Bouzakis Lights the Fuse as Ohio State Takes Down Rival Michigan
Ohio State defeated Michigan 26–16 in a college wrestling dual at the Covelli Center in Columbus on February 1, 2026. The second-ranked Buckeyes improved to 16–0 overall and 5–0 in the Big Ten with their fourth consecutive victory in the rivalry.
The decisive action
Nic Bouzakis gave the home team an immediate six-point lift by pinning Diego Sotelo at 3:47 of their 125-pound bout. Ben Davino followed with a 19–4 technical fall over Gauge Botero at 133, extending the early advantage.
Jesse Mendez then defeated Dylan Ragusin by technical fall, 19–3, at 141. Those opening three results put Ohio State ahead 16–0 and forced Michigan to pursue a substantial recovery across the remaining weight classes.
What the result means
The Wolverines responded through Lachlan McNeil’s major decision at 149 and Cameron Catrabone’s pin at 157. Ohio State steadied the dual with decisions from Paddy Gallagher at 165 and Carson Kharchla at 174, preventing Michigan from taking control of the comeback.
Luke Geog’s 11–3 major decision against Hayden Walters at 197 secured the team victory. Michigan’s Taye Ghadiali won the closing heavyweight bout, but the final margin still favored the Buckeyes by ten points. The outcome combined an explosive start with necessary wins later in the lineup, preserving Ohio State’s unbeaten record while demonstrating that its opening bonus points had been decisive rather than merely decorative.
Sources
- ohiostatebuckeyes.com: wrestling fast start leads to 26 16 ohio state win over michigan
- ohiostatebuckeyes.com: Final Results 2025 26.pdf
Article Tags
College wrestling, NCAA wrestling
