While Beauty and the Beast may steal most of the spotlight in the grappling world this weekend, the ISU wrestling team will also need to be focused on their Sunday battle against Oklahoma State.

Perhaps Iowa State’s biggest wrestling rival beyond state lines, the Cowboys will bring their always-fearsome lineup Sunday to Hilton Coliseum. The dual against No. 6 Oklahoma State, along with matches versus Minnesota and Oklahoma, will give the Cyclones their third consecutive home dual against a top-10 team.

“We will need to put up points and get guys to fight harder,” said junior Jerome Ward. “We need to show up and perform.”

Led by the nation’s top ranked 133-pounder Jordan Oliver, the OSU lineup boasts nine wrestlers ranked in the national top 20. Oliver and fellow lightweight stars Jon Morrison, 125 pounds, and Jamal Parks, 149 pounds, pose a large threat to the young Cyclone roster.

“I have to go out and compete hard for seven minutes,” said Cyclone 133-pounder Ben Cash. “It’s all about wrestling hard, fighting hard in every position and competing to win.”

At the top end of the scale, Ward will have his hands full with 12-0 Clayton Foster. Ward won his first match back from knee surgery against Minnesota’s Joe Nord, 5-2.

“I have to take it one match at a time,” Ward said. “I am good to go for Friday’s dual and if all goes well I should be ready for Sunday.”

Ward’s injury is not the only lingering medical issue affecting the Cyclones. All-American Chris Drouin will remain out of action with a dislocated finger as well as a concussion.

Not being at full strength will come in to play against a team that already shredded the Cyclones once this season. At the National Duals, the Cowboys rolled to a 37-9 win. Kyle Simonson was the only man for the Cyclones to win a match while Jon Reader was awarded a forfeit.

Legendary coach John Smith has used this season to climb back to the top of college wrestling. Smith led his team to a tie with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 16. The tie broke Iowa’s 69-dual match win streak and put the rest of the college wrestling community on high alert.

“This is what you train in the pre-season and year-round for, to wrestle Big 12 competition. Two good schools in one weekend gives us a good chance to compete,” Simonson said.

Simonson will likely be facing Blake Rosholt, a heavyweight whose last name is synonymous with Oklahoma State wrestling.

“You can look at the names and it might mean something to some people, but to us it’s just another opponent,” Simonson said.

Iowa State will be the first team to face the Cowboys since they broke Iowa’s streak, and if either team has it their way, the streak of great duals between the Big 12’s premier squads will continue.