Cowboys complete first undefeated regular season since 2005

Chandler Rogers had just flexed both biceps to a roaring Bedlam crowd inside Gallagher-Iba Arena when he made the short jog from the mat to his coach.

John Smith grinned and clapped. Back in early December, Rogers was the only OSU wrestler to lose his match in a blowout Cowboy victory in Norman. On Sunday against the Sooners, Rogers, a sophomore Stillwater native, recorded the lone true fall of the afternoon by pinning OU’s Yoanse Mejias in the third period.

“Not only he got the pin,” Smith said, “he was winning comfortable when he pinned him.”

It became a common theme. Top-ranked OSU stayed on championship course with a 37-3 victory, and for the first time since 2005, it finished the regular season

undefeated (14-0, 6-0 Big 12). The Cowboys held OU (10-6, 5-2) to five individual points or less in nine of 10 matches. Seven included a first period OSU takedown. Three more Cowboys — Kaid Brock, Joe Smith and Nolan Boyd — each recorded technical falls.

The Cowboys’ only blemish was an 8-0 defeat at heavyweight when Derek White, typically a reserve at 197, was called into action for Tanner Allen. Despite OU senior Ross Larson’s victory, Smith remained encouraged.

“I think your team likes to see those kind of guys get out there, giving up 40 pounds, and (he’s) tough,” Smith said. “Derek, even in a loss, I think he helped us feel good about our performance.” While the Sooners didn’t provide much resistance, the rivalry still brought some fire.

OSU senior Anthony Collica, ranked No. 3 nationally at 149, easily handled OU's Davion Jeffries with five takedowns and two escapes in a 12-3 major decision. Then, a small shoving match took place, with Jeffries refusing to shake Collica’s hand before returning to the bench.

The Sooners were docked a team point for the action, but in the absence of an OU score, it was awarded to the Cowboys. OSU’s lead was bumped to 16-0 after just four matches.

“It’s expected, nobody has any hard feelings, I don’t think,” said Boyd, one of nine senior OSU wrestlers honored Sunday for their last regular season home match. “It’s wrestling, sometimes the refs don’t understand that’s going to happen. It’s kind of fun.”

Now, the Cowboys shift focus for what’s being considered the most highly anticipated dual of the season. No. 2 Penn State (13-0) arrives in Stillwater for the NWCA Championship Dual Series at 3 p.m. Sunday. The last two unbeaten powers left nationally, it’s expected to feature as many as 19 ranked wrestlers.

“We want those guys,” Boyd said. “Whenever we’re starting to really peak and figure ourselves out, our styles, what we want to do, I think it will