Nebraska Wrestling’s Rally Comes Up Short, but Antrell Taylor Delivers Signature Win

The Devaney Sports Center felt more like a postseason arena than a regular-season venue on Sunday afternoon. It was because No. 6 Nebraska welcomed No. 5 Oklahoma State for a marquee top-five dual.

A program-record crowd of 7,094 fans packed the John Cook Arena, creating an electric atmosphere. The roar of the Husker faithful could not fully erase the deficit in a 22-12 loss. However, the afternoon will be remembered for one defining moment that belonged entirely to Antrell Taylor.

Nebraska Huskers' Antrell Taylor Delivers a Defining Moment

The dual reached its emotional peak at 157 pounds when returning national champion Antrell Taylor stepped onto the mat with Nebraska trailing 13-3. Standing opposite him was Oklahoma State’s undefeated true freshman, No. 2 Landon Robideau. He is one of the most talked-about young stars in the country.

What followed was a showcase of poise and toughness. Robideau struck first with a second-period reversal. However, Taylor responded with two clean escapes to knot the score at 2-2. Neither wrestler gave an inch in sudden victory, sending the bout to tiebreakers.

Taylor wasted no time in the first tiebreaker, executing an urgent hip heist to escape in just four seconds. Forced into a neutral start in the second tiebreaker, Robideau pushed the pace, but Taylor held firm to earn a 3-2 decision.

As the referee raised his hand, Taylor’s declaration rang through the arena. He said, "THIS IS MY HOUSE."

Taylor takes out No. 2 😤

Antrell gets the TB victory over No. 2 Robideau. pic.twitter.com/Wt8uLEgw7W
— Nebraska Wrestling (@HuskerWrestling) December 21, 2025

And he meant that with his performance inside the ring. The win handed Robideau his first career loss and marked Taylor’s 60th career victory. That gameplay immediately placed him back among the nation’s elite at his weight.

Nebraska Finds Its Fight but Early Setbacks Set the Tone

Taylor’s victory ignited belief in a Nebraska lineup that had been digging out of early holes. The Huskers showed resilience throughout the afternoon. They won four of the eight ranked matchups in the dual and kept the contest competitive deep into the final bouts.

Momentum continued to swing at 184 pounds when senior No. 9 Silas Allred defeated No. 10 Zack Ryder for the second time this season. That result trimmed the deficit and kept the crowd fully engaged. Nebraska pulled within four points and threatened a dramatic comeback before Oklahoma State steadied itself down the stretch.

The Cowboys built their advantage early, winning six of the ten bouts and collecting bonus points in two of them. At 125 pounds, Kael Lauridsen dropped a major decision to No. 7 Troy Spratley. Trouble followed at 141, where No. 3 Brock Hardy was pinned by No. 2 Sergio Vega in under two minutes.

No. 8 Jacob Van Dee earned Nebraska’s first points with a 4-1 decision over No. 21 Ronnie Ramirez at 133 pounds. No. 6 Christopher Minto followed at 165, turning in a disciplined 4-1 win over No. 13 Alex Facundo.

At 197 pounds, No. 12 Camden McDanel pushed No. 7 Cody Merrill to a 1-1 tie through regulation before Merrill claimed the bout on riding time to clinch the dual. Oklahoma State closed the afternoon at heavyweight to secure the final margin. Nebraska, now 6-3, will stay in Lincoln to host No. 12 Northern Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. CST.

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