If the Penn State wrestling team truly believes it can be a top three power this year, this weekend will provide the chance to prove it.

After last weekend's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener, The Nittany Lions will need to be at their best to defeat the incoming No. 3 Michigan Wolverines at 1 p.m. Saturday in Rec Hall. The victory will be vital if they even want to remain a contender for a top three position in the Big Ten.

The team will need to make vast improvements this week if it wants to beat Michigan, a team returning four All-Americans and coming off a season where it was runner up for the NCAA team National Championship. The Wolverines have yet to be tested in a dual competition this season.

"Michigan is solid from top to bottom. We hit them a couple times last year. In their middleweights, they're really loaded," Penn State coach Troy Sunderland said. "This week we'll just need to work as hard as we can, make the corrections that need to be made, not lose in overtime, not give up bonus points and wrestle with more of a sense of urgency."

Sunderland said while the loss to Wisconsin was disappointing, it is too early in the season to be concerned about one Big Ten loss.

"We're not going to hit the panic button," Sunderland said. "There were a lot of close matches against Wisconsin. If we win even one of those matches, we win the dual."

Sunderland also said the match-up against Wisconsin may have been the stepping stone the team needed to prepare for Michigan.

"It's going to be a similar battle with some of the kids that are real good on top, others are solid in all three positions," Sunderland said. "It's going to be another Big Ten match where every bonus point is critical."

Penn State's under-rated and unranked James Yonushonis who knocked off the No.7 and No. 10 wrestlers in the country at the 174- pound weight class has another challenge this weekend as he will face NCAA qualifier Nick Roy.

"I've wrestled that guy six or eight times and I've only beaten him once," Yonushonis said. "That was in a free style."

Yonushonis said the key to his season so far has been self-preparation.

"The coach and the captains are trying to give you a pep talk for how they think you should prepare, but you've gotta really do it just for yourself and that turns out to be what's best for the team too."

Penn State All-American Eric Bradley's status has been lifted from questionable to probable this weekend. Sunderland said Bradley will wrestle in practice this week and baring another set-back, will be ready to go for this weekend's showdown.

"We just need to be careful and cautious," Sunderland said. "We don't want to put him out there before he's ready."

The Lions were defeated 31-9 when they faced Michigan last January. However, six of the Lions points came from a forfeit at the 125-pound weight class. The series record currently stands at 22-20.