The Penn State wrestling team made a statement upsetting rival Lehigh last weekend and hopes to cap it with an exclamation point this weekend as it opens its Big Ten season against Wisconsin.

"I see those guys working hard day in and day out. It was kind of expected," co-captain Eric Bradley said.

"It's good to get the season off on the right foot. I think we can quickly climb the ranks."

The visiting No. 15 Badgers (1-0) will be a good first test in the Big Ten for the Nittany Lions. Wisconsin travels to State College for a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday at Rec Hall with a lineup that includes five nationally ranked wrestlers at 125, 149, 157, 165 and 174 pounds.

"We're in the Big Ten dual meet frame of mind," Sunderland said. "Looking at the matchups, it could go either way."

Last weekend, Penn State (3-0) battled back from an eight-point deficit to beat Lehigh in the last two weight classes of competition to win the Pennsylvania State Dual Championship, 18-17.

A dominating pin by All-American Phil Davis at 197 and a last-minute come from behind victory by heavyweight co-captain Joel Edwards sealed the deal for the Lions.

"You can just tell by the way the guys are talking after the Lehigh match, everyone is feeling confident," senior captain Joel Edwards said. "This is the year Penn State wrestling will make its mark again."

This weekend, the Penn State upperclassmen in the heavier weight classes will want to lean on that momentum and take advantage of their experience in order to defeat Wisconsin.

The most vulnerable part of the Badgers lineup is where Penn State has been at it's finest, as freshmen Dallas Herbst and Kelly Massey will battle for Wisconsin against last weekend's match breakers, Davis and Edwards.

"Lots of the guys lower in their lineup are ranked," Edwards said. "There is inexperience in their upper weights. That's where we can get our bonus points and that's where we could get a turn in our favor."

One matchup Sunderland anticipates to be close is at the 157-pound weight class where State College native No. 10 Nathan Galloway squares off against No. 15 Craig Henning.

"That one will be a barn-burner," Sunderland said.

Galloway could be a suspect for arson if he continues to draw tight matches. Last week, Galloway went into a third overtime against No. 12 Derek Zinck of Lehigh before losing a sudden victory decision 2-1.