Momentum building for Gophers wrestling after upset win over No. 4 Ohio State

Minnesota is putting together one of its best seasons in recent memory.

Minnesota's Isaiah Salazar has his hand raised after scoring a decision at 184 pounds during NCAA Big Ten Conference men's wrestling dual against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Joseph Cress/For the Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson stole the headlines when he announced his return to Gophers wrestling in November, but as a team, Minnesota continues to roll through the Big Ten. After knocking off No. 4 Ohio State on Friday, the Gophers are now tied for second in the conference standings.

The Gophers are 9-1 as a team this season, with their only loss coming against No. 7 Nebraska on the road. They entered Friday night ranked seventh in the country, but that will likely increase after taking down the No. 4 Buckeyes 20-17.

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Both Ohio State and Minnesota won five individual matches each at Friday's dual. The difference was the Gophers winning by bonus points in four of their five wins, compared to the Buckeyes who had only two.

Steveson extended his winning streak to 61 and his season record to 9-0. He was joined by Isaiah Salazar, Andrew Sparks, Tommy Askey and Max McEnelly who all picked up wins. At 184 points, the final match of the night was a rematch of a 2023 Minnesota high school state championship between McEnelly and Ohio State's Ryder Rogotzke who is a native of Stillwater, Minn.

At 5-1 in the Big Ten, Minnesota is now tied with Iowa for second place in the conference. To round out the regular season, they have a dual on Sunday against Purdue and then next Friday against Iowa, both taking place at Maturi Pavilion.

Next Friday's match against No. 3 Iowa will likely be a competition for second place in the Big Ten, as Penn State continues to look unbeatable, but it could be one of the biggest duals at Maturi Pavilion in recent memory.

A second or third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships in March would be the Gophers' highest finish in the conference since the 2013-14 season.