For the past two years, Penn State and Ohio State have finished as the top two teams in the country at the national tournament. This Friday, the three-time defending champ Nittany Lions take their 55 dual win streak to Columbus to face the Buckeyes.

Just like last year, PSU enters as the favorite but facing some uncertainty due to injuries. If every starter goes, there will be 17 ranked wrestlers and eight matchups of ranked vs. ranked athletes. But Shakur Rasheed and Roman Bravo-Young both might not wrestle, and Jarod Verkleeren has been used in place of Brady Berge the past several duals.

This dual will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network at 8:30 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 8. Penn State has won three straight against Ohio State, with the last Buckeye win being 22-15 on Jan. 11, 2015. As head coach of the Nittany Lions, Cael Sanderson is 7-2 in this rivalry, with every dual coming against Tom Ryan. In total, Ryan is 5-8 against Penn State during his time in Columbus.

On to the full preview, with predictions!

125 Pounds: Malik Heinselman (OSU) vs. Devin Schnupp (PSU)

Starting off with a bang! The only match of the dual without a ranked wrestler. The true freshman Heinselman enters with a 19-5 record after winning the Edinboro Open last weekend. A three-time age level world team member, he has an excellent duck-under series. Schnupp picked up his first Big Ten dual win last weekend 5-2 over Liam Cronin of Indiana, giving him a common opponent over Heinselman, who has split matches with Cronin this season.

Prediction: Ohio State 3-0 Penn State

133 Pounds: #6 Luke Pletcher (OSU) vs. Scott Stossel (PSU)

While I don't expect to see Roman Bravo-Young in this dual, Cael Sanderson made it clear that Stossel would be the option if RBY doesn't wrestle. I was dubious that Pletcher could put up bonus, but the way it was posed to me, "Pletcher doesn't often see Scott Stossel," which is less a dig at Stossel and more just a statement that no team's backup should be reasonably expected to hold an All-American to a decision. Still, the junior picked up bonus in eight of his first nine matches of the season, but since then it's been all decision or losses. He's bonused less than a quarter of his college opponents, and I think Stossel holds him to a 7-point decision.

Prediction: Ohio State 6-0 Penn State

141 Pounds: #2 Joey McKenna (OSU) vs. #6 Nick Lee (PSU)

One of only two repeat bouts from last year and perhaps the featured match of the dual. After getting the first takedown, McKenna gave up an escape and takedown to trail 3-2 heading into the second. A controversial takedown call at the end of the second made it 4-4 going into the final frame, where McKenna escaped twice but gave up another takedown; he would ultimately win on a riding-time point. Based on their performances this season, there is nothing to suggest that Lee is favored going in, however, the match last year should at least leave open the possibility of a Nittany Lion victory. Especially considering that McKenna was listed as day-to-day last week and did not wrestle in either dual over the weekend.

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Prediction: Ohio State 9-0 Penn State

149 Pounds: #3 Micah Jordan (OSU) vs. Jarod Verkleeren (PSU)

Whether #12 Brady Berge or Jarod Verkleeren goes for Penn State, the Buckeyes will be a heavy favorite here. This will be one of tOSU's opportunities to pick up bonus points and put pressure on the visitors. Considering Verkleeren just lost to Malik Amine, and Berge is possibly injured or at least not at 100 percent, a major is very much in play. The St. John Arena crowd will need to be involved in this match from start to finish to try to help Micah pick up stalling calls and finish periods on top. Whether the major happens here or at 133, I think the team score will be the same after four matches.

Prediction: Ohio State 13-0 Penn State

157 Pounds: #8 Ke-Shawn Hayes (OSU) vs. #1 Jason Nolf (PSU)

This is where the tide starts turning in Penn State's favor. Hayes has been majored three times in his career, and the only time he's been teched was in last year's dual against Zain Retherford. This one has the makings of Nolf playing catch and release for two periods before trying to drop the hammer in the third. Let's also not forget that Hayes is one of the smaller 157s in the country, which makes his #8 ranking all the more impressive but won't help him here against the Hodge contender.

Prediction: Ohio State 13-4 Penn State

165 Pounds: Te'Shan Campbell (OSU) vs. #1 Vincenzo Joseph (PSU)

Top-ranked Vincenzo Joseph has wrestled Te'Shan Campbell twice in college: a 9-5 victory in November 2016 when Campbell was still at Pitt, and the 12-3 win in last year's dual between OSU and PSU. One of those points came off a hands to the face call in the second, which is strange to see given how that penalty has affected this season. Winning by four (plus riding time) with 90 seconds to go, Cenzo picked up two takedowns plus earned two stall calls to push the match to a major. It'll be hard to count on points like that on the road, plus the Nittany Lion took Campbell down with under 20 seconds left in the second and third periods. All that being said, the PSU junior is having the best season his career and is showing more offense than ever before. Campbell is also coming down from starting the season at 174 and may feel some effects of a weight cut, so I'm thinking he gets majored once again.

Prediction: Ohio State 13-8 Penn State

174 Pounds: #17 Ethan Smith (OSU) vs. #1 Mark Hall (PSU)

The Buckeyes have finally figured out their 174 situation, and many fans in Ohio are happy about it due to Smith's ability to get to legs. But that's a style that plays right into Hall's hands and could end costing the Scarlet and Gray. If Penn State pulls within a point heading into the final three bouts, two of which they are favored in, there may be a collective tightening of air in the crowd.

Prediction: Ohio State 13-12 Penn State

184 Pounds: #1 Myles Martin (OSU) vs. #6 Shakur Rasheed (PSU)

The senior Buckeye has been on absolute tear this year, looking like the best wrestler in the country on his feet. A Shakur Rasheed that's not healthy, or an undersized Mason Manville, is going to have a very difficult time keeping Martin off their legs. It might come in the form of a misdirection and could take the first period to get a beat on him, but Martin is one of the best in the country at timing his opponent's defense from neutral. Be sure to check out Mike Mal's tech notes for this one, too!

Prediction: Ohio State 17-12 Penn State

197 Pounds: #2 Kollin Moore (OSU) vs. #1 Bo Nickal (PSU)

Although this season has been criticized for the lack of marquee matchups, this will be the fifth time we've seen #1 vs #2 happen already. Look, if there's one person who can upset Bo Nickal, it's Kollin Moore. That being said, how can one reasonably pick Moore when he lost to Anthony Cassar last season? With home field advantage, I think Moore can hold it to a decision. But Nickal has proven over and over to be a thorn in the side of the Buckeyes.

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Prediction: Ohio State 17-15 Penn State

285 Pounds: #16 Chase Singletary (OSU) vs. #3 Anthony Cassar (PSU)

That means it all comes down to heavyweight. Cassar's only loss thus far is to Derek White, someone who is much larger than Singletary and able to control center far better. When Cassar takes on someone less athletic than him who isn't an absolute hammer on top, he's bound to get a bunch of takedowns. To that point, he has 78 takedowns this season in 18 matches. White held him without one, he has two first period falls where he took his opponent down and pinned them right away, and has picked up three takedowns or more in every other match. On average, Cassar is scoring a takedown about every 51 seconds of time he spends in neutral.

Prediction: Ohio State 17-18 Penn State