Wrestling preview: No. 4 Oklahoma State hosts No. 7 Oklahoma

The fourth-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team returns to Gallagher-Iba Arena this weekend before hitting the road. The Cowboys hosts rival No. 7 Oklahoma on Friday and matchup with Cornell on Sunday in Ithaca, N.Y. OU (9-3, 4-1 Big 12) have won their last four duals and, while the Big Red have won two of their last three.

Last time out

The Cowboys won the Bedlam season series opener Dec. 13 with a 37-3 win, which included six bonus-point wins over the Sooners in Norman.

True freshman Kaid Brock provided the highlight of the night at 133 pounds with a 42-second fall in his debut over defending NCAA champion Cody Brewer. Brock, who won three state titles at Stillwater High School, is out for the remainder of the season after suffering an injury during a mat return against No.1 Nahshon Garrett in the semifinals at the Southern Scuffle.

Brad Johnson earned the lone win for the Sooners with a 8-6 decision over Austin Schafer at 197 pounds.

In the rankings

Oklahoma State enters the weekend No. 5 in the USA Today/NWCA/Division I Coaches Poll and No. 4 in Intermat rankings. Once again, the Cowboys are the top Big 12 team in both polls. Nine Cowboy wrestlers rank among the top 20 in the nation at their respective weight classes. Two-time national champion Alex Dieringer (165) and returning All-American Dean Heil (141) hold No. 1 rankings. Four other Cowboys are ranked in the top-6: Eddie Klimara (125), Joe Smith (157), Kyle Crutchmer (174) and Austin Marsden (285).

Ranked vs. ranked

The dual features four matches against ranked opponents. The closest bout by rankings is at 125 with No. 5 Kilmara against OU's No. 10 Ryan Millhof. Kilmara earned a 5-3 decision over Millhof in the first meeting. The 133-pound bout is a fresh matchup as Harding did not wrestle in the first dual. Dieringer (165) picked up a decisive a 13-4 major decision over No. 12 Clark Glass last time out and No. 5 Austin Marsden had a 6-1 decision over No. 16 Ross Larson at heavyweight.

Smith debut

Oklahoma State head coach John Smith made his debut in the Bedlam rivalry years ago, and now it's time for his son, Joe Smith, to do the same. Smith holds the No. 6 ranking at 157 and will wrestle Brock Wingbermuehle, who was tech called by Chance Marsteller in the first dual.

PROJECTED LINEUP

125: No. 5 Eddie Klimara (OSU) vs. No. 10 Ryan Millhof (OU)

133: No. 18 Gary Wayne Harding (OSU) vs. No. 4 Cody Brewer (OU)

141: No. 1 Dean Heil (OSU) vs. Trace Blackwell

149: No. 13 Anthony Collica (OSU) vs. Davion Jeffries

157: No. 6 Joe Smith (OSU) vs. Brock Wingbermuehle

165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (OSU) vs. No. 12 Clark Glass

174: No. 5 Kyle Crutchmer (OSU) vs. Matt Reed (OU)

184: No. 16 Nolan Boyd (OSU) vs. Andrew Dixon

197: Preston Weigel (OSU) vs. Brad Johnson

285: No. 5 Austin Marsden (OSU) vs. No. 16 Ross Larson (OU)

*Intermat rankings

HOW TO WATCH

What: No. 4 OSU vs. No. 7 Oklahoma

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena

Stats: trackwrestling.com

Listen: 93.7 KSPI-FM or okstate.com