With a chance to go 15-0 for the first time since the 1970-71 season, the Iowa State wrestling team fell just short, losing to top-ranked Oklahoma State 21-14.

Two unlikely wrestlers led the Cyclones — sophomore Travis Paulson and junior Kurt Backes led the Cyclones with major decisions in their matches.

Travis, wrestling his first match since tearing rib cartilage against Northern Iowa on Jan. 15, fought to score seven points in the third period, including a takedown with two seconds remaining.

“I felt good,” Travis said. “I just tried to block out the pain and went out there and did the job.”

Travis, now 17-4 on the year, fatigued quickly in the match but dug deep to gut out the win.

“I wasn’t practicing all week last week and I only got a little bit of live action this week,” Travis said. “My lungs weren’t quite used to it yet.”

He said he knew the team needed the extra points and gave it everything he had.

“I got my second wind coming at the end,” Travis said. “[My teammates] really got into it and helped me out.”

At 184 pounds, Backes took an 8-5 lead into the third period where he wore down Oklahoma State freshman Clay Kehrer.

The junior from New Jersey controlled the entire match and worked to get a 17-9 major decision before the heart of Oklahoma State’s lineup took to the mat.

Iowa State led 14-11 going into the 197-pound match, but second-ranked Jake Rosholt jumped out to an early 6-3 first period lead for the Cowboys.

Senior Trevor Smith controlled the rest of the match but was unable to score points.

He rode Rosholt for the duration of the second period, almost rolling him to his back for back points, but the Cyclone came up short.

With the match tied at 14, top-ranked heavyweight Steve Mocco proved to be too much to handle for senior Scott Coleman.

Mocco countered all of Coleman’s shots and turned them into points on his way to a 13-4 major decision.

The final match featured No. 8 Grant Nakamura against unranked true freshman Coleman Scott. Scott, a highly touted three-time Pennsylvania high school champion, earned a takedown and two near fall points to take an early 4-0 lead.

Nakamura was never able take control of the match, and Scott avoiding all of his shots.

Nakamura wasn’t able to escape from Scott’s grasp in the third period and lost 6-0.

The loss moves the third-ranked Cyclones to 14-1 on the year.

They face conference foe Oklahoma at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hilton Coliseum.

No. 1 Oklahoma State 21, No. 3 Iowa State 14

133 — Morgan (OSU) dec. Sundell (ISU) 10-5

141 — Gallick (ISU) dec. Delk (OSU) 5-1

149 — Esposito (OSU) tech fall Knipp (ISU) 6:00

157 — Trent Paulson (ISU) dec Ward (OSU) 8-3

165 — Travis Paulson (ISU) major dec Lewnes (OSU) 13-4

174 — Pendleton (OSU) dec Passolano (ISU) 11-5

184 — Backes (ISU) major dec Kehrer (OSU) 17-8

197 — Rosholt (OSU) dec Smith (ISU) 6-3

HWT — Mocco (OSU) major dec Coleman (ISU) 13-4

125 — Scott (ISU) dec Nakamura (ISU) 6-0