The holiday tournaments are about to start, which will undoubtedly unleash another wave of upsets onto the NCAA D1 college wrestling landscape. But before illustrious tournies such as the Midlands, the Soldier Salute, the Southern Scuffle and the F&M Open take place, we went back through every match of the 2023-24 season (thanks SHP for the archives) to see how many upsets there were.

Based on the most recent rankings (link) there were 195 instances where a lower or unranked wrestler beat a higher-ranked wrestler, not including forfeits and injury defaults. 

Some of those upsets don't really count, as the unranked wrestler was only unranked because they are redshirting or otherwise not expected to start in the postseason. We'll highlight them later. First, we'll highlight the biggest upsets of the year. 

The Biggest Upsets of the Year (so far)

133: John Hildebrandt, Drexel over #8 Michael Colaiocco, Penn 6-4

165: Gaetano Console, Duke over #12 Peyton Hall, West Virginia F 1:19

133: #26 Gabe Whisenhunt, Oregon State over #5 Sam Latona, Virginia Tech 10-9

141: #29 Kai Owen, Columbia over #9 Cael Happel, Northern Iowa F 2:54

141: #20 Cole Matthews, Pittsburgh over #3 Jesse Mendez, Ohio State 4-2

157: #22 Joey Blaze, Purdue over #5 Ed Scott, NC State 4-1

174: #27 Lorenzo Norman, Stanford over #10 Shane Griffith, Michigan 4-2

184: #21 Aaron Ayzerov, Columbia over #7 Chris Foca, Cornell 9-1

These were all upsets of top 10 wrestlers (or a #12 former All-American) by wrestlers in the 20s or lower (or unranked). Based on the separation of the rankings, these were the largest upsets of the year so far. There were many other impressive upsets though!  

Other Slightly Less Impressive Upsets

157: #14 Peyten Kellar, Ohio over #5 Ed Scott, NC State 7-4 SV

157: #16 Meyer Shapiro, Cornell over #7 Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech 16-4

184: #13 Dylan Fishback, NC State over #5 Trey Munoz, Oregon State 9-6

165: #18 Andrew Cerniglia, Navy over #10 Garrett Thompson, Ohio 7-5

133: #13 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State over #6 Kai Orine, NC State F :51

184: #15 Reece Heller, Pittsburgh over #8 Will Feldkamp, Iowa State 14-6

165: #16 Noah Mulvaney, Bucknell over #9 Joshua Ogunsanya, Columbia 6-4

165: #17 Antrell Taylor, Nebraska over #10 Garrett Thompson, Ohio 10-3

285: #14 Grady Griess, Navy over #8 Dayton Pitzer, Pittsburgh 4-2

197: #9 Stephen Little, Little Rock over #4 Jaxon Smith, Maryland 7-3

165: Chris Moore, Illinois over #14 James Conway, Missouri 5-4

184: Caleb Hopkins, Campbell over #15 Benjamin Pasiuk, Army West Point 8-0

184: #32 Triston Wills, Little Rock over #15 Reece Heller, Pittsburgh F 2:31

149: #30 Derek Raike, Ohio over #14 Ethen Miller, Maryland 16-1

149: #25 Graham Rooks, Indiana over #11 Corbyn Munson, Central Michigan 2-1

184: #26 David Key, Navy over #15 Reece Heller, Pittsburgh F 2:47

184: #22 Tony Negron, Arizona State over #12 Jaden Bullock, Michigan 4-1

157: #24 Matty Bianchi, Little Rock over #14 James Conway, Missouri 5-2

149: #19 Jayden Scott, North Carolina over #11 Corbyn Munson, Central Michigan 4-1

165: #23 Hunter Garvin, Stanford over #15 Giano Petrucelli, Air Force 14-4

133: #19 Julian Farber, Northern Iowa over #13 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State 5-1

133: #18 Domenic Zaccone, Campbell over #14 Tyler Knox, Stanford 16-6

This list contains everyone ranked #15 or higher who was upset by a wrestler ranked at least 5 spots below them. Just how comparatively less impressive these upsets were is all in the eye of the beholder. Still very impressive though!

But there were many more upsets so far this season. 

