Rutgers University’s No. 14 ranked wrestling team will conclude its Big Ten Conference dual schedule against Michigan State on Friday, Feb. 14, in East Lansing. The match is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start at Jenison Field House and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
This matchup holds significance as Rutgers aims to secure a winning league record for the second consecutive season and the fifth time under head coach Scott Goodale. A win could also allow the Scarlet Knights to finish as high as tied for third in the conference, which would be a first for the program.
The Scarlet Knights enter Friday’s contest following a notable 23-15 victory over then-No. 6 Minnesota, marking their first win over the Golden Gophers since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014-15. Remy Cotton, who previously wrestled for Michigan State and was an NCAA Qualifier with the Spartans last year, secured Rutgers’ win last week with an overtime pin.
Projected lineups indicate that all ten Rutgers starters appear in the initial coaches’ ranking for the upcoming NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, with five athletes ranked within the top twenty of their respective weight classes. The team has also climbed three spots to No. 14 in this week’s NWCA Coaches Poll—its highest rank since being twelfth earlier in the season—and is ranked within the top twenty by several national outlets.
Historically, Rutgers leads its all-time series against Michigan State with eight wins, one loss, and one tie. The Scarlet Knights have won seven of eight meetings since joining the Big Ten and defeated Michigan State 28-7 in their most recent encounter last February.
Looking ahead, Rutgers will close out its dual season with matches against Princeton at home on Feb. 16 and Hofstra on Feb. 18.