Rutgers Wrestling Earns 29-9 Road Win Over Michigan State

No. 14 Rutgers secures second consecutive winning Big Ten season under head coach Scott Goodale

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The No. 14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights wrestling team earned a commanding 29-9 road victory over the Michigan State Spartans on Friday night, improving to 12-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten competition. The win marked Rutgers' fourth straight victory in the series over Michigan State and demonstrated the program's steady ascent under head coach Scott Goodale.

Why it matters

Rutgers' back-to-back winning Big Ten seasons under Goodale show the program is firmly entrenched among the league's competitive tier. The victory over Michigan State came after Rutgers stunned then-No. 6 Minnesota earlier in the season, marking the first time in 62 attempts the Scarlet Knights have defeated one of the Big Ten's traditional "Big Five" programs.

The details

Rutgers flexed its depth and firepower against Michigan State, winning 8 of the 10 individual matches. Bonus-point victories early in the dual never allowed the Spartans to gain traction. Key wins came from No. 29 Andrew Clark (149 pounds), No. 19 Andrew Barbosa (165 pounds), and No. 16 Remy Cotton (197 pounds).

  • On Friday night, February 14, 2026, Rutgers defeated Michigan State.
  • On February 16, 2026, Rutgers will host Princeton at Jersey Mike's Arena.
  • On February 18, 2026, Rutgers will travel to face Hofstra.

The players

Scott Goodale

The head coach of the Rutgers wrestling team, who has led the program to back-to-back winning Big Ten seasons.

Andrew Clark

A No. 29 ranked wrestler for Rutgers who delivered a key pin at 149 pounds against Michigan State.

Andrew Barbosa

A No. 19 ranked wrestler for Rutgers who earned a dominant 18-3 technical fall victory at 165 pounds against Michigan State.

Remy Cotton

A No. 16 ranked wrestler for Rutgers who earned an 8-1 decision over a ranked opponent at 197 pounds against Michigan State.

Josh Terrill

The Michigan State heavyweight wrestler who defeated Rutgers' Brandon Toranzo.

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What’s next

Rutgers will host Princeton on Monday, February 16, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Jersey Mike's Arena, with the match streaming on Big Ten Plus. They will then travel to face Hofstra on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

The takeaway

Rutgers wrestling is firmly established as one of the top programs in the highly competitive Big Ten conference, having now recorded five winning league campaigns since joining in 2014-15. The Scarlet Knights' victory over Michigan State, coming on the heels of an upset win over Minnesota, demonstrates the team's depth, power, and ability to win in hostile environments as they build momentum heading into the postseason.