NCAA Wrestling: Missouri Tiger Style vs Oklahoma Sooners Preview

We have entered the final stages of the NCAA Wrestling season and the Tigers will open their final three contests with Big 12 opponents. The first in the series belongs to Lou Rosselli and the OU Sooners on Friday, February 03. The Sooners are 7-5 in dual meets this season, carrying a 1-3 record in Big 12 contests. Brian Smith currently holds a 12-9 all-time record against the Sooners in dual meet competitions. You can see more in-depth analysis in a previous article I wrote HERE.

Moving into individual weight classes, we will start at 125lbs and make our way through 285lbs. We are taking a glimpse into each dual and matchup that has been had along the road and how we have fared at each one. Looking along these duals, I’ll try to highlight which stood out most and which were potential season-altering battles as well as common ranked opponents throughout the current season. (Matches subject to change)

125lbs:

Mizzou: #13 Noah Surtin (So.)

Oklahoma: #23 Joey Prata (Sr.)

Surtin steps back on the mat looking to put his season back on the right path after falling in his previous contest against Wyoming. At 10-4 (3-1 Big 12), Surtin will be looking for another conference victory to keep him pushing for a top seed come tournament time. Prata, 14-5 (3-1 Big 12), will be looking for a get-even match after falling to Surtin in last season’s dual contest. He is a 1x NCAA qualifier and is currently in his second season with the Sooners after transferring out of Virginia Tech in 2021.

Prior Match-Up:

• Surtin over Prata, 4-3 Dec (2022)

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #15 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (OKST): Surtin (W, 3-0 Dec) - Prata (W, 4-2 Dec)

133lbs:

Mizzou: HM* Connor Brown (Jr.)

Oklahoma: HM* Wyatt Henson (RS-Fr.)

Connor Brown has been on the losing end of multiple close matches this year but luckily for him, none have been to Big 12 opponents. While it may not be a ranked match-up, it holds important seeding implications come tournament time. Henson, son of wrestling legend Sammie Henson, is in his first season with the Sooners after transferring from Iowa. He steps to the line with an 11-8 (2-3 Big 12) record looking to better position himself for the post-season.

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #8 Lucus Byrd (Ill): Brown (L, 7-3 Dec) - Henson (L, 8-3)

141lbs:

Mizzou: #7 Allan Hart (Sr.)

Oklahoma: #8 Mosha Schwartz (Jr.)

On a five-match win streak and a 5-1 conference record, Allan Hart will be taking on his seventh Big 12 opponent this season. Standing in front of him will be Northern Colorado transfer and second year Sooner, Mosha Schwartz. A one-time NCAA qualifier, Schwartz enters at 16-2 (5-0 Big 12), with significant conference wins over #17 Carter Young (OKST) and most recently #9 Cael Happel (UNI).

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• HM* Jordan Titus (WVU): Hart (W, 11-2 Maj Dec) - Schwartz (W, 4-1 Dec)

149lbs:

Mizzou: #6 Brock Mauller (RS-Jr.)

Oklahoma: #22 Mitch Moore (Sr.)

Brock Mauller is in the midst of a six-match win streak which includes victories over #22, #19, #13, and #8 wrestlers in the nation at his weight class with the opportunity to tack on #22 to his impressive run. His opponent, Mitch Moore, is on a four-match streak with the most recent loss to an honorable-mention wrestler out of Maryland. Moore is 13-2 (3-0 Big 12).

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #21 Sam Hillegas (WVU): Mauller (W, Maj Dec 10-2) - Moore (W, INJ Def)
• HM* Ethan Miller (Maryland): Mauller (W, 7-4 Dec) - Moore (L, 2-1 Dec)

157lbs:

Mizzou: #9 Jarrett Jacques (Sr.) or Logan Gioffre (So.)

Oklahoma: NR* Jacob Butler

Jacques has one loss in dual meets this season and this contest could be an opportunity for him to get a night off as this bout could only hurt his seeding chance moving into the postseason. Stepping in looking for an upset victory, Jacob Butler, a 1x NCAA qualifier, holds a 12-6 record (1-1 Big 12).

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• HM* Michael North (Maryland): Jacques (W, 6-2 Dec) - Butler (L, 9-3)

165lbs:

Mizzou: #1 Keegan O’Toole (So.)

