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OSU WRESTLING
Oklahoma State’s 34-3 victory over No. 5 NC State was the largest margin of victory over a top-five opponent since 1996 and went down as the third largest ever.
It was first-year Cowboys coach David Taylor’s first top-five victory, a fact he didn’t acknowledge after the win. In Taylor’s post-match press conference, it sometimes felt like the Cowboys might have lost or at least underperformed their usual standard.
“I think we can do a better job,” Taylor said. “I think we’re, it’s a reflection of the work that we’re putting in and the standard that we’re trying to wrestle as a program. … But I think there’s some things we can do better, right? I think we can finish more of our periods a little stronger.”
According to Oklahoma State wrestlers, Taylor’s message to them behind closed doors after the win focused on similar points.
“I think everything’s gonna lead up to the NCAA Tournament,” Oklahoma State heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson said. “Obviously, this is, you know, during the year, we don’t want to peak right now.”
Slim chance of that with Taylor around.
Oklahoma State has scored more than 30 points in all eight victories this season. The only other Cowboys team to accomplish that feat was the 1987-88 team which surpassed 30 points in its first 10 duals.
That isn’t the only all-time record, Taylor’s team is chasing this year.
Oklahoma State is beating opponents by 30.4 points on average. That currently ranks third in program history behind the 1982-83 team that beat opponents by 30.5 points and the 1919-20 group, which set the record of 31.3 while only competing in three duals.
Oklahoma State entered Monday night winning 49% of its matches with bonus-point victories. That would go down as an all-time program record, beating the previous mark of 48.1% set in the 1933-34 season.
“We’re also trying to build our attitude. … Our attitude is, you know, we’re not wrestling just to win, we’re wrestling to dominate,” Hendrickson said. “And that there’s a difference when you go out there to do that.”
The Cowboys added three more bonus-point wins in the victory, highlighted by Cael Hughes’ pin over No. 7 Kai Orine at 133. The upset was even more remarkable considering the Oklahoma State sophomore and Stillwater native hadn’t competed since November.
“I had this kind of confidence about me, which isn’t that typical for me sometimes,” Hughes said. “But kind of just put myself in this mindset where, you know, I want to go out there and be ruthless, and, you know, above all, want to have fun. This is the easy part of wrestling.”
Hughes’ pin wasn’t the only surprise of the night. Oklahoma State’s latest victory came in front of a season-high crowd of 8,212 people even though the competition was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon before NC State travel concerns pushed it back.
According to OSU records, that was the seventh-largest crowd to attend an OSU dual at home or away since 2016. Considering the larger crowds all came against Iowa (four times), Penn State or Oklahoma, Monday night’s turnout seems even more impressive.
“I just want to keep challenging the state of Oklahoma to continue to support us, you know, I think it’s, it’s a big deal,” Taylor said. “It is. It means a lot to these kids. It means a lot to our program. It means a lot to our university, and we continue to grow that, you know, I think it was really cool to kind of see what tonight, what that could look like, and continue to envision what it’s going to be moving forward.”
OSU WRESTLING
David Taylor's Cowboys put all-time OSU records on notice after dominating No. 5 NC State
- Jan 14, 2025 Updated 9 hrs ago
Oklahoma State’s 34-3 victory over No. 5 NC State was the largest margin of victory over a top-five opponent since 1996 and went down as the third largest ever.
It was first-year Cowboys coach David Taylor’s first top-five victory, a fact he didn’t acknowledge after the win. In Taylor’s post-match press conference, it sometimes felt like the Cowboys might have lost or at least underperformed their usual standard.
“I think we can do a better job,” Taylor said. “I think we’re, it’s a reflection of the work that we’re putting in and the standard that we’re trying to wrestle as a program. … But I think there’s some things we can do better, right? I think we can finish more of our periods a little stronger.”
According to Oklahoma State wrestlers, Taylor’s message to them behind closed doors after the win focused on similar points.
“I think everything’s gonna lead up to the NCAA Tournament,” Oklahoma State heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson said. “Obviously, this is, you know, during the year, we don’t want to peak right now.”
Slim chance of that with Taylor around.
Oklahoma State has scored more than 30 points in all eight victories this season. The only other Cowboys team to accomplish that feat was the 1987-88 team which surpassed 30 points in its first 10 duals.
That isn’t the only all-time record, Taylor’s team is chasing this year.
Oklahoma State is beating opponents by 30.4 points on average. That currently ranks third in program history behind the 1982-83 team that beat opponents by 30.5 points and the 1919-20 group, which set the record of 31.3 while only competing in three duals.
Oklahoma State entered Monday night winning 49% of its matches with bonus-point victories. That would go down as an all-time program record, beating the previous mark of 48.1% set in the 1933-34 season.
“We’re also trying to build our attitude. … Our attitude is, you know, we’re not wrestling just to win, we’re wrestling to dominate,” Hendrickson said. “And that there’s a difference when you go out there to do that.”
The Cowboys added three more bonus-point wins in the victory, highlighted by Cael Hughes’ pin over No. 7 Kai Orine at 133. The upset was even more remarkable considering the Oklahoma State sophomore and Stillwater native hadn’t competed since November.
“I had this kind of confidence about me, which isn’t that typical for me sometimes,” Hughes said. “But kind of just put myself in this mindset where, you know, I want to go out there and be ruthless, and, you know, above all, want to have fun. This is the easy part of wrestling.”
Hughes’ pin wasn’t the only surprise of the night. Oklahoma State’s latest victory came in front of a season-high crowd of 8,212 people even though the competition was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon before NC State travel concerns pushed it back.
According to OSU records, that was the seventh-largest crowd to attend an OSU dual at home or away since 2016. Considering the larger crowds all came against Iowa (four times), Penn State or Oklahoma, Monday night’s turnout seems even more impressive.
“I just want to keep challenging the state of Oklahoma to continue to support us, you know, I think it’s, it’s a big deal,” Taylor said. “It is. It means a lot to these kids. It means a lot to our program. It means a lot to our university, and we continue to grow that, you know, I think it was really cool to kind of see what tonight, what that could look like, and continue to envision what it’s going to be moving forward.”