All The Other Upsets

197: Ben Vanadia, Purdue over #16 Nikolas Stemmet, Stanford F 6:05

149: Justin Rivera, Campbell over #17 Kellyn March, North Dakota State 4-1

165: Stoney Buell, Purdue over #17 Antrell Taylor, Nebraska 12-1

149: Thomas Deck, Army West Point over #18 Caleb Tyus, SIU Edwardsville 6-4

149: Noah Tolentino, Oregon State over #19 Jayden Scott, North Carolina 2-1 SV

149: #32 Drew Roberts, Minnesota over #18 Caleb Tyus, SIU Edwardsville 9-7

141: Brennan Van Hoecke, Little Rock over #20 Cole Matthews, Pittsburgh 10-6

165: Avery Bassett, Lock Haven over #20 Bubba Wilson, Nebraska F 3:57

149: #33 Douglas Terry, Cleveland State over #21 Sam Cartella, Northwestern 11-0

157: Jared Keslar, Pittsburgh over #22 Joey Blaze, Purdue 4-2

197: #33 John Crawford, Franklin & Marshall over #22 Evan Bockman, Utah Valley 12-5

133: Alex Almeyda, Penn over #23 Ethan Oakley, Appalachian State 2-1 TB

149: Noah Tapia, Hofstra over #23 Jordan Williams, Oklahoma State 12-11

133: #31 Dominick Serrano, Northern Colorado over #21 Tyler Wells, Minnesota 7-6

165: #33 Domonic Baker, Campbell over #23 Hunter Garvin, Stanford 13-7

149: Nate Pulliam, Missouri over #24 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming 21-10

174: Brayden Thompson, Oklahoma State over #24 Tate Picklo, Oklahoma 9-0

149: Eligh Rivera, Princeton over #25 Graham Rooks, Indiana 7-4 SV

157: Tanner Peake, Davidson over #25 DJ Mcgee, George Mason 3-2

174: Sergio Desiante, Chattanooga over #25 Sal Perrine, Ohio 8-7

174: Jack Janda, Drexel over #25 Sal Perrine, Ohio 5-2

133: #24 Brendan Ferretti, Navy over #16 Vincent Santaniello, Pittsburgh 3-2

157: #25 DJ Mcgee, George Mason over #17 Michael Blockhus, Minnesota 4-2

133: Caden McCrary, North Carolina over #26 Gabe Whisenhunt, Oregon State 2-0

197: Fernando Villaescusa, Iowa State over #26 Benjamin Smith, Cleveland State 16-8

197: Aidan Conner, Princeton over #26 Benjamin Smith, Cleveland State 4-1

285: Seth Nevills, Maryland over #26 Josiah Hill, Little Rock F 4:59

174: #24 Tate Picklo, Oklahoma over #17 Alex Cramer, Central Michigan 7-2

133: #30 Marlon Yarbrough, Virginia over #23 Ethan Oakley, Appalachian State 18-12

133: Alex Almeyda, Penn over #27 Mason Leiphart, Franklin & Marshall 6-0

149: Ethan Fernandez, Cornell over #27 Finn Solomon, Pittsburgh 4-1

165: Tyler Lillard, Indiana over #27 Connor Brady, Virginia Tech 4-2

197: #22 Evan Bockman, Utah Valley over #16 Nikolas Stemmet, Stanford 4-3

285: #25 Keaton Kluever, Hofstra over #19 Lewis Fernandes, Cornell F :43

149: #27 Teague Travis, Oklahoma State over #21 Sam Cartella, Northwestern 16-5

174: #30 Tyler Brennan, Little Rock over #24 Tate Picklo, Oklahoma 4-3

133: Jager Eisch, Minnesota over #28 Braden Basile, Army West Point 4-2

133: Kade Moore, Missouri over #28 Braden Basile, Army West Point 8-6

165: Blaine Brenner, Minnesota over #28 Tanner Cook, South Dakota State 9-6

285: John Meyers, Clarion over #28 Dorian Crosby, Bucknell 5-3

197: #22 Evan Bockman, Utah Valley over #17 Levi Hopkins, Campbell 7-2

149: #24 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming over #19 Jayden Scott, North Carolina 4-1

