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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 8-ranked University of Missouri wrestling heads back out on the road, this time to Oklahoma where it will dual with the Oklahoma Sooners Friday, Feb. 3. Following the match in Norman, Okla., the Tigers turn their sights to Stillwater to challenge No. 11 Oklahoma State Sunday, Feb. 5. The contests are set are 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. CT starts, respectively, with both being streamed on ESPN+.
— PREVIOUSLY ON TIGER STYLE — Missouri extended its Big 12 Conference record to 5-0 as it topped Air Force 36-9, Jan. 13, and Wyoming 28-10, Jan. 14. Over the two duals Mizzou totaled 11 wins via bonus points, seven of which came against the Falcons.
At Air Force, Noah Surtin started Mizzou off with a 17-0 technical fall at 125 pounds. Connor Brown (133; 12-4), Allan Hart (141; 14-4) and Brock Mauller (149; 15-4) followed, all with major decisions. Jarrett Jacques posted a 6-1 decision at 157 pounds, while Keegan O’Toole and Peyton Mocco both secured 20-5 technical falls at 165 and 174, respectively. Colton Hawks at 184 earned the lone fall for the squad, at 3:05.
Wrestling 7,220 feet above sea level did not discourage the Tigers against Wyoming as Brown (133) grabbed his second major of the trip, 16-4. The team saw decisions at 149 and 157, with Mauller (6-1) and Jacques (10-8). O’Toole was back to his pinning ways, earning a fall 1:23 into the first period. Mocco snagged his second bonus-point win of the trip with a 15-5 major decision at 174, while Hawks ended with a 6-3 decision at 184. Rocky Elam made his second appearnace of the new year, getting a technical fall (18-2) at 197 pounds.
— REIGNING, DEFENDING, UNDISPUTED — Defending national champion sophomore Keegan O’Toole extended his win streak to 39 consecutive bouts dating back to the 2021 NCAA Championships. O’Toole earned two bonus point victories on the team’s trip to Air Force and Wyoming. The Sophomore tallied a 20-5 technical fall against Seamus Casey of USAFA, and pinned Cole Moody in the first period in Laramie, Wyo.
O’Toole is the top-ranked 165-pounder by all major publications and is ranked fifth by FloWrestling on the pound-for-pound list.
— MOCCO MADNESS — Recording bonus point victories in Mizzou’s last four duals, redshirt junior Peyton Mocco is on a tear heading to Oklahoma. Mocco defeated Gaven Sax of North Dakota State by pin (3:20), Dec. 20, and Carson Babock of Northern Iowa (6:43), Jan. 8. Taking it on the road, the redshirt junior topped Gage Musser of Air Force, Jan. 13, with a technical fall (20-5), before majoring Brett McIntosh of Wyoming (15-5), Feb. 14.
Mocco is ranked ninth by FloWrestling at 174 pounds with a 14-3 overall record. The West Allis, Wis. native has a .823 win percentage in 2022-23, having won eight of his last nine matches.
— COACHES POLL POSTED — The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) put out its first set of individual rankings, Jan. 15. For the rankings, coaches may only consider wrestlers who are designated a starter and have at least eight Division I matches in their respective weight class with one within the last 30 days.
At 125 pounds sophomore Noah Surtin is seventh while redshirt senior Connor Brown is 27th at 133. Classmate Allan Hart and redshirt junior Brock Mauller both land at sixth at 141 and 149 pounds, respectively. Senior Jarrett Jacques is eighth at 157 and sophomore Keegan O’Toole takes the No. 1 spot at 165. Redshirt junior Peyton Mocco claims 10th at 174, while sophomore Colton Hawks is 27th at 184. Redshirt junior Zach Elam is the final ranked wrestler for Mizzou, coming in at sixth at 285 pounds.
— COACHING CONNECTION — Associate Head Coach, Kendric Maple was a four-time NCAA qualifier and National Champion for the Oklahoma wrestling program in 2013 at 141 pounds. The three-time Big 12 Champion (2012-14) was also a three-time member of the NWCA Division I All-Academic Team (2012-14). Additionally, Maple was a three-time All-American for the Sooners, earning the honor 2012-14, and still ranks sixth in program history with 127 career wins.
— ALL-TIME vs. OKLAHOMA — The dual action Friday, Feb. 3 marks the 57th meeting between Missouri and Oklahoma. The Tigers hold a 14-42-0 all-time record against the Sooners. However, Mizzou has won six of the last 10 matches and four of the previous five when clashing with OU.
— LAST TIME vs. THE SOONERS — No. 9-ranked Missouri took down No. 20 Oklahoma 23-14 at McCasland Field House in Norman, Oklahoma, Jan. 20, 2022. In their first dual against Oklahoma since 2017 Noah Surtin started the scoring for Mizzou at 125 pounds with a third-period takedown to flip the advantage to 4-3. Allan Hart registered a pin at 141 pounds for Mizzou’s second win of the night, followed by Keegan O’Toole at 165, who tallied a 18-3 technical fall.
The Tigers saw ranked wins at 184 pounds with Jeremiah Kent grabbing a 6-4 victory, and Rocky Elam and Zach Elam winning their bouts by decision at 197 and 285 pounds, respectively.
— ALL-TIME vs. OKLAHOMA STATE — The match between No. 9 Mizzou and No. 10 Oklahoma State will be the 52nd meeting between the two programs. Missouri is 7-43-1 all-time against the Big 12 foes and have won just three of the past 10 matches versus the Cowboys.
— LAST TIME vs. THE COWBOYS — Behind back-to-back pins, the No. 12-ranked University of Missouri wrestling team upset No. 10 Oklahoma State, 21-20, in the Hearnes Center, Feb. 6, 2022. The win marked the team’s first against the Pokes since Jan. 27, 2018.
The momentum of the dual began to shift at 165 pounds with top-ranked Keegan O’Toole grinding out a 3-2 victory over No. 10 Travis Whittlake to get Missouri on the board. Sean Harman grabbed his third consecutive victory over a ranked opponent as he upset No. 10 Dustin Plott 5-4 at 174 pounds. Rocky Elam earned a decision at 197 pounds while his brother, Zach Elam secured a fall (2:25) at 285 pounds. Noah Surtin flipped the lead in the Tigers favor as he dominated Alexander Yokubaitis, scoring seven takedowns and two stall points before finally finishing the match with a pin (5:58) at 125 pounds.
— MILESTONE WATCH — Senior Jarrett Jacques is currently the team’s winningest active wrestler. At 95 career wins, Jacques has the chance to become the 29th Tiger to enter the exclusive 100-Win Club. Redshirt junior Brock Mauller is right on Jacques’ heels with 92 wins of his own.
— UP NEXT — The Tigers return home to close out the 2022-23 regular season with a Senior Night dual against No. 3 Iowa State Wednesday, Feb. 15. The match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT, with recognition of Mitchell Bolhken, Connor Brown, Jarrett Jacques and Allan Hart beginning 30 minutes prior.