Oklahoma: #17 Gerrit Nijenhuis (So.)

Out of the ten matches Keegan O’Toole has wrestled this season, seven of them have ended in a major decision or better. This contest may end the same as those seven prior bonus wins. Gerrit Nijenhuis is in his first season with the Sooners after transferring out of Purdue where he was a 2x NCAA qualifier for the Boilermakers. He currently holds a 10-3 record (2-2 Big 12) and comes off of back-to-back conference losses against ranked opponents.

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #9 Peyton Hall (WVU): O’Toole (W, 3-0 Dec) - (L, 8-2 Dec)
• #15 Dan Braunagel (Ill): O’Toole (W, Fall) - (L, 11-2 Maj Dec)

174lbs:

Mizzou: #9 Peyton Mocco (Jr.)

Oklahoma: #20 Tate Picklo (RS-Fr.) or Darrien Roberts (Jr.)

Mocco has competed in every dual contest this season for the Tigers so it may be safe to assume he won’t take a back seat in this one. Mocco has been a force this season so allowing him to continue his dominance could put this meet out of reach come to his bout at 174. As for Picklo, the top-rated recruit at 195lbs (#12 P4P) coming out of high school in 2021, has a 19-3 (4-0 Big 12) overall record this season and enters after recently knocking off HM* Julian Broderson (ISU) and #21 Lance Runyon (UNI). Roberts has currently lost four of his last five matches giving him an 11-7 record (0-2 Big 12).

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #5 Dustin Plott (OKST): Mocco (L, 12-3 Dec) - Roberts (L, 21-6 Tech Fall)
• #7 Edmond Ruth (Ill): Mocco (L, 4-3 Dec) - Roberts (L, 4-2 Dec & L, 3-1 Dec/SV-1)

184lbs:

Mizzou: HM* Colton Hawks (So.) or NR Sean Harman (So.)

Oklahoma: HM* Keegan Moore (Sr.)

I will continue to push the Law Firm of Hawks and Harman until it sticks but it looks as though Hawks is beginning to claim the starting role for the Tigers. Oklahoma has a journeyman stepping in at the 184 lbs weight class. Keegan Moore has made pitstops at Northern Iowa and Oklahoma State prior to landing with the Sooners for the past two seasons. He holds on to a 2-6 (0-3 Big 12) record and has only competed in dual meets this season recently dropping bouts to #2 and #4 inside 184.

Prior Match-Up:

• Harman over Moore, 3-2 Dec (2020)

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #2 Parker Keckheisen (UNI): Hawks (L, 7-2 Dec) - Moore (L, 4-1 Dec)

197lbs:

Mizzou: #1 Rocky Elam (So.) or Jesse Cassatt (RS-Fr.)

Oklahoma: NR* Seth Seago (Jr.)

In what may seem like a point contest to push Rocky into, we may see the Tigers give a reserve another chance to step in and take on a conference opponent. Seth Seago is in his first season for the Sooners and is still grasping the quality wrestling in division one after transferring out of Northeastern Oklahoma. Although he has one ranked win under his name, his losses quickly bring his season back to Earth with an 8-11 record.

Prior Match-Up:

• No Previous History

Common Ranked Opponents:

• No Common Ranked Opponents

285lbs:

Mizzou: #7 Zach Elam (Jr.)

Oklahoma: #19 Josh Heindselman (So.)

In what may be one of the better bouts of the night, Mizzou’s Zach Elam will take his nine-match win streak and put it on the line against a ranked conference opponent, Josh Heindselman. Heindselman, a two-time NCAA qualifier, steps to the mat with a 19-5 record and 2-2 inside the Big 12.

Prior Match-Up:

• Elam over Heindselman, 5-3 Dec (2022)

Common Ranked Opponents:

• #12 Tyrell Gordon (UNI): Elam (W, 3-1 Dec) - Heindselman (W, 4-2 Dec, SV-1)
• #18 Michael Wolfgram (WVU): Elam (W, 6-3 Dec) - Heindselman (L, 3-1 Dec)

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The Tigers should have no problem handling their business against the Sooners in the first of their three straight Big 12 matchups to round out the season. Next up on the road to the postseason are the much more talented Oklahoma State Cowboys.