174: #24 Tate Picklo, Oklahoma over #19 Gaven Sax, North Dakota State 11-2

285: #33 Bennett Tabor, Minnesota over #28 Dorian Crosby, Bucknell F 7:21 SV

149: Jackson Polo, Penn over #29 Cody Bond, Appalachian State 4-2

133: #21 Tyler Wells, Minnesota over #17 Derrick Cardinal, South Dakota State 19-4

184: #22 Tony Negron, Arizona State over #18 Gavin Kane, North Carolina 6-4

165: #27 Connor Brady, Virginia Tech over #23 Hunter Garvin, Stanford 10-3

184: #29 Jacob Armstrong, Utah Valley over #25 Zayne Lehman, Ohio F 6:01

141: #33 Sergio Lemley, Michigan over #29 Kai Owen, Columbia 3-1

149: Tyler-Xavier McKnight, Davidson over #30 Derek Raike, Ohio 11-9

149: Dylan Gilcher, Michigan over #30 Derek Raike, Ohio 8-5

149: Zach Price, Gardner-Webb over #30 Derek Raike, Ohio 4-1 SV

157: John Wiley, Oklahoma over #30 Caleb Dowling, West Virginia 4-3

184: Devin Wasley, Minnesota over #30 Adam Cherne, North Dakota State 9-5

That list is every other upset in descending order of the difference between the two ranked opponents. 

And that's not even counting all the 'upsets' at the enigmatic 125-pound weight class.

Folks, What Are We Going To Do About 125?

125: #11 Cooper Flynn, Virginia Tech over #2 Nico Provo, Stanford 5-2

125: #12 Jakob Camacho, NC State over #3 Matt Ramos, Purdue 8-5

125: #5 Caleb Smith, Nebraska over #3 Matt Ramos, Purdue 8-4

125: #7 Jore Volk, Wyoming over #4 Richard Figueroa, Arizona State 6-4

125: #7 Jore Volk, Wyoming over #5 Caleb Smith, Nebraska 4-2

125: #16 Brandon Kaylor, Oregon State over #7 Jore Volk, Wyoming 4-2

125: #9 Noah Surtin, Missouri over #7 Jore Volk, Wyoming 7-4 SV

125: #20 Jett Strickenberger, West Virginia over #8 Stevo Poulin, Northern Colorado 11-6

125: #23 Trever Anderson, Northern Iowa over #12 Jakob Camacho, NC State 4-2

125: #22 Brendan McCrone, Ohio State over #12 Jakob Camacho, NC State F :37

125: #25 Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh over #13 Brett Ungar, Cornell 3-1

125: #24 Kysen Terukina, Iowa State over #14 Eric Barnett, Wisconsin 14-3

125: Dom Mendez, Cal Poly over #15 Braxton Brown, Maryland 21-12

125: #31 Jack Maida, American over #15 Braxton Brown, Maryland 13-4

125: #26 Spencer Moore, North Carolina over #16 Brandon Kaylor, Oregon State 2-0

125: #20 Jett Strickenberger, West Virginia over #16 Brandon Kaylor, Oregon State 4-1 SV

125: #32 Conrad Hendriksen, Oklahoma over #20 Jett Strickenberger, West Virginia 6-4

125: Nick Babin, Columbia over #22 Brendan McCrone, Ohio State 14-5

125: Tristan Lujan, Michigan State over #22 Brendan McCrone, Ohio State 6-1

125: #25 Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh over #22 Brendan McCrone, Ohio State 14-9

125: Richard Castro-Sandoval, CSU Bakersfield over #24 Kysen Terukina, Iowa State 7-4 SV

125: Drew West, Gardner-Webb over #25 Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh F 5:19

125: Evan Tallmadge, Navy over #25 Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh 8-3

125: Charlie Farmer, Army West Point over #27 Max Gallagher, Penn 4-2

125: Ryan Miller, Penn over #28 Diego Sotelo, Harvard 4-1

125: Kaden Chinavare, Central Michigan over #32 Conrad Hendriksen, Oklahoma 4-3

125: Troy Hohman, NC State over #33 Tucker Owens, Air Force 10-6

Good luck figuring this weight class out. Safe to say no "upset" should surprise anyone at 125 pounds this season. 

