Jon Morrison of OSU battles Cody Brewer of OU at 133 pounds, a bout won by Morrison, 9-4. OU website photo.

NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma State followed what could be a common theme in duals for the 2012-13 season. Close early, but too much in the second half.

Oklahoma led its Bedlam rival, 9-3, after top-ranked 141-pounder Kendric Maple (10-0) pinned Julian Feikert midway through the third period. But what might be considered a version of Murderer’s Row sparked the second-ranked Cowboys to a 26-9 victory inside McCasland Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon.

2011 NCAA champion Jordan Oliver (9-0) had little trouble with All-American Nick Lester at 149, recording six takedowns in a 14-5 major decision to draw OSU within two points on the scoreboard.

Redshirt freshman Alex Dieringer (9-0) trailed 2-0 after one period, but used a series of slick takedowns, including a physical finish to a double leg to beat Matt Lester, 8-5, at 157 pounds.

Two-time All-American Tyler Caldwell needed overtime to beat Patrick Graham at 165 pounds. Trying to ride out the final period for a one-point victory, Caldwell (9-0) saw Graham escape with :03 remaining to force the extra session where Caldwell won a scramble for a 5-3 win. The Cowboy turned in two All-America seasons for OU before taking an Olympic redshirt in 2011-12 and enrolling at OSU for the fall semester.

Top-ranked Chris Perry (9-0) remained unbeaten with a 21-6 technical fall at 174 pounds to put the Cowboys up 17-9 with three bouts to wrestle.

Chris Chionuma’s major decision at 184 pounds wrapped up a sixth straight win in a series that includes 167 meetings.

“It is a war everyday,” said Caldwell. “We’ve heard some guys call it Death Row. From 149 to 174 it is pretty brutal in the room. Not even with our starting lineup, we have some freshmen who were number one in the country; they are coming in scrapping.

“It is a great setup for partners, especially for me with Oliver and Perry.”

“That is what is making all of us better,” said Dieringer. “From 149 to 174 … I mean 184 … actually up through heavyweight, I think everybody can place (at the NCAA Championships).”

Dieringer followed up a solid performance on Saturday night when he beat Wyoming’s 12th-ranked Andy McCulley, 14-5.

“It’s not an upset to me,” said Dieringer. “I really think I am the guy to beat this year.”

Oliver, Dieringer, Caldwell and Perry are a combined 36-0 through Sunday.

“I thought we did OK,” said an always-hard-to-satisfy OSU head coach John Smith. “I was pleased with the scoreboard. There were a few things that I didn’t like as far as discipline. I liked the grind-out wins at 133, 157 and 165. I also liked the bonus points at 149, 174 and 184. I think we did a pretty good job.”

The Sooners jumped out to a 3-0 lead when freshman Kyle Garcia knocked off Eddie Klimara, 3-2, at 125 pounds. Klimara, a freshman from Joliet, Ill., made his collegiate debut with an early takedown, but Garcia quickly reversed and used a third-period reversal for the victory.

The visitors quickly tied the dual when Jon Morrison (8-2) used a decisive double leg late in the third to pull away from talented Sooner freshman Cody Brewer, 9-4, at 133 pounds.

Maple momentarily gave the hosts some momentum, but the Cowboys rolled off seven straight for the decisive win.

“This is not unfamiliar territory for me,” said OU head coach Mark Cody. “I’ve been in this situation before with building a program. You’re going to have your highs and lows.

“I think that a lot of the close matchups, we were in them and had a possibility to win. There are just a few mental errors that we’re making and I think that’s making a difference in a lot of those matches.”

OSU (4-0) closed out the dual with victories by Blake Rosholt and Alan Gelogaev.

Rosholt, out due to injury in last week’s win at Minnesota, held off Sooner rookie Brad Johnson, 11-9, with Gelogaev beating Keldrick Hall, 11-4, in a match that saw the Cowboys lose a team point. 

Oklahoma State will wrestle in the Grapple in the Garden in Madison Square Garden next Sunday. They face Chattanooga and Cornell with Caldwell and three-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake on everybody’s radar.

The Sooners (4-3), who entered the weekend ranked 10th in the country, also dropped a 25-13 dual to Wyoming on Friday night in Ark City, Kan.

Cody is without the services of All-Americans Jarrod Patterson, Andrew Howe, and Travis Rutt, all three redshirting this season.

No. 2 Oklahoma State 27, No. 10 Oklahoma 9
at Norman, Okla., December 9

125-Kyle Garcia (O) dec Eddie Klimara, 3-2
133-Jon Morrison (OS) dec Cody Brewer, 9-4
141-Kendric Maple (O) pin Julian Feikert, 5:57
149-Jordan Oliver (OS) maj dec Nick Lester, 14-5
157-Alex Dieringer (OS) dec Matt Lester, 8-5
165-Tyler Caldwell (OS) dec Patrick Graham, 5-3 OT
174-Chris Perry (OS) tech fall Matt Reed, 21-6
184-Chris Chionuma (OS) maj dec Nolan McBryde, 17-7
197-Blake Rosholt (OS) dec Brad Johnson, 11-9
285-Alan Gelogaev (OS) dec Keldrick Hall, 11-4*

*Oklahoma State deducted a team point during the 285-pound match