Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Missouri
Cowboys Close 2025 Home Slate Against No. 20 Missouri
January 31, 2025 | Cowboy Wrestling
The Basics
The No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling team (11-0 overall; 8-0 Big 12) returns to Gallagher-Iba Arena for the final time this season as it hosts No. 20 Missouri on Sunday, February 2. Last weekend, the Cowboys swept a tough road trip against two of the conference's top teams in No. 5 Northern Iowa and No. 13 Iowa State. Both duals saw the Cowboys trail at intermission, but several strong performances from the back half of the lineup powered OSU to its 10th and 11th straight wins.
On the Air
Sunday's dual is scheduled for a 2 p.m. CT start and will be available for streaming on ESPN+ with J. Carl Guymon and Hardell Moore on the call. Rex Holt also returns as the voice of Cowboy wrestling to provide live radio coverage, which will be carried on Hot 93.7 KSPI-FM. Live stats and results can be found on okstate.statbroadcast.com, as well as trackwrestling.com.
The Series
The series between Oklahoma State and Missouri dates back nearly 100 years to February 11, 1929, when OSU shut the Tigers out by a score of 30-0. That win was the first of 30 in a row by the Cowboys, who did not suffer a defeat to MU until November 2003 and lead the all-time series, 46-8-1. Missouri has tightened the gap under head coach Brian Smith, however, who's been at the helm for all eight of the Tigers' wins over Oklahoma State. Both teams were ranked in the top five last February during their most recent matchup, but it was the Pokes who stormed into enemy territory and won, 22-10. Three Cowboy wrestlers secured top-10 wins that day, which came on the heels of back-to-back duals in which the final score was decided by a single point, with Missouri winning in 2022 and Oklahoma State in 2023. David Taylor has yet to face Missouri as a head coach, while Brian Smith is 8-21-1 against OSU throughout his career.
About the Cowboys
The 2024 offseason sparked a new era for Oklahoma State as longtime head coach John Smith announced his retirement and wrestling legend David Taylor was hired as the eighth head coach in program history. That momentum has continued to soar into 2025 following OSU's dominant 11-0 start to the dual season and impressive performance at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Most recently, Oklahoma State swept No. 5 Northern Iowa and No. 13 Iowa State in two tough duals that both forced the Cowboys to overcome intermission deficits. Although the streak was snapped last weekend, OSU began the season by scoring 30+ team points in nine consecutive duals, which sits in a tie for third longest in program history. In addition, Cowboy wrestlers have combined for a 47.4% bonus rate through 285 total matches, a percentage that would be the program's best since 1934. Ranked third as a team by the NWCA Coaches Poll, the OSU lineup features seven wrestlers ranked in the top eight and a representative at every weight class, giving it all the pieces necessary to contend for a team trophy this upcoming March.
National finalist Dustin Plott is back at 184 pounds to lead perhaps the deepest lineup throughout his time in Stillwater. The three-time All-American owns a 13-2 record this season and beat Oklahoma's DJ Parker back in December to become the 46th wrestler in program history with 100 career victories. He also ranks top 10 among all Cowboy wrestlers with 18 technical falls throughout his career. Newcomers Dean Hamiti Jr. and Wyatt Hendrickson have both made an immediate impact in their first year as Cowboys, currently joining Plott at No. 3 in the rankings. Both wrestlers are undefeated and widely considered two of the biggest bonus-point threats in the entire country, regardless of weight. In the lighter classes, Troy Spratley and Tagen Jamison are both ranked near the top at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively. Jamison has won 15 of 18 matches this season, while Spratley boasts three victories over top-five opponents. Altogether, half of Oklahoma State's starting lineup resides in the top five at their respective weight class.
The rest of the Cowboy lineup is balanced out by several proven veterans who have each qualified for the national tournament multiple times. One of the main stories of the year has come at 197 pounds, where Luke Surber's had a bounce-back season and leads the team in wins with a 17-1 record. He sits at No. 7 in the country, just behind sixth-ranked 165-pounder Cameron Amine. Despite breaking into the lineup midway through the year, Caleb Fish also brings a wealth of experience at 157 pounds with 140 career matches to his name.
An Oklahoma State Win Would...
• Make OSU 12-0 overall for the second straight year
• Make OSU 9-0 against ranked opponents; 9-0 against the Big 12; 7-0 at home
• Improve OSU's record against Missouri to 47-8-1 and 25-3 in Stillwater
• Secure OSU's first perfect home dual season since 2021 and the 45th in Gallagher-Iba Arena history
• Make OSU 21-1 against ranked opponents since the start of last season
• Extend OSU's win streak against the Big 12 to 20 and make it 25-1 in its last 26 conference duals
• Give OSU wins in 20 of its last 21 duals at Gallagher-Iba Arena
• Improve OSU's record to 42-4 in its past 46 duals overall
Players Mentioned
