New Headline: "Witness the Beast’s Battle – Meet the World's Most Adrenaline-Triggering Strongman!
Our preview series of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships continues with the 197 lb weight class, where Josh Barr of Penn State is the favorite.
We continue our preview of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships with a look at the 197 lb bracket. I'll have to say it many times over the course of this series, but Penn State has the No. 1 seed in this weight class and should be favored to take home the title.
Let's look through the bracket, where potential surprises are, and how we can expect Ohio State's wrestler to fare. Favorite: Josh Barr (Penn State) Unlike some weight classes, where Penn State's wrestler is a prohibitive favorite, there actually could be a bit of drama at 197. Rocky Elam (Iowa State) is also undefeated on the season.
So why is Barr the favorite and Elam a clear No. 2? Well, it's the way Barr wrestles.
He dominates everyone . Barr is 19-0 on the season, and every single one of this victories has come with bonus points. He has won by pin five times and by Tech Fall ten times.