Oklahoma State Wrestling Aims to End Penn State's Dynasty

Cowboy coach David Taylor believes his team is primed to win the 2027 NCAA title and dethrone the five-time defending champions.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 7:20am

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After finishing second to Penn State at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships, Oklahoma State coach David Taylor is confident his team can win the national title next year. The Cowboys boasted three freshman national champions this past season and are determined to challenge Penn State's wrestling dynasty.

Why it matters

Oklahoma State has a storied wrestling program with 34 NCAA team titles, the most of any school. However, they haven't won a championship since 2006. Ending Penn State's five-year reign as national champions would be a major accomplishment for the Cowboys and their coach, David Taylor, who previously wrestled for and won titles with the Nittany Lions.

The details

Oklahoma State finished second to Penn State at the 2026 NCAA Championships, trailing the Nittany Lions by 50.5 points. But the Cowboys made a major statement by crowning three freshman national champions: Jax Forrest (133 pounds), Sergio Vega (141 pounds), and Landon Robideau (157 pounds). Coach David Taylor, who won two NCAA titles as a wrestler for Penn State, believes his team is primed to win it all next year and end the Nittany Lions' dynasty.

  • The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships took place in March 2026.
  • The 2027 NCAA Wrestling Championships are scheduled for March 2027.

The players

David Taylor

The head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University. He previously wrestled for and won NCAA titles with Penn State.

Jax Forrest

A freshman wrestler at Oklahoma State who won the NCAA championship at 133 pounds in 2026.

Penn State

The five-time defending NCAA wrestling champions, having won the team title every year from 2022 to 2026.

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What they’re saying

“I think those are easy things to get caught up in. For us, we just have to keep getting better. It's not a question I asked before the tournament. Like hey, we were 40 points behind the national champions and nobody expected it, but we did, we expected it. So I think the surprise was from the outsiders, but from the inside, these aren't surprises to us. We're just focused on getting better.”

— David Taylor, Head Coach, Oklahoma State Wrestling

“It was surreal. I've dreamed of this day for a long time. I saw it happening slowly over the weekend and over the year faster than I thought. It was awesome; unlike any other feeling that I've ever had.”

— Jax Forrest, Freshman NCAA Champion, Oklahoma State Wrestling

What’s next

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The takeaway

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