Since the beginning of the season, Coach John Fritz knew the dual-meet success of the wrestling team would depend heavily on some freshmen.

Since last October, three first-year competitors have been penciled in the Lions' lineup.

This weekend, that number may double.

When Penn State takes to the mat, there will likely be six wrestlers getting their first tastes of the Big Ten title race. The Lions will battle Ohio State at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Rec Hall, then travel to Michigan for matches against the Spartans at noon and the Wolverines at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

"If six guys get out there and wrestle the right way at the right time, you can beat anybody," Fritz said. "We're real inexperienced, but they're hustling and they have good attitudes about it."

While the Buckeyes (No. 18) and Wolverines (No. 20) are ranked, the premier matchup of the weekend will be when the No. 4 Lions take on the No. 6 Spartans.

Despite Michigan State's lower ranking, Fritz feels his team is the underdog in the dual meet.

"I think that's something that coaches like to say," Spartan Coach Tom Minkel said. "It's always psychologically easier to be the challenger. I think it will be a good (dual meet), decided by a close match or two."

Whether Fritz feels the Lions are truly an underdog or not, the Lions will need some, if not all, of the following freshmen to step up:

-- Shawn Fishburn has an especially daunting task Sunday when he faces No. 3 Kelvin Jackson of Michigan State, a favorite to take the NCAA title.

"It's always more fun to wrestle a guy that's more of a challenge," said Fishburn. "But I just have to stick to my usual game plan."

-- Clint Musser was expected to drop to 134 pounds by tomorrow, but because John Hughes will have to sit out this weekend, Musser will compete at 142. Hughes has not been able to practice with the team lately due to a commitment to lab work for a class deferred from last semester.

-- John Lange will have a tough weekend as well, facing two ranked opponents -- No. 7 Chad Bailey of Michigan State and No. 8 Rick Monge of Ohio State.

"I expect every match to be a war," Lange said. "Other than that, I don't know what to expect. I know there aren't going to be any cake walks."

-- Glenn Pritzlaff is now mired in tight race at 158 pounds. In wrestle-offs this week, Pritzlaff, Tony Bobulinski, and Matt Postlethwait all went 1-1. The starting spot will likely be alternated among the three.

All three Lion opponents at 158 are currently ranked in the top 12.

-- The Lions will also be starting two redshirt freshmen -- Eric Smith at 134 and Rob Neidlinger at 177 -- who have been with the program for a year, but have seen very limited action.