Oklahoma State, despite losing to Iowa in semifinals, clawed their way to a third place finish in the National Duals Invitational
TULSA, Okla. —
On Sunday afternoon inside a packed BOK Center, No. 5 Oklahoma State delivered one of the most lopsided statements of the young season, hammering No. 2 Nebraska 33-6 in the third-place dual of the 2025 National Duals Invitational. The 27-point victory not only secured bronze and $150,000 in prize money for the Cowboys, but it also served notice that second-year head coach David Taylor’s roster is already capable of beating anyone on any given day.
From the opening, Oklahoma State wrestled with the confidence of a team that had nothing to lose and everything to prove. After a heartbreaking 18-16 loss to Iowa in the semifinals, the Cowboys used that disappointment into dominance against a Nebraska squad with All-Americans and NCAA finalists.
The rout began at 125 pounds, where No. 2 Troy Spratley wasted no time. After a scoreless first period against Alan Koehler, Spratley locked up a cradle on the edge of the mat and squeezed for the fall in 2:59, his first pin of the season, and an immediate six-point swing that set the tone.
Ronnie Ramirez kept the momentum rolling at 133, grinding out a 9-3 decision over Kale Lauridsen with relentless pressure and a crucial third-period. Then came the matchup many circled before the dual: No. 20 Sergio Vega against two-time NCAA finalist No. 2 Brock Hardy at 141. Vega, a redshirt freshman, wrestled like a veteran, piling up riding time in route to a commanding 13-2 major decision.
No. 3 Casey Swiderski, still searching for his first win of the year entering the weekend, finally broke through at 149. In a high-scoring affair against Nikade Zinkin, Swiderski survived a late flurry to escape with a 7-6 decision and push the team lead to 16-0.
At 157, No. 5 Landon Robideau put on a clinic. The freshman exploded for multiple takedowns, a four-point near fall, and nearly two full minutes of riding time before finishing a 21-6 technical fall at 6:45. When Nebraska forfeited 165 to LaDarion Lockett, Oklahoma State had taken a 30-0 advantage before the heavier weights even competed.
Nebraska finally scored at 184 when No. 6 Silas Allred escaped to sudden victory against No. 4 Zach Ryder, 5-2. No. 10 Cody Merrill answered at 197, riding out No. 6 Camden McDanel for the entire tiebreaker period to preserve the shutout bid with a 2-1 win. Heavyweight No. 2 AJ Ferrari (former Cowboy) salvaged a 2-1 riding-time decision for Nebraska over No. 9 Konner Doucet, but the outcome had long been decided.
The final 33-6 scoreline marked Oklahoma State’s largest margin of victory over a top-five opponent in more than a decade and handed Nebraska just its second loss of the season. The Cowboys won eight of ten bouts, racked up 18 bonus points, and never trailed at any point in the dual.
For David Taylor – in his second season at the helm after replacing the legendary John Smith, the performance was validation of his aggressive style. With six freshmen in the lineup and only one senior, Oklahoma State is the youngest team among the traditional powers, yet they just dismantled a Nebraska squad that returned multiple All-Americans.
No. 4 Ohio State claimed the tournament title with a 27-12 win over Iowa in the championship final, earning $200,000.