They lost their perfect record and top spot in the national rankings. Multiple wrestlers returned home trying to recover from their first losses. These were the visible impacts of Penn State’s 3-2 showing in last weekend’s National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals. The subtle impacts from the weekend appear hidden. Penn State (8-2) begins its eight-dual conference schedule Sunday at No. 1 Iowa of all places. Less than a week ago, the Nittany Lions were in Cedar Falls, Iowa, preparing to wrestle as the nation’s No. 1 team for the first time in 15 years. The first of two Iowa trips ended with a 24-11 loss to Ohio State in the fifth-place match. The Nittany Lions plunged into the consolation bracket after a 19-13 quarterfinal loss to Nebraska, their first defeat since falling to Illinois at Rec Hall on Jan. 28, 2007. The losses dropped Penn State to seventh in this week’s NWCA/InterMat rankings. “We’re still pretty optimistic,” Penn State 197- pounder Phil Davis said after Wednesday’s practice. “Nebraska beat us legit. I think Ohio State capitalized on poor morale and we got caught with our heads down.”

The Nittany Lions are working this week to ensure the situation doesn’t repeat itself. The national duals represented the team’s first two-day tournament since last year’s NCAA Championships. Coach Troy Sunderland said he has discussed weight control and nutrition with wrestlers since returning from Cedar Falls. But the Nittany Lions’ preparations for the Big Ten season are as mental as they are physical. “I guess the main thing is fight and determination and going after your opponent before he goes after you,” Sunderland said. “If things don’t go your way, you have to come back and go for third, fifth or whatever it is.” Sunderland shouldn’t have trouble piquing his team’s interest this week. The short break between Iowa trips has forced Penn State to quickly change its goals.

Last week, the Nittany Lions were focused on winning their first national dual meet title since 1993. This week, they are focused on finishing undefeated in Big Ten duals for the first time since 1998. “That’s all we have as far as team competition,” Davis said. It’s possible Penn State will face its biggest conference test this weekend. The Hawkeyes (10-1), whose lineup has been bolstered by four Virginia Tech transfers, won 32 of 40 bouts en route to winning the national duals.

Reactions to beginning the conference season at Iowa are mixed. Sunderland said wrestling the Hawkeyes early in the conference schedule will allow his team to enjoy a longer rest in February. Davis said the matchups might make for a late-season dual. Sophomore 149-pounder Bubba Jenkins said wrestling in a hostile environment such as Carver- Hawkeye Arena could energize the Nittany Lions. “We’re definitely upbeat,” said Jenkins, who suffered his first loss when he fell to Ohio State All-American Lance Palmer last weekend. “We realize it’s early January, not March. It might be a good thing that we lost because we now know what it takes. Coaches got on us obviously. But it wasn’t like, ‘Oh man.’ It was like, ‘We lost, it’s time to come back. We are still the best in the country, we train hard and we have to comeback and show everybody.’”

If the Big Ten season resembles the past 21/ 2 months, the Nittany Lions should receive an opportunity to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. Five of the top six finishers in last weekend’s duals are Big Ten schools and only fourth-place Minnesota is absent from Penn State’s conference schedule. The Nittany Lions’ conference schedule also includes matches against No. 4 Michigan, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 10 Northwestern and No. 15 Illinois. They wrestle Ohio State, Northwestern and Illinois on the road. “This is definitely a new start,” Jenkins said.

Notes:The Nittany Lions held multiple private wrestle-offs Wednesday morning. Sunderland said the 141-pound meeting between junior Jake Strayer and freshman Garrett Scott didn’t occur because of a death in Strayer’s family. The team will wait until Sunday to reveal its starting 141-pounder. ... Sophomore 157-pounder Dan Vallimont, who went 5-0 last weekend, jumped from No. 10 to fourth in the national rankings. Vallimont is 17-0 this season. Davis (10-0), ranked No. 2 at 197 behind national champion Josh Glenn, is the only other undefeated Nittany Lion.

Thanks to Guy Cipriano and the "Centre Daily Times" (State College, Pa.) for the article