Bedlam Wrestling Returns to LNC Sunday

Sunday, February 7

Norman, Okla.

1 CT

University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Tickets

Photo by: Joshua R. Gateley

Bedlam Wrestling Returns to LNC Sunday

February 05, 2021 | Wrestling

Bedlam Digital Program Tickets Live Stream Live Scoring OU Notes OSU Notes

By: OU Athletics Communications

^19/20Oklahoma

^5/6Oklahoma State

Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 / 1 p.m. CT / Norman, Okla. / Lloyd Noble Center

FSOK / Live Stats / Dual Notes | Tickets

Projected Starters (Rankings by Flo/Track)
	No. 19/20 Oklahoma
Weight	Wrestler	Record
125	Mason Naifeh	1-6
133	No. NR/31 Tony Madrigal	3-5
141	No. 7/8 Dom Demas	7-1
149	No. 13/19 Mitch Moore	7-1
157	No. 12/11 Justin Thomas	6-2
165	Troy Mantanona	2-0
174	Anthony Mantanona	4-4
184	No. NR/30 Darrien Roberts	6-2
197	No. 13/12 Jake Woodley	5-3
HWT	No. 21/28 Josh Heindselman	3-3

No. 5/6 Oklahoma State
Weight	Wrestler	Record
125	No. 19/19 Trevor Mastrogiovanni	7-1
133	Reece Witcraft	5-3
141	Dusty Hone	4-2
149	No. 4/4 Boo Lewallen	7-0
157	No. 8/9 Wyatt Sheets	2-1
	-or-
	Jaylin Harper	5-1
165	No. 5/3 Travis Wittlake	7-0
174	No. 14/28 Dustin Plott	6-0
184	No. 7/11 Dakota Geer	6-1
197	No. NR/27 A.J. Ferrari	7-0
HWT	No. NR/26 Austin Harris	5-2

NORMAN – The No. 19/20 Oklahoma Sooners are set to host the No. 5/6 Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sunday in Lloyd Noble Center in the 181st edition of Bedlam. The contested rivalry returns to the Lloyd Noble Center for the first time since 2004 after being held at historic McCasland Field House for 16 seasons.

The two historic programs have met nearly every year since 1920 and were named the greatest (OSU) and fourth-greatest (OU) wrestling programs in history by the NCAA. The term "Bedlam" originated from the rowdy wrestling matches between the two schools, and then grew to accompany all sports. The programs have produced a combined 743 All-America honors, 209 individual national champions, 61 Olympians and 41 team national championships - all marks are more than any other rivalry in the country.

SOONER SNIPPET

The Sooners (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) are looking for their first Bedlam win since 2013. Despite dropping both Bedlam duals in 2019-20, the two contests were the closest since Rosselli arrived in Norman. Rosselli's team is coming off a trio of wins in Little Rock, Ark., on Jan. 31, including a triumph over then-No. 20 Stanford.

Rosselli's squad returns all but one wrestler who saw action in 2019-20, featuring a lineup that showcases six NCAA qualifiers, two All-Americans and a pair of UWW/U23 national champions. The Sooners added 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year Mitch Moore to the roster via transfer from Virginia Tech. Moore is a two-time NCAA qualifier at 141 pounds and will compete for the Sooners at 149 pounds.

LAST TIME OUT

The Sooners put on a clinic in Little Rock on Jan. 31. They opened the day with a decisive 21-13 win in Big 12 play over South Dakota State behind a pin from Tony Madrigal. Oklahoma then turned around with a 34-6 win over Little Rock where five Sooners won via tech fall, the most for a Rosselli team in his time at the helm. The Sooners won the final eight matches by a combined score of 95-8.

The team's final test of the day was No. 20 Stanford. After falling into a 12-3 hole early on, the Sooners used a pin at 165 from Troy Mantanona to jump start some Sooner Magic that allowed Oklahoma to rattle off five straight wins to clinch a 21-12 upset over the Cardinal.

SOONERS IN THE RANKINGS

Oklahoma appears the polls as the Sooners ride a three-dual winning streak that includes a win over ranked Stanford. The NWCA tabs OU as the No. 19 team in the country, while Intermat calls the Sooners 18th, Flo names Oklahoma No. 20 in their dual rankings. Track ranks Oklahoma 29th in its tournament rankings.

The three primary individual rankings selected a host of Sooners to place inside the top 25. FloWrestling tabs five Oklahoma starters as top-25 wrestlers in their respective weight class, while Track Wrestle ranks seven Sooners inside the top 33.
Every Sooners' starter has appeared in at least one poll this season except for Troy Mantanona (165) who made his debut on Jan. 31.

Flo Wrestling/Intermat/Track Wrestling

   125: Mason Naifeh - NR/NR/NR
   133: Tony Madrigal - NR/NR/31
   141: Dom Demas - 7/8/8
   149: Mitch Moore - 13/17/19
   157: Justin Thomas - 12/11/11
   165: Troy Mantanona - NR/NR/NR
   174: Anthony Mantanona - NR/NR/NR
   184: Darrien Roberts - NR/NR/30
   197: Jake Woodley - 13/12/12
   HWT: Josh Heindselman - 21/NR/28

HONORING DANNY HODGE

The Sooners will honor legendary wrestler and Sooner, Danny Hodge, before Sunday's dual with Oklahoma State with a video that features some wrestling legends like former OU head coaches Stan Abel and Jack Spates, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith and more.

Hodge, who is a National Wrestling Hall of Famer, died on Dec. 24, 2020, at the age of 88 in his hometown of Perry, Okla. He came to Norman from Perry in 1955 to wrestle of hall-of-fame-coach Port Robertson. Hodge compiled a perfect 46-0 record as a Sooner, winning 36 of his matches via fall.

The legend won three consecutive national titles and his performance at the 1957 NCAA championship earned him Most Outstanding Wrestler honors and led the Sooners to their fourth national championship. The Hodge Trophy, which is wrestling's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, is named after Hodge.

SENIOR DAY HONORS

The Sooners will honor four student-athletes before the dual on Sunday for senior day festivities. The wrestling program is set to thank Justin Thomas, Mason Naifeh, Jordan Rosselli and Easton Hudson. The NCAA has announced that all fall and winter student-athletes can opt to receive a year of eligibility back in 2021-22.

SCOUTING THE COWBOYS AND SERIES HISTORY

Oklahoma State (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) enters Sunday afternoon ranked fifth by the NWCA and sixth by Flo Wrestling. The Cowboys boast a lineup that has nine ranked wrestlers in at least one poll, with the lone exception at 133 pounds. OSU is led by Hall of Famer John Smith who has amassed over 400 wins in his HOF career. The Cowboys are the defending Big 12 champions.

Sunday's dual marks the 181st edition of Bedlam and first of two matches this season. The Sooners will strap up with the Cowboys in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Feb. 21. The two teams met twice in 2019-20 with Oklahoma State claiming a pair of wins (23-9, 27-8). Oklahoma trails the series 143-27-10 and is looking for its first win since 2013.