It's also debatable if victories by one wrestler who is only one, two, or three spots below another wrestler in the rankings is really an upset. 

Are These Really Upsets?

165: #4 Julian Ramirez, Cornell over #2 David Carr, Iowa State 4-3

184: #4 Lenny Pinto, Nebraska over #3 Dustin Plott, Oklahoma State 12-10

149: #5 Dylan D'Emilio, Ohio State over #4 Jackson Arrington, NC State 9-8

184: #8 Will Feldkamp, Iowa State over #5 Trey Munoz, Oregon State F 2:21

141: #9 Cael Happel, Northern Iowa over #6 Brock Hardy, Nebraska 15-13

184: #8 Will Feldkamp, Iowa State over #6 Sam Wolf, Air Force 10-0

141: #7 Tagen Jamison, Oklahoma State over #6 Brock Hardy, Nebraska 13-5

157: #7 Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech over #6 Daniel Cardenas, Stanford 17-7

157: #13 Ryder Downey, Northern Iowa over #12 Paddy Gallagher, Ohio State 8-5

133: #16 Vincent Santaniello, Pittsburgh over #13 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State 11-4

149: #15 Nash Singleton, Oregon State over #13 Quinn Kinner, Rider 8-6

133: #14 Tyler Knox, Stanford over #13 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State 11-3

165: #17 Antrell Taylor, Nebraska over #15 Giano Petrucelli, Air Force 10-3

165: #23 Hunter Garvin, Stanford over #20 Brevin Cassella, Binghamton 2-1

184: #25 Zayne Lehman, Ohio over #22 Tony Negron, Arizona State 12-6

174: #28 Austin Murphy, Campbell over #25 Sal Perrine, Ohio 5-1

165: #27 Connor Brady, Virginia Tech over #26 Will Miller, Appalachian State 11-4

141: #30 Greyson Clark, Purdue over #27 Jason Miranda, Stanford 15-6

157: #32 Joseph Roberts, Illinois over #29 Johnny Lovett, Central Michigan 2-1 TB

133: Max Hermes, Rutgers over #31 Dominick Serrano, Northern Colorado 8-5

157: Cam Steed, Missouri over #31 Legend Lamer, Cal Poly F :26

165: Blaine Bergey, Princeton over #31 Anthony White, Rutgers 5-4 SV

174: Benny Baker, Cornell over #31 Jared Simma, Northern Iowa 12-2

197: Lucas Daly, Michigan State over #31 Sam Mitchell, Buffalo 5-4

133: Zeke Seltzer, Missouri over #32 Zeth Romney, Cal Poly 11-10

149: Maxwell Petersen, North Dakota State over #32 Drew Roberts, Minnesota 10-8

149: Joel Mylin, Missouri over #32 Drew Roberts, Minnesota 8-5

165: Stoney Buell, Purdue over #32 Dalton Harkins, Army West Point 4-0

174: Gunner Filipowicz, Army West Point over #32 Alex Faison, NC State 15-7

184: Chase Mielnik, Maryland over #32 Triston Wills, Little Rock 8-6

184: Cameron Pine, Clarion over #32 Triston Wills, Little Rock 8-4

197: Brendin Yatooma, Michigan over #32 Kael Wisler, Michigan State 4-2

197: Jack Jessen, Northwestern over #32 Kael Wisler, Michigan State F 4:10

285: John Meyers, Clarion over #32 Chad Nix, George Mason 7-2

141: Joel VanderVere, Northwestern over #33 Sergio Lemley, Michigan 11-7

149: Aiden Davis, Bucknell over #33 Douglas Terry, Cleveland State 7-2

149: Nick Stonecheck, Lock Haven over #33 Douglas Terry, Cleveland State 13-6

165: Brett McIntosh, Wyoming over #33 Domonic Baker, Campbell 6-5

165: Stoney Buell, Purdue over #33 Domonic Baker, Campbell 20-7

174: Patrick Kennedy, Iowa over #33 MJ Gaitan, Iowa State 14-13

184: Max McEnelly, Minnesota over #33 Matt Zuber, Northern Illinois 21-7

197: Christian Knop, NC State over #33 John Crawford, Franklin & Marshall 4-1

125: Greg Diakomihalis, Cornell over #24 Kysen Terukina, Iowa State F 6:34

Although some of the results on this list probably are consensus upsets. We'll leave which ones those might be for another time.

