Ohio State cruised through the first month of the college wrestling season, winning all six of its duals convincingly while dropping just 10 individual matches along the way. 

The Buckeyes are ranked second heading into Wednesday night’s home dual against Bellarmine before Ohio State has another home dual on Dec. 12 against NC State and a trip to Nashville for the Dec. 21 Journeymen Collegiate Duals. 

The Buckeyes’ undefeated start — and the dominating fashion in which they’ve accomplished it — has turned heads in the college wrestling landscape.

It isn’t a shock, however, to those in their practice room each day.

“We’re definitely pleased with how the year has gone,” Ohio State associate head coach J Jaggers said. “But we aren’t surprised. This group has bought in. They’re finding their identity in terms of the style we want them to wrestle, the way they’re all capable of wrestling — their high attack rate, the fact that they aren’t protecting (leads), being fearless the entire match. 

“It’s what we’ve preached, and the guys have bought in.”

Despite convincing wins over #11 Minnesota (29-6), #7 Nebraska (33-3), #3 Iowa (27-12) and most recently, a 44-0 shutout of Kent State, Jaggers insists the team and staff realize much remains.

“Now the challenge is how we respond when we aren’t playing with house money,” he said. “There wasn’t a lot of chatter about our team going into the season. It’s not like we ever left the party. We’ve never left the top 10. But the guys had a chip on their shoulders, and I think that’s helped. It’s good to hunt, to have that chip. 

“Things have gone well so far this year, but how do we respond when things don’t go according to script? That’s when we’ll really see.”

Buckeye Building Blocks

Jaggers was asked to pinpoint any individual stories or other factors contributing to the Buckeyes’ dominant start beyond their aggressive approach. 

“It’s what’s fun about this team,” he said. “There are a lot of individual stories. (Second-ranked 133-pounder) Ben (Davino) is getting a lot of praise because he’s a fresh face in the lineup, but we’ve always known. You just think of how impressive he is, a 19-year-old doing what he’s doing. 

“(Fourth-ranked 157-pounder) Brandon Cannon wrestling at the blitzing pace he has, he might shoot more per minute than anyone in the country.”

It wasn’t solely the young guns Jaggers cited as to why the start of the 2025-26 campaign has gone so well.

“I find it really impressive how the guys who have been in the program a long time are approaching things,” he said. “Maybe they reframe how they’re going about things. Guys like Carson (Kharchla) and Paddy (Gallagher), they don’t get hung up on results but instead on how they’re wrestling, how they’re competing, how they interact with the team.

“This has been the most fun they’ve had here. No senioritis. No blues. They’re as excited as year one.”

The team’s primary, reliable constant, two-time national champion Jesse Mendez, is once again the squad’s backbone.

“This is Jesse Mendez’s team,” Jaggers said. “He’s that dude. The fact that others are emulating him shows that they (themselves) think it’s not impossible to get to where he is.”

Jaggers described Mendez as “tethered” to everyone else on this year’s roster.   

“He’s the same guy on the team as he’s always been,” Jaggers said. “He’s humble. He’ll ask me questions and whatever answer I give him, he trusts. He’s a two-time national champ, but still humble enough to ask for advice.

“He’s woven himself into the connection he has with others.

“He cares about everyone. He’s friends with everyone. He gives a ton of belief to guys. When you train with him, the pressure he brings…you learn that in order to hold up in a workout against him, you know you have to bring it. He’ll go down as one of the greatest Buckeyes ever.

“It won’t just be about his (wrestling) production.” 

Where’s Coach Ryan?

Some may wonder why the guy on the top rung of the Ohio State staff has sometimes been absent from the coaching corner during critical individual matches. 

One of the most recent examples came in March when Mendez wrestled Nebraska’s Brock Hardy for the 141-pound NCAA title. Jaggers and assistant coaches Logan Stieber and Bo Jordan occupied the chairs in the Ohio State corner. 

Asked why he allows other coaches to be in the spotlight in college wrestling’s most-watched event, Ryan was deferential.

“There are a few reasons,” he said. “The first is out of respect for my coaches. They know these guys so well. They’re here in the early morning with them, working with them, pouring into them. It’s important to show your assistants that you trust them. A leader has to show his coaches that he knows they’re competent.

“And that’s related to the next reason. We can lose the people we depend on if they don’t feel they have a voice. I don’t want my coaches feeling they aren’t listened to, that they’re input isn’t valued. It is. 

“Lastly, the coaches in the corner for national final matches are the ones I think are best for that wrestler, in that specific situation, against that opponent.” 

Ryan volunteered his own shortcomings.

“As great as it is to be in the corner for those huge matches, I can be neurotic,” he said. “My temperature can rise on the biggest stage, especially on a bad call. 

“Ultimately, it always comes back to who will be best for the wrestler wrestling. My guys know I’m in their corner, even if I’m not physically in a chair.”