympic gold, suggested as much in a series of tweets earlier this month, listing the eight NCAA champs, 23 All-American honors and about 90 percent of both lineups ranked in the top 20 nationally, including 11 in the top two of their weight class. 

One of Penn State's five NCAA champs - 157-pounder Jason Nolf - will miss the dual with a knee injury suffered in a match with Rutgers' John VanBrill on Sunday. Nolf's absence could be a potential 9-10 point swing. 

Still, it's a match the wrestling world will be tuning into, especially since it's at least on the Big Ten Network where most people can tune in. 

OSU senior the best wrestler in the world

"Yeah man, we've got to get this sport pumping and get it going with events like this," said Ohio state junior 184-pounder Myles Martin, who will compete in the marquee match of the dual against Bo Nickal. "There's a lot of promotion and the sport needs it as wrestling is becoming more and more popular. This match will be sick no matter what, and fans are going to love it. It'll be something to talk about when we graduate. Remember 1 vs. 2. All the national champs, world champs, it's dope. It's sick just to talk about it." 

While Martin acknowledged the importance of the dual and the attention it will receive, he's trying to compartmentalize his thoughts on what he needs to do against Nickal, who he will be facing for the seventh time in three years. 

Nickal, who won the 184-pound national title last year, is 4-2 against Martin, who captured the 174-pound NCAA crown two years ago over Nickal in Madison Square Garden. 

Both wrestlers are undefeated this year. Nickal is coming off a close 6-5 win over Rutgers' Nick Gravina, while Martin had been steamrolling all comers - though was taken down twice recently against Iowa's Mitch Bowman in a still comfortable 17-8 win. 

Martin and Nickal could meet again in the finals of the Big Ten and NCAAs, so this could be Round 1 of 3. 

"I'm excited to see what happens," said Martin, a Penns Grove native. "I'm not putting any extra pressure on myself. I'm really interested to see if my moves work on better competition. I've been preparing, trying to replicate the last few matches as if I was facing Bo. 

"Guys get in on him and make small mistakes and he'll scramble out and get two. I've been wrestling pretty good, but I made some small technical errors against iowa and I'm glad I did. It gave me something to work on. I'm just going to try to clear my mind."

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan complained this week about the match being held in Penn State's tiny Rec Hall venue - denying tickets to Ohio State and its fans. 

"It (stinks) it's a smaller venue and we won't have the fan support," said Martin. "But we can only control what we can control and that's our effort in every match. 

"It should be a pretty big hostile environment, so we'll be prepared for anything. It's going to be a pretty crazy atmosphere and we just have to be ready to go." 

While Penn State arguably has more overall star power - even without Nolf - Ohio State is clearly more balanced with a ranked wrestler at every weight. The Buckeyes should be strongly favored at 125, 133, 157 (without Nolf), 197 and 285 - where they have the best wrestler in the world.

Former Montgomery state champion and Penn State sophomore Anthony Cassar, who has been splitting time at 197, said the magnitude of the dual wouldn't affect the Nittany Lions. 

"I think our guys are pretty consistent no matter where we go, whether we're wrestling matches Friday in the room or in Jersey or at home against Ohio State, we'll be the same people no matter what," said Cassar. "We're all making each other get better, this is what I signed up for, to be on a national title team. That's what I'm training for and thinking about every day." 

Cassar could draw the assignment at 197 pounds for Penn State against No. 1 ranked Kollin Moore. With Nolf's injury, Penn State may need an upset or two along the way to pull off the win. 

"Really looking forward to it, I've said it before, in my mind I'm No. 1 so every guy I go against is faceless and formless in my mind, so whoever it is I'll go out there the same," said Cassar. 

However, it turns out the wrestling community will be watching. 

"It will be great for wrestling," said Rutgers coach Scott Goodale. "It's what wrestling needs. You want to see the two best teams wrestle each other and decide something and it's exactly what this sport needs. It needs days like (Rutgers' sold-out dual meet against Penn State) more often than not.

"As far as who wins, I don't know. It's a great match. I'll tune in and watch for sure. I'll be a fan of it."

 Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Like our NJ.com High School Wrestling Facebook Page.