The Minnesota Golden Gophers pulled off a statement win on Friday night, taking down No. 4 Ohio State in Columbus with a thrilling 20-17 victory. Though each team claimed five individual wins, Minnesota’s ability to secure bonus points in four of their matches proved to be the difference.
This win marks the Gophers’ first top-five triumph since their 2022 upset of Oklahoma State. With a 9-1 overall record and a 5-1 mark in Big Ten competition, Minnesota now heads into the final stretch of the regular season with momentum on their side.
How It Happened
The Buckeyes, as the home team, controlled the match order, aiming to build an early lead and finish strong. However, Minnesota had other plans.
The night kicked off at 197 pounds, where No. 9 Isaiah Salazar battled Ohio State’s No. 18 Seth Shumate in a grueling match that went into overtime. With just two seconds left, Salazar secured a takedown to win 4-1 and put the Gophers ahead 3-0.
That lead quickly grew as Minnesota’s heavyweight powerhouse, No. 1 Gable Steveson, dominated No. 9 Nick Feldman. Steveson’s commanding 13-4 major decision extended his remarkable 61-match win streak and gave Minnesota a 7-0 team advantage.
Ohio State responded in the lighter weight classes, stringing together four consecutive victories. No. 18 Brendan McCrone’s major decision over No. 9 Cooper Flynn at 125 pounds, followed by a narrow overtime win at 133, leveled the score at 7-7.
At 141 pounds, an intense showdown between Minnesota’s No. 8 Vance VomBaur and Ohio State’s undefeated No. 1 Jesse Mendez went down to the wire. Mendez edged out a 6-5 tiebreaker victory, but VomBaur’s aggressive performance made a statement. The Buckeyes carried that momentum into 149 pounds, where No. 8 Dylan D’Emilio’s major decision extended their lead to 14-7.
Just when Ohio State looked in control, Minnesota’s middleweights roared back. No. 8 Tommy Askey started the rally with a dominant major decision at 157 pounds, cutting the deficit to 14-11.
Then, at 165 pounds, No. 11 Andrew Sparks delivered one of the most electrifying performances of the night. Sparks exploded in the second period, racking up takedowns and nearfall points before finishing with a tech fall, putting Minnesota back on top 16-14.
Ohio State briefly regained the lead at 174 pounds with No. 5 Carson Kharchla’s 7-1 decision over No. 22 Clayton Whiting, making it 17-16 heading into the final match.
The Decisive Moment
With everything on the line at 184 pounds, Minnesota’s No. 4 Max McEnelly took on No. 19 Ryder Rogotzke in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2023 Minnesota State High School Championship battle. This time, McEnelly left no doubt, dominating from start to finish with a 15-5 major decision that sealed the 20-17 victory for the Gophers.
McEnelly, now 16-0 on the season and 31-0 in his collegiate career, continues to be a force for Minnesota. His fourth major decision of the year also marked his 14th bonus-point win, proving his ability to step up in high-stakes moments.
What’s Next?
Minnesota will close out the regular season with two home meets, starting with Purdue on Sunday before a Valentine’s Day showdown against No. 2 Iowa. With the Big Ten Championships on the horizon, the Gophers are peaking at the perfect time.
