The Top Three Potential Matchups in Oklahoma State’s Dual against West Virginia

The Cowboys will take the country roads to Morgantown this weekend for a dual that includes a handful of highly anticipated bouts.

Oklahoma State wrestles West Virginia at 1 p.m. Sunday in what will be the Cowboys’ first dual in three weeks. Here are the three best potential matchups of the weekend.

3. No. 14 Alex Facundo vs. No. 15 Brody Conley

This match is up in the air to an extent, as Brody Conley injury defaulted out of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last week, finishing sixth at the event.

Alex Facundo just about had the toughest draw imaginable at last month’s National Duals Invitational, which got his OSU record off the a rocky start, but he proved that weekend that he is capable of hanging with the nation’s best at 174 pounds.

Facundo is 7-4 this season after winning the Cougar Clash last weekend in convincing fashion. Four of Facundo’s wins have come via bonus points and another was against then-No. 4 Chris Minto (Nebraska) at National Duals.

As mentioned, Conley is coming off a sixth-place finish at CKLV, and he won the Southeast Open in November. He’s 13-2 on the year.

2. No. 8 Troy Spratley vs. No. 7 Jett Strickenberger

This is a rematch of last season’s Big 12 final, where Strickenberger bested Spratley in sudden-victory.

Spratley went on to finish second at the national tournament while Strickenberger missed out on the podium (125 gets wild). Strickenberger actually went 2-0 against Spratley last season, pinning him in the dual in Stillwater.

The two met once in college before that — an 8-4 Spratley win in the opening round of the 2024 Big 12 tournament.

Spratley is 4-2 this season with his losses being to reigning national champ Vincent Robinson then a tough 5-4 to Iowa’s Dean Peterson, where Spratley gave up a takedown at the end.

Strickenberger is 10-2 on the year and is coming off a win at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

“Both matches last year, just a little bit of a lack of focus in a couple areas, right,” OSU coach David Taylor said. “In both matches, just like one little instant was kind of the difference-maker. Just a good opportunity to stay present for seven minutes. (Strickenberger) is a tough kid. Wrestling with a lot of confidence. He’s kinda funky. He’s gonna be ready to go. Troy’s gonna be ready to go. It’s gonna be a good match.”

1. No. 2 Landon Robideau vs. No. 1 Ty Watters (157)

The numbers next to their names tell you all you need to know — it’s No. 1 vs. No. 2.

Only a freshman, Robideau has burst on the scene throughout the opening month or so of his college career. He’s 6-0 with five of those wins coming via bonus points. He’s knocked off three ranked wrestlers, with two of those guys being in the Top 5.

A redshirt sophomore, Watters is coming off a win was the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He’s 11-0 on the year entering Friday night’s dual against North Carolina. Watters is 4-0 against ranked competition.

Watters was an All-American at 149 pounds as a freshman in 2023-24, finishing fourth. He also won at Big 12s that year. He suffered an injury last season and took a redshirt.

“It’s gonna be a fun match,” Taylor said. “You’ve got the No. 1 and the No. 2 guy in the country. Watters is tough. He’s a Pennsylvania kid. He’s a pretty good scrambler, had a really good national tournament two years ago, sat out last year. He’s had a good start to the year.

“I think Landon’s excited for the opportunity to go compete. Landon’s looking forward to wrestling everybody. We just talked about this yesterday: Our goal is not to wrestle guys that have a number by their name, and our goal isn’t to just have a number by our name. Our goal is to be one of the most dominant wrestlers in the country, the most dominant program in the country. And in order to do that, you’re looking forward to wrestling all the best guys and doing your best to not make it a close match. I think that’s the mentality that we have, and this will be a good test for Landon.”