Taylor's Friday Challenge Sparks Cowboys' Dominant Response Against Cyclones — No. 5 OSU Rolls Over No. 3 Iowa State 24-9

David Taylor left Gallagher-Iba unsatisfied on Friday. 

Despite a 31-point onslaught against No. 13 Northern Iowa, the Oklahoma State coach felt invalidated. Taylor said he felt like his wrestlers hadn’t maxed their effort. As if they settled for smaller victories rather than extending matches and stretching for bonus points. 

So, Taylor unleashed on them. He emphasized the importance of finishing matches strong, regardless of whether a bout had been clinched. 

On Sunday, No. 5 OSU trampled No. 3 Iowa State 24-9 at Gallagher-Iba Arena, clinching seven of 10 bouts on the day. Only two of those wins came in bonus-point fashion, but that didn’t matter this time to Taylor. Instead, Taylor highlighted the ending to bouts. His wrestlers didn’t win matches nonchalantly. They weren’t satisfied with a casual victory-by-decision. When it was necessary, they went for the jugular. 

“I kind of got onto these guys on Friday,” Taylor said. “It just felt like we had a little bit more to give and a little more effort and a little bit more energy. And they responded really well.”

To start, seventh-ranked Troy Spratley with a 3-1 decision at 125 against No. 13 Steve Poulin of Iowa State. Freshman Jax Forrest was deprived of a statement matchup at 133 with third-ranked Evan Frost of Iowa State due to Frost’s diagnosis with the flu, according to Cyclones’ coach Kevin Dresser. Nonetheless, the 12th-ranked Forrest bullied his way to a 17-0 tech fall against ISU reserve Osmany Diversent. 

Then came a defining moment from Taylor’s lens. One that shed light to the stark contrasts in his wrestlers' mentalities from Sunday to two days prior.

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A last-second takedown from Sergio Vega lifted him to a 4-2 decision against No. 3 Anthony Echemendia. In the winding seconds of the final period, the second-ranked Vega countered a shot from Echemendia, initiated a scramble and worked his way on top to clinch the go-ahead score. And most importantly, Vega pushed to end the match early instead of letting it ride into sudden victory, which Taylor commended post-dual.

“(For me) it was about just getting tough,” Vega said. “Just for the months I’ve been here, practicing with (my teammates) and all the bigger guys getting on me, it sucks sometimes, I get beat up sometimes. But I feel like that it just — when things got tough for me in that third period, I was ready for it.”

At 149, No. 12 Casey Swiderski benefitted from a late takedown. A double-leg score with 36 seconds remaining in the match lifted Swiderski to a 4-2 decision against his former teammate at ISU, sixth-ranked Jacob Frost.

“The score is always 0-0 when the match starts,” Swiderski said. “...It was just an opportunity for us to sync the level of our training. Like for me, I got my hands inside and finished. I finished a hard-fought takedown (against Jacob Frost). That’s a takedown you’re gonna want to finish come March. So, I did.”

One bout later, No. 6 Landon Robideau clinched a 4-1 decision against eighth-ranked Vinny Zerban, courtesy of another last-second takedown. And at 165, No. 2 Dee Lockett dominated from the start, dismantling the Cyclones’ (9-2) 16th-ranked Connor Euton for a 12-3 major decision.

Those were matches OSU won, sure. But instead of settling, the Cowboys (12-1) pushed for more defining outcomes.

On Friday, Taylor condemned Lockett for prolonging a push to score. Fast-forward, he praised him for doing the opposite. The Cowboys gradually strung together close wins in late fashion, as Taylor witnessed a product of his Friday sentiment come into fruition.

Sunday presented an opportunity for OSU to down a higher-ranked opponent. Mission accomplished.

Now, applying that momentum moving forward becomes vital. 

OSU hosts Little Rock (3-9) on Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to face No. 7 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg a week later. Shortly after that, No. 4 Iowa comes to Stillwater to close out the regular season.

Those are duals a top-tier team needs to win, and Taylor knows that.

Maybe he was nitpicky and overly blunt Friday. But mastering the little things and honing in on the basics is often what separates college wrestling’s average and elite. That's what Taylor said he wants to see from his wrestlers moving forward, and Sunday was a start.

“This is probably one of the toughest challenges that we’ve had this year,” Taylor said. “...I think our team kind of grew over the last couple of days together. It was very much a team effort. And today, we came in and our guys wrestled well. We finished matches strong at the end, and I’m proud of the guys.”

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Perhaps Sunday’s dominance was a product of them nearing that form. Only time will tell. For now, at least, Taylor can find pleasure in it being a step in that direction. 

“I really think our whole team (has grown this season),” Taylor said. “Yeah, we have six freshmen wrestling right now. And then we have guys that weren’t wrestling last year. Either they were hurt or maybe they were behind somebody else. So, it’s just very much a lot of growing that guys are doing. We’ve had a really tough schedule this year. There hasn’t been many days where it’s like, ‘Oh, this is easy.’ 

“They’re growing. They’re getting better. They are. And they could have (quit), but they didn’t. It’s exciting. And they can keep getting better, which is also exciting.”

No. 5 Oklahoma State 24, No. 3 Iowa State 9

Feb. 1, 2026 | Gallagher-Iba Arena | Stillwater, Oklahoma

125: No. 7 Troy Spratley (OSU) dec. No. 13 Stevo Poulin (ISU), 3-1

133: No. 12 Jax Forrest (OSU) TF Osmany Diversent (ISU), 16-0, 3:31

141: No. 2 Sergio Vega (OSU) dec. No. 3 Anthony Echemendia (ISU), 4-2

149. No. 12 Casey Swiderski (OSU) dec. No. 6 Jacob Frost (ISU), 4-2

157: No. 6 Landon Robideau (OSU) dec. No. 8 Vince Zerban (ISU), 4-1

165: No. 2 LaDarion Lockett (OSU) MD No. 16 Connor Euton (ISU), 12-3

174: No. 7 Alex Facundo (OSU) dec. No. 13 MJ Gaitan (ISU), 4-2

184: No. 12 Isaac Dean (ISU) dec. Trevor Dopps (OSU), 5-1

197: No. 2 Rocky Elam (ISU) dec. No. 7 Cody Merrill (OSU), 4-1

HWT: No. 1 Yonger Bastida (ISU) dec. No. 6 Konner Doucet (OSU), 5-2