Three Takeaways as Oklahoma State Wrestling Demolishes Drexel in Home Opener

As home openers go, you can't do much better than how the Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestling team opened their 2026-27 season.

The Cowboys won all 10 matches in their 45-0 win over Drexel, earning bonus points in eight of the 10 matches. It was also Oklahoma State’s 27th straight home season opening victory in a dual match. The blowout matched the 45-0- drubbing OSU put on Drexel when the Dragons were the Cowboys’ home opener in 2021.

Here are three takeaways from a dominant home opener.

A Raney Kind of Weekend

Taming the Dragons 🐉 pic.twitter.com/YiXoipmCgb
— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) November 8, 2026

The Raney Brothers — twin freshmen Jayden and Jordyn — were the big winners for the weekend.

Jayden Raney, won his dual match against Drexel in the 141-pound weight class, defeating Anthony Paul, 22-6, in 5:37 in a match that included a technical fall and seven takedowns. It was his official debut after competing in the Cowboy Invitation last weekend at Gallagher-Iba Arena. But he wasn’t the only Raney that won an event.

On Saturday, Jordyn Raney flew up to East Lansing, Mich., with a few teammates to complete in the Michigan State Open. Competing in the 149-pound class, he went 5-0, claimed three matches with bonus points then faced Arizona State’s 17th-ranked Pierson Manville in the title bout. He claimed that match with a 3-0 decision. He had more than three minutes of riding time and a clutch reversal in the third period.

Why didn’t Jordyn compete with the Cowboys on Sunday? Because last year’s 141-pound national champion, Sergio Vega, has moved up a weight class to 149 pounds. He’ll have to wait his turn, even with six state championships in his native Kentucky.

Speaking of Defending National Champions …

Dread it. Run from it. Robideau arrives all the same. pic.twitter.com/4dnSPNfmUk
— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) November 8, 2026

Vega, Jax Forrest (133 pounds) and Landon Robideau (157 pounds) each won national championships a year ago as true freshman, the first time a program had three freshmen national champions in the same meet. So, naturally, the expectations around the three are massive. They didn’t disappoint.

Forrest, the country’s No. 1 ranked wrestler, took care of Cole Hagerty with tech fall that finished with a 17-2 score in 4:02. Vega, ranked No. 2 in his new weight class, beat Anthony Santaniello in a 6-1 decision. Vega has yet to lose a college match. Robideau, who is No. 1 in his weight class, beat Gavin Carroll with a fall 4:19 into the match. He was the only OSU wrester to win on a fall.

It was quite the start as the Cowboys wore turquoise singlets for the second time to celebrate their annual Native American Heritage dual.

The Freshmen Excel

Dragon ❌ DREgon ✅ pic.twitter.com/czH1bJyZvB
— OSU Cowboy Wrestling (@CowboyWrestling) November 8, 2026

Oklahoma State had the best recruiting class in the country and many of them got the opportunity to get their feet wet in the Cowboy Invitational last weekend. But, only four got the opportunity to wrestle on Sunday in the first duel of the season.

Raney won his match at 141. In the 125-pound weight class, Rocklin Zinkin beat No. 33 ranked Oumar Tounkara, 17-3. logging four take downs with one reversal and a two-point near fall. He was a three-time California state champion with Buchanan High School in Fresno, Calif.

Michael White competed in the 184-pound class and beat Ethan Wilson, 22-6, with a technical fall at 6:32. White is the wrestler who is still learning. He didn’t start wresting until his freshman year of high school at Lawrence North in Indianapolis, Ind., and won a state title as a senior.

In the heavyweight class, Dreshaun Ross out of Fort Dodge, Iowa, beat No. 20 Nate Schon to earn the major decision, 14-4. He won a silver medal for Team USA at the U20 World Championships in Slovakia in August, so he already has significant international experience.

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