Our 2026-27 NCAA prediction at 125: Luke Lilledahl is the pick

Luke Lilledahl’s unbeaten championship season makes him our favorite, while Troy Spratley offers a compelling dark horse case.

Luke Lilledahl is our pick to win the NCAA title at 125 in March. The Penn State contender went 25-0 and finished as NCAA champion last season. That combination gives him the strongest case in this field.

Lilledahl also carries the highest power rating at 2476. We like him because his unbeaten record and championship finish support the same conclusion: he is the contender to beat entering 2026-27.

Princeton’s Marc-Anthony McGowan is a clear threat after going 19-7 and finishing as NCAA runner-up. His finish makes him a serious title candidate, though we favor Lilledahl’s unbeaten season over McGowan’s less consistent record.

Stanford’s Nico Provo belongs firmly in the discussion. He went 20-6 and earned NCAA 3rd place, with a 2303 rating that puts him above McGowan’s 2224. We see Provo as a credible challenger because both his record and his NCAA finish give his candidacy substance.

Our dark horse is Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley. Ranked 6, he went 20-5 and finished in NCAA 5th place. His 2319 rating is higher than every contender’s except Lilledahl’s, giving us a clear reason to like his chances of outperforming his preseason position.

Virginia Tech’s Eddie Ventresca and Ohio State’s Nic Bouzakis also warrant attention after records of 21-4 and 18-4. Minnesota’s Jore Volk brings a 26-7 record and NCAA 7th place. Those records keep them in the conversation, but we give greater weight to the leading contenders’ higher NCAA finishes.

Our call: Lilledahl wins the title in March, with Spratley the dark horse we like most to challenge the preseason order.