David Taylor’s Oklahoma State squad has started the 2025 NCAA season with a mixture of highs and lows. While the resilience was high before the Southern Scuffle, the Magic Man’s absence from the competition saw Army West Point, with a total of 132.5 points, beat the Oklahoma Sooners, who had tied with Penn State at 126.5 points.

Now that Week 10 of the NCAA season has concluded, the InterMat rankings are out. Unfortunately, it’s bad news for Coach Taylor, as none of his prodigies have reached the top in nearly every weight category due to their absence from the competition. To make it worse, Sanderson’s Nittany Lions have done quite the opposite.

Despite several wins, none of David Taylor’s prodigies are ranked No. 1

The Nittany Lions have managed to bag the #1 spot in two weight classes. Mitchell Mesenbrink and Carter Starocci have managed to top the charts with 165 lbs and 184 lbs, respectively. Meanwhile, Taylor’s Cowboys are struggling on the charts. Even in weight classes with promise, the Cowboys have faltered.

At 174 lbs, Gaven Sax fell short in a tight championship bout. In the 197 lbs category, Cowboys star Bradley Hill came in seventh place. Meanwhile, beloved 125 lbs star Troy Spratley fell short, finishing at No. 2 behind Matt Ramos. Tagen Jamison, known for his determination on the mats, unfortunately did not make it to the top. Jamison ended up in fourth place in the 141 lbs weight class. Unfortunately, the disappointment doesn’t end there for the Magic Man, though.

Dean Hamiti, Oklahoma State’s decorated wrestler, also slipped up. Hamiti claimed the third spot in the 174 lbs rankings. Meanwhile, in the 184 lbs weight class, which PSU dominated, Dustin Plott was ranked third. Last but not least, Wyatt Hendrickson finished in a disappointing position. Wyatt came in third behind Gable Steveson and Greg Kerkvliet in the 285 lbs. Despite big wins and performances, David Taylor’s squad appears to lack champions. However, the season is far from over, and the Cowboys might just have another chance!

Despite dismal rankings, the Cowboys have another chance to pull it back!

Oklahoma State’s road doesn’t end here, and Coach David Taylor might just have a chance to get his prodigies to the top. The road ahead is perhaps the most important of them all. Next, the Cowboys will go up against NC State on January 12th. This will be followed by the Big 12 against No. 20 West Virginia, just seven days later. But their journey doesn’t end there.

The Cowboys will face Northern Iowa on January 24th. This is to be followed by a duel against Iowa State on January 26th. The Cowboys will also go against Missouri, Little Rock, and Iowa City before the Big 12 Championships on March 8th. If the Cowboys maintain their momentum and build consistency, a top-place finish is within reach, despite this being Coach David Taylor’s maiden season. The door remains open for Oklahoma State and their Magic Man to shift the narrative and climb the ranks.