The last time the Penn State wrestling team competed in the National Dual meet championships -- at the Bryce Jordan Center in 2001 -- it squared off against Oklahoma in the consolation round quarterfinals.

In that match, the Nittany Lions were like a kid thrown into the deep end of the pool. The Sooners dominated, winning 32-3 and dramatically emphasized the gulf in class that had come between Penn State and the country's elite teams.

How times have changed.

Penn State returned to the National Duals for the first time in three years this weekend in Cleveland and went 3-2, losing to Michigan and Missouri. The Lions beat Northern Iowa, Penn and Oklahoma to finish fourth, two spots ahead of their pre-tournament projection.

In the process, No. 6 Penn State confirmed its lofty ranking and became legitimate contenders for both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships, which are held in March.

But perhaps more importantly, Penn State showed in its two-day campaign that it is one of the best-conditioned, hardest wrestling teams in the country.

Penn State started its push for the title with a thorough 31-9 beating of Northern Iowa, winning seven of 10 matches including a pair of falls by Adam Smith and Josh Moore at 125 pounds and 133 respectively.

The Lions continued to roll in the quarterfinals, beating Penn, a surprise 26-15 winner over Iowa State earlier in the day, 25-15. The Lions jumped out to a 19-3 lead thanks to falls from DeWitt Driscoll at 141 and James Woodall at 157.

Two straight Penn victories brought them to within seven points, but Eric Bradley at 184 and Pat Cummins at heavyweight sealed the win with a pair of victories for Penn State.

"I knew Penn would be up for us," Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland said. "Everyone hung in there and did their job. Our intensity was good. Overall, I feel we outwrestled them."

The win pushed Penn State to 6-0 on the season, their best start since the 1988-1989 campaign, and into a semifinal showdown with second seed Missouri. The match started brightly with Smith scoring a takedown in overtime to beat Austin DeVoe, 6-4. But from there things went downhill. A flu-plagued Moore lost a surprise 14-10 decision to Paul Collum. From there, Missouri won four of the next five matches, picking up eight bonus points along the way, effectively ending the match. The final was 23-16.

"We thought it would come down to bonus points," Sunderland said. "The kids fought hard. I told them not to hang their heads. It's good to wrestle teams like these, teams we don't normally see. The help it will give us down the road is worth the trip right there."

From there, the Lions dropped into the consolation semifinal round where they beat Oklahoma for the first time since 1996, winning a back and forth match, 20-14. Things were in doubt until the end, where Cummins beat fourth ranked Leonce Crump, a wrestler Cummins could very well see again at the NCAA tournament, 3-1, when he hit a double leg takedown in overtime.

Facing Michigan for third place, Penn State started slow. Smith injury defaulted to Mark Moos after hurting his back and Moore, still sluggish from his sickness, lost in overtime to Foley Dowd. The Lions continued to fall behind, trailing 21-3 at one point, before rallying to make the final score 21-17.

Despite not leaving with the initial goal of a team title, Penn State reaffirmed its credentials as title contender. Also, some individuals took some big steps that could pay off when things really heat up in March.

Some of the individual highlights:

-- Bradley and Cummins both went 5-0. Cummins continued his undefeated season beating the third, fourth and fifth-ranked wrestlers in the process and Bradley beat a host of ranked wrestlers, including Paul Velekie of Penn who he beat 7-2.

-- Freshman Matt Storniolo beat senior and sixth-ranked Justin Spates of Missouri, 6-5.

--Smith handing Oklahoma's Sam Hazewinkle his first loss, 7-5, with a thrilling three takedown third period after trailing 3-0.

--Joel Edwards at 197 went 4-1 and beat returning All-American Sean Stender of Northern Iowa, 12-6. On the weekend, the Lions went 14-1 in the three heaviest weights.