Cowboy Wrestling Finishes Regular Season With Big Win Over Iowa

OSU took down Iowa 32-11 to get revenge for its previous loss to the Hawkeyes this season.

Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest celebrates as he defeats Iowa's Drake Ayala at 133 pounds during a college wrestling dual between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Pokes finished the regular season with a bang on Sunday night.

The greatest rivalry in college wrestling took place in Gallagher-Iba Arena in front of a sold-out crowd, with the No.3 Pokes dismantling No. 7 Iowa 32-11. This loss avenged the Cowboys' only loss of the season, after they fell to Iowa 18-16 in November. 

Sunday night was a completely different story as OSU displayed its dominance in thrilling fashion, taking seven of the 10 matches. 

Troy Spratley got the night started off right, as he upset No.6 Dean Peterson 5-2. Spratley took the lead quickly with a takedown in the first period, and then never let up. 

The young star, No. 6 Jax Forrest, was set for a tough match against No. 9 Drake Ayala, who is a two-time reigning NCAA finalist. However, Forrest had no problem taking down his second top-10-ranked opponent of the year. The freshman won by tech fall 19-3, and made Ayala surrender bonus points for the first time all season. 

Forrest wrestling in this dual also means that the freshman has burned his redshirt. So, although Forrest will only get three years at OSU after this one, he will now be able to dual in the Big 12 Championships and possibly the NCAA Championships. 

OSU had three pins against the Hawkeyes, starting with No.2 Sergio Vega. Vega pinned Kale Petersen in the third period, securing his third straight match with bonus points for the Cowboys. The true freshman not only remains unbeaten but has yet to surrender a takedown this year. 

The next pin came in the 197 class, as No.7 Cody Merrill pinned Brody Sampson in the second period. Merrill has now won by pin in his last two victories and helped put this dual against Iowa away for good. 

The final pin was the last match of the night, as No. 8 Konner Doucet finished his last dual in GIA with a bang. Doucet pinned Gage Marty late in the second period, picking up his third win by fall this year. 

Dee Lockett lost a close 4-2 bout to No. 4 Mikey Caliendo, marking his second loss of the year. With the other two Cowboys who were bested being Alex Facundo and Kolter Burton. 

After this big win to end the season, OSU sets its sights on the Big 12 Championships that are approaching in early March. The Cowboys are the reigning Big 12 Champions, and hope to hoist that trophy once again this year.