Oklahoma State coach John Smith’s team is once again the favorite at the Big 12 Championships. Oklahoma State University photo.

Oklahoma coach Jack Spates is retiring.

Nebraska coach Mark Manning’s team is leaving for the Big Ten Conference next season.

But those will be the last things on those coach’s minds when the Big 12 Championships are contested on Saturday at Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

Their focus is on turning in a strong performance at what remains one of the toughest qualifiers for the NCAA Championships. Perennial power Oklahoma State is favored to repeat as league champions. The Cowboys have won nine Big 12 titles.

The Big 12 will drop to a four-team qualifier next year with the departure of Nebraska, leaving Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Missouri as the remaining schools.

“We are just kind of living in the moment right now and looking at what’s right in front of us,” said Manning, whose team won a share of the Big 12 title in 2009. “Moving to the Big Ten will be a great change for us and our university, but for now we are just focused on this weekend.”

Oklahoma State is ranked fourth in the nation with Oklahoma 10th, Iowa State 11th, Nebraska 13th and Missouri 19th.

“Our focus is just on performing and performing well,” Spates said. “The nostalgia probably isn’t going to hit until several months after I’m done when I’m sitting on my couch and reflecting back on it.”

The Big 12 has earned 33 of 281 automatic qualifying spots for the NCAAs, set for March 17-19 in Philadelphia. An additional 49 at-large berths will be awarded on March 9.

The Big 12 has four wrestlers who are back after winning league titles last year. Oklahoma State’s Jordan Oliver (133 pounds), Jamal Parks (149) and Clayton Foster (197) each won titles last year as did Oklahoma’s Jarrod Patterson (125).

Parks won at 141 last year and Foster won at 184 in 2010.

The Big 12 already has qualified all five of its wrestlers for the NCAAs at 165. Leading the way is top-ranked Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska. Burroughs won an NCAA title at 157 in 2009 before being sidelined last year with an injury. Burroughs is undefeated this year.

Burroughs is a two-time Big 12 champion. He is a past U.S. Junior World Team member in freestyle. He beat returning NCAA champion Andrew Howe of Wisconsin in the Midlands finals.

“Jordan’s obviously had a great year,” Manning said. “He’s prepared well and he’s confident. He’s a great athlete, but he’s also a tremendous, tremendous competitor. He has one of the best wills to win I’ve ever seen. He’s got a special element to him. He’s a guy who works extremely hard and he works with a purpose.”

Oklahoma sophomore Tyler Caldwell is ranked third nationally and lost to Burroughs 7-3 in a dual meet this season. Iowa State’s Andrew Sorenson is ranked seventh at 165 with Missouri’s Zach Toal ranked ninth and Oklahoma State’s Dallas Bailey ranked 10th.

Caldwell placed fifth at the 2010 NCAA tournament.

“The key for Caldwell is to get an early takedown against Burroughs,” Spates said. “Tyler is really good on top. If we get a shot on top early, it will give us a much better chance. We obviously have to stop that double leg that Burroughs has.”

Spates takes a strong team into the Big 12s. Oklahoma’s Zack Bailey was second in this event last year and is ranked sixth nationally at 141.

“Our guys are really hungry,” Spates said. “They’ve worked hard all season and they are really embracing this challenge. Obviously, Oklahoma State has a great team and they’re the favorite. We need to have six finalists, and probably a seventh, to take home a championship.”

Oklahoma State is led by the multi-talented Oliver, a returning All-American who is ranked No. 1 nationally and is unbeaten at 133. Oliver won a Junior World bronze medal in freestyle in 2009. He placed fourth in the 2010 NCAAs as a freshman.

“Jordan’s really matured. He’s done a great job handling his diet and managing his weight,” Oklahoma State coach John Smith said. “He’s been attack, attack, attack all year with his wrestling. He’s added to his skills over the summer and he’s constantly looking to get better. He’s been very, very devastating. You don’t see many sophomores dominate a weight class like 133, but he’s done that this year.”

Smith said OSU heavyweight Alan Gelogaev, out most of the season with an injury, likely won’t be back this weekend. Freshman Blake Rosholt would replace Gelogaev in the lineup. Gelogaev, who is from Russia, was an All-American at 197 last year.

“We are leaning toward not wrestling Gelogaev,” Smith said. “He’s just not healthy enough right now. I’m about 80 percent sure it will be Blake Rosholt.”

Oklahoma State also features returning league runner-up finishers in Neil Erisman (157) and Mike Benefiel (174). Cowboy freshman Chris Perry (184) won a Junior World bronze medal in 2010.

Iowa State is led by senior Jon Reader, who is ranked No. 1 nationally and is unbeaten at 174. Reader is a past All-American. Reader was second in the 2010 Big 12s at 165.

The Cyclones also have an All-American in 141-pounder Chris Drouin, a transfer from Arizona State.

Missouri’s Dom Bradley, ranked No. 5 nationally at heavyweight, is a past Junior World champion in freestyle. The Tigers won the Midlands Championships this season and defeated Oklahoma State at the National Duals. The Cowboys came back to beat Missouri in a Big 12 dual.

The Big 12 coaches all agreed this event will remain strong in the future with just four teams.

“This will still be a very tough conference,” John Smith said. “We are very legit with the four teams. Those four teams could all finish in the top 10 at the NCAAs this year. I don’t see any need or urgency to do anything differently. I’m not overly excited about adding any teams. Right now, we are strong. If we add teams, we need to make sure they are good teams.”

Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson and Missouri coach Brian Smith carry similar views.

“We have four great teams with great history and great tradition,” Jackson said. “There are not too many conferences that are any stronger. Going ahead as a four-team conference is the right thing to do.”

“All four teams are young,” Brian Smith said. “We may qualify just as many wrestlers for nationals next year, even though we are losing Nebraska. Everybody is going to be better next year.”

Oklahoma State is expected to contend for the NCAA team title in Philadelphia.

“Oklahoma State has several athletes that can be All-Americans and national champions,” Jackson said. “If you can produce six All-Americans in the top four, you can win the tournament. They have the potential to do that.”