For Oklahoma State head coach David Taylor, the Big 12 Championships aren’t about debating seeds or breaking down rankings. They’re about one thing: earning the spot at the NCAA Tournament. After the Cowboys’ historic dual-meet streak was snapped, Taylor is now the go-getter for the bigger chase.

The seedings are out, and sure, they tell a story. Recently, David Taylor, in a candid conversation with Pistols Firing, commented on his seeds and his guys fighting the top opponents. He says, “Yeah, I glanced through them, but I mean, it’s just the Conference tournament stuff. You got to wrestle, you got to beat the guys, you got to qualify for the national tournament.” Taylor continued, “We talk about our guys building a reputation, you know, and nothing’s changed. Nothing’s changed from the dual meets that we’ve had.”

“We’ve seen a lot of these opponents during the year. A couple of them we haven’t seen. Some of these guys, their schedules, we just didn’t see them,” he added. “But there are some new faces in there, and we just have to go out and compete, you know.” Looks like David has a clear, no-nonsense philosophy heading into the Big 12 Championships.

Taylor’s approach is simple but ruthless—compete like it’s a national final, because for some guys, it just might be. A good showing at the Big 12s can set the tone for the NCAA Championships, and Oklahoma State isn’t planning on backing down. The Cowboys’ lineup has its fair share of proven veterans and a few surprises, like Teague Travis at 149. With an NCAA bid on the line, everyone must be ready to fight.

Speaking of BIG 12 championship seeds, what came out as a sheer surprise was not the seeds only; it was instead the revival of Teague Travis from the injury list.

David Taylor decides to insert Teague Travis

David Taylor, head coach of Oklahoma State wrestling, has made the call to have Teague Travis compete in the post-season despite an early-season injury that initially led to plans for a medical redshirt. Taylor cited Travis’s hunger and excitement to compete as ‘key factors’ in this decision, as reported by Pistols Firing.

Travis, who previously wrestled at 149 pounds, moved up to 157 pounds this season and has impressed with a 23-8 record, earning a spot in the NCAA tournament.  The coaching staff recognized his dedication and hard work, with Taylor noting Travis’s discipline and improvement at the new weight class.

Taylor says, “He had, obviously his injury, and guys can take two routes,” adding, “You can kinda just say, ‘I’m done until next year,’but he started feeling good and just followed his plan with (strength and conditioning coach) Nick (Montoni) and our trainer (Nick Goldstein). He just was always working. As he could get on the bike, he was on the bike. As he was training, he was training.” Taylor said, Teague is hungry. “He took the initiative. He took the initiative to get his weight down and to get in great shape. He’s hungry and excited to compete.”

With the Big 12 Championships approaching, Travis’s participation adds depth and experience to the Cowboys’ lineup, aligning with the team’s goals for national competition.