OKLAHOMA CITY -- When No. 4 Penn State heard that its chances of winning the national team title were slim and none, they didn't listen.

Instead, eight wrestlers are headed to the quarterfinals as the Lions are third after day 1 of the NCAA Championships. Iowa and Oklahoma State are first and second, respectively.

"I thought they did a great job today," Coach Rich Lorenzo said. "They were focused and wrestled with a lot of intensity. They wrestled like they understood why they're here."

On a day that saw about 25 upsets at the championships, Lion 177-pounder Matt White (11-8-1) pulled off the biggest one when he defeated No. 2-seed Matt Johnson of Iowa State in sudden-death overtime, 2-1.

Despite being exhausted after wrestling for over ten minutes, the All-American rolled out for an escape 30 seconds into the extra period.

"I may have looked out of it, but in practice we were doing 11 minute matches, which was 30 seconds longer than this match," he said. "I was trying to be smart and not get out of position."

Senior Bob Truby (25-3-2), in a surprising move, dominated on top in both of his matches. With his strong riding ability, the fourth-seeded Truby easily advanced to the quarterfinals.

"Bob really didn't have a break all year," Lorenzo said. "He went through a period where he got a little stale and he had to work his way out of it."

Another hot wrestler has been sixth-seeded Adam Mariano at 190. The redshirt sophomore (12-1-1) avenged his only lost of the season on a takedown with 20 seconds left to defeat Dan Troupe of Iowa State.

"It's a matter of wanting it," Mariano said. "I've wanted the national championship since I got to Penn State. There's no use waiting for it. Now's as good a time as any to win it. I just have to go out and take it."

At 158 Tim Wittman (18-6) continued to wrestle like a man possessed. After two workmanlike efforts, the two-time All-American will meet third-seeded Ray Millere of Arizona State this afternoon.

Third-seeded Dave Hart (31-1) easily handled his half of the bracket with two decisions. He now faces sleeper Jacob Garcia of Army who knocked off the No. 6 and 11 seeds at 167.

Defending 118-pound champion Jeff Prescott (27-1) overcame tightness in his first match to score a technical fall at 6:02, 17-1. The two-time All-American was sharper in his second bout as he pinned Lock Haven's Brian Slates at the 2:51 mark.

Contrary to popular opinion, Prescott said that he doesn't feel any different this time around.

"I just have to wrestle the way I wrestle," he said. "I don't feel any extra pressure. If anything it's good pressure."

Lorenzo, however, detected some tension in his tri-captain.

"I don't know if he's stepped it up," he said. "There's more pressure on him this year. He's wrestling a little tighter in his technique."

While White and Wittman were excelling, Troy Sunderland and Shawn Nelson struggled. Sunderland (23-2-2) needed to rally in both of his matches. He trailed Rick Monge, 5-3, in the first period before taking over and securing a 12-6 win.

"The first two takedowns, he (Monge) got me reacting," Sunderland said. "He faked me good and caught me standing still. I wasn't ready for his stuff. He has a good shot and he caught me reaching."

After a major decision in his first NCAA match, Nelson (26-2-2) was in retreat mode as he escaped with a 5-3 win over Marquette's Mike Pasdo. He will now face second-seeded Babak Mohammadi this afternoon.

"I was too tentative," Nelson said. "With me being the sophomre, I really have nothing to lose. I have to open up more. I feel bad because I didn't do that."

Lorenzo's only concern at this point is freshman John Hughes, the only Lion who didn't reach the quarterfinals. In a bout plagued by suspect officiating Edinboro's Tom Shefflet avenged two earlier losses to Hughes (21-8-2) with a 4-2 decision.

"John's a four-time state champ," Lorenzo said. "He's never had to wrestleback before. It's gonna' be a tough experience for him. He just got his heart broken because no matter what the rankings say, he felt that he was going to be a champion."

The freshman quickly rebounded, however, winning his first consolation bout at 1:45 of the overtime period over third-seeded Ryan Sugai of Oregon State with a takedown.

At this stage in the game there's nothing else the coaches can do for their wrestlers.

"They have to go out and wrestle the same way they did today," Lorenzo said. "There's not much we can say to them right now. They have to feel it in their heart."