Cowboys enter Big 12 Championships as heavy favorites in quest for program resurgence

David Taylor often isn’t one to dwell on moments for too long, regardless of their significance. 

Some things, however, are too monumental to be ignored. Such as how Oklahoma State's season has progressed.

Taylor dazzled during his inaugural campaign as OSU’s coach. The Cowboys clinched their first Big 12 title in four years and finished third at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia, producing two individual champions. 

And he's only elevated the standard this season. 

A 15-1 finish, a thrashing of rival Iowa — ending a six-dual losing streak to the Hawkeyes — and the development of six freshman starters over the season’s course has highlighted Taylor’s second season at the helm. Such success has made Taylor double down on his blueprint to restore and cement OSU’s status as the titan of college wrestling. 

Taylor’s Cowboys will have a chance to further expedite that process this weekend at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, which begin Friday at 10 a.m. at the BOK Center in Tulsa. Six Cowboys were awarded 1-seeds, three as 2-seeds and one as a 3-seed. OSU is the heavy favorite to win the two-day event and claim its second-consecutive conference title under Taylor — a feat he said would aid in bringing his vision for the program to fruition. 

“We’ve kinda talked about this future and articulated this vision of what we wanted this place to be or become or reignite,” Taylor said. “I hear stories about what this place has been like in the past, and to see it come to fruition in a short period of time, it’s pretty awesome.

“We want people to seek this place out. We want Oklahoma State to be the place to wrestle. And I think we’re headed in the right direction in that regard.” 

The contrasts of then and now for OSU from its season opener to the present couldn’t be starker. Early on, uncertainty clouded a new-look roster. The lineup was in constant flux, as Taylor navigated new layouts, trying to find the most-feasible one. 

In November, OSU suffered a 18-16 loss to Iowa at the National Duals Invitational in Tulsa. Freshman wrestlers lost late leads and veterans failed to take care of business in what was a harrowing defeat. 

Taylor remained firm with decision to start such a substantial number of freshmen. He stuck with them over the course of the season, opting for long-term development and lineup continuity rather than prematurely benching various starters after an unideal start.

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So far, it's paid immense dividends.

Two weeks ago, the development was on full display. OSU dominated Iowa 32-11 in front of a 12,629-member crowd at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys tallied their highest point total against the Hawkeyes  in the rivalry’s 60-dual history, securing a victory Taylor referred to as a “statement win.”

“Nobody is surprised by what happened here,” heavyweight Konner Doucet said post-dual. “We might have a lot of freshmen in our (lineup), but they believe in themselves and everyone else around them does, too.”

Taylor said he instilled that mindset within his freshmen during the offseason — an emphasis on self-confidence and not being surprised at success.

And that can't change in Big 12's.

A year ago, the OSU lineup was full of veterans and experienced transfers. That included Dean Hamiti Jr. at 174, Caleb Fish at 165, Dustin Plott at heavyweight, Luke Surber at 197, Wyatt Hendrickson at heavyweight and others. The Cowboys had seven seniors on that Big 12 Championships lineup. This year, Doucet is the only senior, while all six freshmen earned seedings.

Taylor said this year’s freshmen are ready, but noted how their approach to the weekend can’t be any different.  

“These guys have wrestled in tournaments their whole life,” Taylor said. “When you’re recruiting some of the best guys in the country, they’re used to wrestling in big tournaments and world championships and big matches. That’s kind of probably why they end up here.”

Freshman 133-pounder Jax Forrest is one of those 1-seeds. A year ago at this time, Forrest was preparing for the Pennsylvania high school state wrestling tournament. He said he thought that would be the case this season, too. 

But how things change. 

After enrolling early at OSU in January, he’s taken his opportunity in stride. Forrest has dominated his opponents with relative ease since his first start, going 10-0 overall and 5-0 against Big 12 opponents. 

However, given his shortened time span with the team, Forrest doesn’t have a substantial body of work. He wrestled only three of the other 13 wrestlers in the bracket, none of which are seeded top five in their respective weight classes.

“I wasn’t expecting to be No. 1, just because I came in late and wasn’t able to wrestle those (Big 12) guys,” Forrest said. “But the rankings, to me, don’t matter. I want to be No. 1. So if I’m not ranked No. 1, I’m not happy, (regardless of) whether I’m ranked 6 or 5.

“I’m just going in to win the Big 12s and then give myself the best possible chance at a good seed and then win nationals.”

Taylor has echoed that same mentality throughout the season. He said he seldom discusses seedings. His wrestlers will have to win matches in order to advance, regardless of seeding.

Taylor’s goal since he took the reins has been to deliver greater postseason success at OSU. While winning nationals is the ultimate goal, attaining a second-straight Big 12 title this weekend is the first step. 

That will fall largely on the shoulders of six freshmen, each of whom Taylor has commended throughout the season.

What happened a season ago has no bearing on the end results this season. Only staying the course and focusing on the task at hand — winning a conference title.

“There’s a bigger vision than just, ‘What are we seeded?’ and, ‘Who are we wrestling?’ It’s about trying to be the best program,” Taylor said. “It’s a new year. What happened last year has no effect on this year. We have a very different team. But we have a really good team. And I think people are starting to take notice of that.”

Seedings for OSU wrestlers ahead of the Big 12 Wrestling Championships

125 Troy Spratley: 1
133 Jax Forrest: 1
141 Sergio Vega: 1
149 Casey Swiderski: 1
157 Landon Robideau: 2
165 Dee Lockett: 1
174 Alex Facundo: 1
184 Zack Ryder: 2
197 Cody Merrill: 3
HVWT Konner Doucet: 2

Friday
Session 1: Preliminary and quarterfinals, 10 a.m.
Session 2: Semifinal and consolation quarterfinal, 5 p.m.

Saturday
Session 3: Consolation semifinals, noon
Session 4: Finals, 7 p.m.