No. 2 Ohio State Comes From Behind to Beat No. 5 Iowa, 24-9, in Front of Record-Breaking Covelli Center Crowd

Before 2025-26, the Buckeyes were 4-44 against the Hawkeyes, but with a 27-12 win in November and a 24-9 win on Friday, Ohio State proved it belongs among the Big Ten’s elite while improving to 17-0 for the first time in program history. The Buckeyes did it in front of a record-breaking crowd of 4,749 at the Covelli Center.

Iowa controlled the opening matches by winning three straight decisions against Ohio State’s wrestlers. The dual started at 157, with Victor Voinovich III defeating Maddox Shaw 5-1. It continued with No. 3 Michael Caliendo beating e’Than Birden 8-2 and No. 3 Patrick Kennedy beating No. 5 Carson Kharchla 2-1.

Then the momentum swung in Ohio State’s favor.

Needing points, No. 7 Dylan Fishback took the mat against Gabe Arnold. The two battled through three periods, each scoring once, forcing a sudden victory. In overtime, Fishback appeared to secure the winning takedown, but officials did not award the points, allowing Arnold to counter with a takedown of his own.

Tom Ryan immediately tossed the red challenge brick onto the mat. Following a brief review, officials overturned the call, awarding Fishback the takedown – and three crucial team points – to ignite the Buckeyes and revive the Covelli Center.

184 | No. 7 Dylan Fishback with the sudden victory for @wrestlingbucks pic.twitter.com/pe65VJN7Qn

— Big Ten Wrestling (@B1GWrestling) February 7, 2026

With the crowd behind him, No. 10 Luke Geog rolled past Brody Sampson, 13-4, to earn a major decision and cut the Iowa lead to 9-7. The 197-pounder scored takedowns in all three periods, including two in the third, to pull away.

After the intermission, No. 3 Nick Feldman squared off with No. 8 Ken Kueter, an opponent who had beaten him three times last season. In a battle of wills, Feldman finally broke through, using a second-period takedown to secure a 3-2 decision and give Ohio State its first lead of the dual, 10-9.

No. 2-ranked 125-pounder Nic Bouzakis kept the Buckeyes rolling, firing out of a cannon to score seven first-period points against No. 6 Dean Peterson, including four from a near fall. Bouzakis traded shots with Peterson over the final two periods before sealing a 9-5 decision and pushing Ohio State’s lead to 13-9.

The 133 class featured another ranked matchup – and another Buckeye win – as No. 2 Ben Davino took care of business against No. 9 Drake Ayala. Davino, who entered the dual 21-0 with a 16-0 record in duals, earned his 22nd win of the season in a 4-2 decision behind one takedown and one escape.

Ohio State still had its ace in the hole with two matches remaining, as two-time NCAA champion Jesse Mendez, the No. 1 wrestler at 141 pounds, made quick work of Kale Peterson. Mendez put on a takedown clinic en route to an 18-3 tech fall. The bonus-point win put five points on the board for the Buckeyes, ending Iowa’s hopes of mounting its own comeback in the dual’s closing moments.

With Ohio State leading 21-9, No. 7 Ethan Stiles faced No. 18 Ryder Block at 149 pounds. The two wrestlers traded points in regulation, each earning an escape, before Stiles secured the win with a takedown one minute into sudden victory.

Friday’s 24-9 win came in Ohio State’s final home dual of the season. Next weekend, the Buckeyes will travel to Penn State to put their undefeated record on the line against the nation’s No. 1 team (Friday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network) before closing out the regular season against Maryland (Sunday, Feb. 15, 2 p.m., B1G+).