From left (Jake Woodley; Oklahoma, Rocky Elam; Missouri, David Carr; Iowa State, AJ Ferrari; Oklahoma State) (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The 2022 Big 12 team race may be one of the most intriguing ones we've seen in years. Perennial champs Oklahoma State are coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA tournament, but tied their in-state rival Oklahoma for the Big 12 title last season. Then enters Missouri, coming back to the conference after years in the MAC, with a load of young talent and a real chance to reenter the league and win a team title in their first year back. Let's dig in and look at a few of the contenders.
Oklahoma State
The Cowboys have won nine straight conference titles and bring back two NCAA finalists, along with All-Americans at 157 and 165. They didn't have quite their best showing of their season at the Big 12 tournament last year, and after a streak of bonus points from OU in the consolation rounds, they found themselves in a dog fight that resulted in a co-champion finish between the Bedlam rivals.
The three big questions with Oklahoma State next season are this.
1. Can they get healthy? This team was beat up last year. Kaid Brock, Dusty Hone, Wyatt Sheets, Dustin Plott, and AJ Ferrari have all had injuries; some have since had surgeries and wrestled parts of the season hurt. Kaid Brock has chosen to close out his career, but the rest of these guys will all be back and could be starters. Their health will play a significant role in OSU's success and if 100%, all will be substantial point scorers for OSU at the conference tournament. If unhealthy, it could change things up a lot.
2. Do they redshirt everyone? With recruiting like OSU has had in recent years, they may end up playing the long game in trying to plan to win NCAA team titles down the road. Three of their starters last season were true freshmen, who all have the option to redshirt this season and two of those have had some recent injury issues with Dustin Plott and AJ Ferrari. If they decide to redshirt them for health reasons or to set up the team long term, then it's going to be a lot tougher for OSU to win.
3. Does the Big 12 tournament team or NCAA tournament team show up? IF OSU wrestles like they did at the Big 12 tournament, it's going to be tough for them to win again. If they wrestle like they did at the NCAA tournament, make some room in the trophy case.
Missouri
Mizzou reenters the Big 12 after a long hiatus spent wrestling in the MAC, while the rest of the schools' sports went to the SEC, which does not sponsor wrestling. They immediately enter as arguably the favorite team to win the Big 12 Conference title. They're young, deep, well-coached, and should create a formidable opponent and challenge for Oklahoma State who has owned the conference in recent years.
When you look at the team scores at the NCAA tournament, Oklahoma State comfortably outdistanced Missouri, but two factors widened that gap more than it probably would in a Big 12 tournament format.
1. Oklahoma State had two NCAA finalists.
2. Oklahoma State wrestled a little over their heads at the NCAA tournament.
AJ Ferrari and Daton Fix will very likely win the Big 12 again next year, but the team points they score at the Big 12 won't create as much of a gap as we saw at the NCAA's, as it's likely that Missouri will be closer to them in their finishes at those weights. With that, it sets up a situation where OSU probably should best them at the NCAA tournament while the Big 12 will be much closer.
Oklahoma
The Sooners tied their Bedlam rivals for the conference crown last year and should bring everyone back next season. That, along with a big addition at 125, in 2020 national qualifier Joey Prata out of Virginia Tech, should have OU in the conversation again next year.
These past couple weeks I've had the opportunity to get to know some amazing programs and amazing coaches. After all is said and done I have decided to further my academic & wrestling career at the University of Oklahoma. BOOMER SOONER! #OU pic.twitter.com/xjub5TyvMk
— Joey Prata (@prata_jay97) April 14, 2021
OU will be the favorites at 141 and possibly 149 and should have contenders/high finishers at 125, 133, 157, 197, and HWT. They'll also have bonus point machines in the Mantanona brothers at 165 and 174 that could make a lot of noise.
Don't write OU off as a fluke finish from last season. They are very much so a program that could hoist another trophy next season.
Iowa State
You could make a strong argument that Iowa State should be the favorite to win the Big 12 next season. They were busted up last year and weren't wrestling at full strength even at the end of the season. But they still managed to stay within single digits of winning a Big 12 title. With the talent like Big 12 Wrestler of the Year David Carr, and a lot of other strong pieces with Degen, Parker, Colbray, and the rest of the Iowa State squad, they could certainly go on a run and bring a Big 12 title back to Ames. The big question for them is can they stay healthy and how do they replace All-American HWT Gannon Gremmel, who has reportedly decided not to take the additional year and to move on from NCAA wrestling.
Wyoming
Wyoming reportedly has everyone back and weren't too far away from winning the conference title last season in Tulsa. They're a well-coached, gritty team, but the big question with them is, do they have the heavy firepower guys that are going to win the tournament and rack up the significant points, that come with that. You know they'll wrestle hard, you know they'll win the tight matches, but can Buchanan, Andrews, and maybe some others emerge and win individual titles? They'll need to for Wyoming to snag the trophy away from some of these traditional powers.
â³Detroit, MI - 2022â³
— McCade Ford (@fordm99) May 7, 2021
EVERYONE IS BACK @WyoWrestle 😤😤😤
🤠BE A COWBOY 🤠#LCT #GOPOKES https://t.co/2vhR3yLHRx
Northern Iowa
UNI fell pretty far out of contention for a team title by the end of last year's Big 12 tournament, but they return two champs in Parker Keckeisen and Brody Teske, who combined to score 42.5 of their 79 team points. Northern Iowa can contend for the Big 12 title next year, but they'll need to solidify some help for Teske and Keckeisen.
Their highest finish outside of their two champs was fifth place, which just isn't going to win a tournament like this. But if they can develop some depth in other spots in the offseason, they may have a shot.
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