Those who follow the world of wrestling found out earlier this season that the University of Iowa is not infallible. After more than two years of consecutive dual wins, Oklahoma State handed Iowa its first loss.

This Sunday, Iowa State is looking to duplicate the feat at Hilton Coliseum.

Iowa State has historically had a tough time with its intrastate rival, with a losing record of 14-41-2 since the two wrestling titans first clashed in 1912.

Head Wrestling Coach Bobby Douglas said the Cyclones view their twice-a-season duals with the Hawks as a gauge of their own strength.

“It’s a measuring stick for us,” Coach Douglas said. “We know we have some things to overcome, and this is a big test to see if we can overcome them.”

The two schools have already met on the mat earlier this year, much earlier than usual, on Dec. 14 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The dual ended with a sound Iowa victory.

But this Sunday, the ‘Clones will fight the war on their own turf.

Iowa State is also coming fresh off an annihilation of North Carolina State and Boston University last Sunday. Overall, ISU recorded eight pins and demonstrated a powerful show of force, which is the feeling they’re taking into Sunday’s meet.

Some matches that are sure to be suspenseful include those at 118, 126, 142, 150, 167 pounds and heavyweight. At the lightest weight, ISU’s Cody Sanderson faces Jesse Whitmer, who has beaten the Cyclone before.

Sanderson said he’s been preparing for this match by watching tapes of Whitmer, getting familiar with his style and practicing with Jason Nurre, the wrestling administrative assistant and last year’s 118-pound national runner-up.

Sanderson said the practice has improved his performance on top and made him more comfortable on the mat. Still, “I’m a little nervous,” he said. “I felt like I did okay last time with [Whitmer], but in the last period I kind of fell apart.”

At the next weight, Cyclone Dwight Hinson, last year’s national runner-up, goes up against Iowa’s Mike Mena, a three-time All-American.

Hinson is more accustomed to warring with Iowa’s Jeff McGinness, but the Hawk decided early in the season to redshirt this year. Mena, last year’s 118-pounder, moved up a weight to take McGinness’ place.

Tom Brands, assistant wrestling coach at Iowa, said the battle between Hinson and Mena should be major.

“That’s a big match,” he said. “Our job here is to get Mena to open up; their job there is to get Hinson to open up. If we do our job and they do their job, it will be a good match.”

Brands also said to watch for the 142-pounders, ISU’s David Maldonado and Iowa’s Kasey Gillis.

At the earlier meeting of the two wrestlers, Maldonado came out on top, but Brands warned that “our guy’s coming on. You’ve gotta feel good about that.”

The heavyweight match will also pit two talented athletes against each other. Cyclone Trent Hynek and Hawk Wes Hand each boast one win against the other, so Sunday’s match will be the tiebreaker, at least for now.

But the pairing that wrestling fans are salivating to see most likely won’t happen, at least this weekend. Cyclone Chris Bono, who finished on top of the heap last year, and Hawkeye Lincoln McIlravy, a two-time NCAA champ, will probably not compete on Sunday.

McIlravy has been plagued by headaches since he suffered a concussion a few weeks ago, and Brands said he will sit out “at this point. He’s okay, and he’s been training, but he hasn’t been training hard,” Brands said.

Eric Koble, who has stepped into the slot at 150 in several other meets and at National Duals, is set to wrestle Bono.

But no matter who steps out on the mat to face him, Bono said he’s already psyched.

“I’m just gonna prepare for [McIlravy],” Bono said, “because if I’m prepared for him, I’ll be ready for anybody.”

There has also been speculation that this season might be the last for Iowa’s Head Wrestling Coach Dan Gable, who has led Iowa to 14 NCAA championships and 21 consecutive Big Ten titles.

Coach Gable is recovering from hip surgery and just recently started heading practices again.

While Brands said he personally doesn’t know whether Gable is retiring, and that “nobody really knows,” Coach Douglas voiced his opinion on Gable’s rumored departure.

“I don’t think this is his last year — at least, it better not be,” Douglas said. “I want to compete some more. He’s not going to get out of it that easily.

“If there was anything I could say to make him stay, I would.”

For Iowa, the dual at Iowa State is its final regular-season meet, and the prospect of going up against Gable in the last such meeting carries importance for Douglas.

“Personally, it doesn’t change anything for me,” Douglas said, “but from a wrestling point of view, it gives a match a little more meaning because there’s a historical event to add to it.

“What happens is going to be historical no matter what, whether he retires or whether he stays.”

That question is not at the forefront of the wrestlers’ minds, though. What matters this Sunday is to get a win against a team that rarely gives them up.

Frank Kisley, the Cyclone 134-pounder, summed up his feelings: “It goes down to team points. … I want us to win it for the seniors who’ve never beaten Iowa before.”

The meet starts at 2 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum.