It’s a good thing Iowa didn’t reach a Bowl Game during the 1992 football season. Heavyweight wrestler John Oostendorp might not have been ready by the time the NCAA Wrestling Championships rolled around in March. 

Oostendorp played defensive end his junior year and nose tackle as a senior before joining the wrestling team at the conclusion of the season. He wasn’t a starter but got playing time and traveled with the team. 

“I always envisioned being a college football player,” Oostendorp said. 

Iowa’s football season ended on November 21, 1992, with a 28-13 loss to Minnesota and a 5-7 record. That meant no post-season and no bowl game for Oostendorp. His focus immediately turned to wrestling. 

Oostendorp — affectionately known as ‘Big O’ — was the heavyweight closer for a team that was in the midst of a rebuild. Dan Gable’s Hawkeyes had one the best teams in NCAA history for back-to-back seasons but lost 60 percent of its line-up due to graduation.  

Gable didn’t plan on wrestling Oostendorp for its December 3, 1992, dual with Penn State but used his heavyweight star on just a few days of practice, which resulted in an 18-18 tie against its new conference foe.

The Nittany Lions had just entered the Big Ten and were a serious contender to knock off the Hawkeyes. Iowa was still experimenting with its line-up and had not made the decision to insert freshman phenom Lincoln McIlravy at 142.

Iowa was still the favorite when Nebraska hosted the NWCA National Duals on January 23-24. The Hawkeyes were seeded first and the Huskers were seeded fifth when the two teams met in the semifinals. 

Nebraska earned three falls during the dual and was ahead 21-20 entering the heavyweight match between #2 Oostendorp and 2000 Greco Olympic champion and third-ranked Rulon Gardner. 

The back-and-forth battle saw Gardner score a takedown in the first period with Oostendorp firing back with a takedown of his own in the second. Gardner led 6-5 with 25 seconds remaining before scoring a takedown, three near-fall points, and a riding time point for a 12-5 win. 

“I had five or six weeks of hard training entering the match,” Oostendorp said. “I remember that match (against Rulon). I didn’t have that foundation of shape you need to compete with a big guy who was a goer like that. It took me a couple of months to get into top shape that year.”

Nebraska defeated Iowa, 24-20, before falling to Penn State, 20-13, in the finals. 

Former Cornhusker head coach Tim Neumann called it the biggest day in Nebraska wrestling history — and possibly the biggest week in program history. His team defeated Iowa, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa within a seven-day period. 

“(Dan Gable) is human, and this year he has a human team,” Neumann said after the win. “I just feel we beat them in a dual meet but by no stretch of the imagination is our program on the level of theirs. But we’re getting there.”

Gable adjusted his line-up during the season, which included pulling McIlravy out of redshirt, dropping Troy Steiner down a weight, and learning that Ray Brinzer was eligible to compete with a 0-0 record as the team was about to depart for the Big Ten Championships. 

All were crucial to Iowa’s end-of-year success. 

In the end, Iowa and ‘Big O’ got their revenge. The Hawkeyes eeked out a Big Ten title with a 4.5-point win over Penn State (Nebraska wasn’t in the conference yet) and won by 36.25 points over the Nittany Lions at the NCAA Championships.

Both Gardner and Oostendorp lost in the quarterfinals at nationals but faced each other for third place. Gardner led 7-6 with seconds remaining when Oostendorp hit a late duck under to earn an 8-7 revenge win. 

“I hit those ducks quite a bit,” Oostendorp said. “You get a guy pushing back into you and they were more effective the deeper in the match you go. It was a good redemption win for me, and to end with a win was awesome.”

Things worked out for Iowa, but who knows what would have happened if Iowa reached a Bowl Game. Oostendorp would have had one less month of wrestling training, which may have ultimately affected his end-of-year results — and Iowa's.

Rulon Gardner (left) and John Oostendorp at the 1993 National Duals

1993 National Duals Semifinals

Nebraska 24, Iowa 20

118: Chad Zaputil (I) teched Darin Giese, 24-8

126: Tony Purler (N) pinned Kent Streicher, 4:04

134: Frank Valezquez (N) dec. Bill Zadick (I), 6-4

142: Troy Steiner (I) dec. Mike Eierman (N), 11-3

150: Terry Steiner (I) dec. Rick Coltvet (N), 14-1 

158: Matt Lindland (N) pinned Rich Catalano (I), 2:58

167: Keith Trammell (I) dec. Chad Nelson (N) 11-2

177: Corey Olson (N) pinned Matt Nerem (I) 1:23

190: Joel Sharratt (I) dec. Ovanes Oganisian (N), 9-4

Hwt: Rulon Gardner (N) dec. John Oostendorp (I), 12-5

John Oostendorp’s 1993 NCAA Championships — third place (seeded fifth)

R32: W - Josh Feldman (Virginia Tech), 13-7

R16: W - Greg Troxell (Penn State), 5-2

Quarters: L - Todd Kinney (Iowa State), 12-4

Consolation: W - Tony Vaughn (Purdue), 3-1 OT

Consolation: W - Steve King (Michigan), 14-6

Consolation Semis: W - Billy Pierce (Minnesota), 5-2

Third-place: W - Rulon Gardner (Nebraska), 8-7

Rulon Gardner’s 1993 NCAA Championships — fourth place (seeded third)

R32: W - Tony Vaughn (Purdue), 8-4

R16: W - Bruce Morgan (Cornell), 16-1

Quarters: L - Don Whipp (Michigan State), 7-3

Consolation: W - Josh Feldman (Virginia Tech), 15-3

Consolation: W - Justin Greenlee (Northern Iowa), 15-6

Consolation: W - Todd Kinney (Iowa State), 2-0

Third-place: L - John Oostendorp (Iowa), 8-7

1993 NWCA National Duals — Top Eight teams

1. Penn State

2. Nebraska 

3. Iowa

4. Arizona State

5. Michigan

6. Ohio State

7. Iowa State

8. Fresno State

1993 NCAA Championships — Top 10 teams

1. Iowa — 123.75

2. Penn State — 87.5

3. Nebraska — 79.5

4. Arizona State — 72.5

5. Ohio State — 64

6. Iowa State — 58.25

7. NC State — 38.5

8. Fresno State — 37.75

9. Minnesota — 36.5

10. Cornell — 35

Iowa’s 1993 NCAA tournament individual placers

118: Chad Zaputil, 2nd

126: Kevin Hogan, DNP

134: Troy Steiner, 2nd

142: Lincoln McIlravy, 1st

150: Troy Steiner, 1st

158: DNQ

167: Matt Nerem, DNP

177: Ray Brinzer, 3rd

190: Joel Sharratt, 2nd

HWT: John Oostendorp, 3rd

Iowa’s 1992 football season — 5-7 (4-4 Big 10)

August 29: NC State, LOST 24-14

September 5: Miami, LOST 24-7

September 12: Iowa State, WON 21-7

September 26: Colorado, LOST 28-12

October 3: Michigan, LOST 52-28

October 10: Wisconsin, WON 23-22

October 17: Illinois, WON 24-14

October 24: Purdue, LOST 27-16

November 7: Indiana, WON 14-0

November 14: Northwestern, WON 56-14

November 21: Minnesota, LOST 28-13