These Are Almost Definitely Not Upsets, Though

133: Connor McGonagle, Lehigh over #8 Michael Colaiocco, Penn 8-2

184: Colton Hawks, Missouri over #10 Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota 11-5

133: Cullan Schriever, Iowa over #12 Angelo Rini, Columbia 9-6

165: Terrell Barraclough, Penn State over #13 Caleb Fish, Michigan State F 7:20 SV

141: David Evans, Penn State over #16 CJ Composto, Penn 4-1 SV

197: Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech over #16 Nikolas Stemmet, Stanford F 2:44

197: Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech over #16 Nikolas Stemmet, Stanford 8-4

197: Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech over #17 Levi Hopkins, Campbell 11-3

184: Ryder Rogotzke, Ohio State over #17 Sam Fisher, Virginia Tech F 5:35

133: Dominic Lajoie, Stanford over #18 Domenic Zaccone, Campbell 8-5 SV

133: Reece Witcraft, Oklahoma State over #20 Julian Chlebove, Arizona State 7-3

184: Josh Barr, Penn State over #20 Jacob Nolan, Binghamton 2-1

149: Carter Young, Oklahoma State over #21 Sam Cartella, Northwestern 11-4

165: Nicco Ruiz, Arizona State over #21 Cael Carlson, Oklahoma 5-2

149: Brock Herman, Ohio State over #21 Sam Cartella, Northwestern F 1:58

197: Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech over #24 Evan Bates, Northwestern 13-5

184: Brock Delsignore, NC State over #24 Bennett Berge, South Dakota State 11-3

149: Kelvin Griffin, Lehigh over #25 Graham Rooks, Indiana F 1:49

149: Owen Reinsel, Lehigh over #25 Graham Rooks, Indiana 9-3

174: Mason Reiniche, Oregon State over #25 Sal Perrine, Ohio 5-4

125: Luke Stanich, Lehigh over #25 Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh 8-5

174: Christopher Minto, Nebraska over #25 Sal Perrine, Ohio 8-6

165: AJ Kovacs, NC State over #26 Will Miller, Appalachian State 5-4

197: Thomas Stewart Jr, Virginia Tech over #27 Justin Rademacher, Oregon State 13-5

133: Jarrett Trombley, NC State over #28 Braden Basile, Army West Point 7-6

285: Chase Horne, NC State over #29 Lucas Stoddard, Army West Point 12-6

125: Vinny Kilkeary, Ohio State over #30 Ethan Berginc, Army West Point 2-2 TB RT

157: Clayton Ulrey, Virginia Tech over #30 Caleb Dowling, West Virginia 4-1 SV

165: Rafael Hipolito, Virginia Tech over #26 Will Miller, Appalachian State 10-5

165: Matt Lee, Penn State over #30 Baylor Fernandes, Northern Colorado 8-5

184: Max McEnelly, Minnesota over #30 Adam Cherne, North Dakota State 19-4

149: Tom Crook, Virginia Tech over #31 Michael Gioffre, Virginia 4-1

165: Rafael Hipolito, Virginia Tech over #31 Anthony White, Rutgers 13-7

174: Rocco Welsh, Ohio State over #31 Jared Simma, Northern Iowa 4-1

141: Joe Olivieri, Rutgers over #32 Wyatt Henson, Lock Haven 7-3

174: Rocco Welsh, Ohio State over #32 Alex Faison, NC State 9-6

184: Colton Hawks, Missouri over #32 Triston Wills, Little Rock F 6:21

All of the unranked wrestlers in this list would likely be ranked higher than (or close to) the wrestlers they beat if they were the presumed starter. However, the winners are all either redshirting or have someone else on their team in the rankings. Which is not to say that the winners in this list won't be in the postseason next March, only that we're not expecting them to be at the moment. 

So, not counting the upsets that weren't really upsets  because the winner is not projected to start the postseason, or because the margin of difference between the rankings was too small, or because the upset took place at 125-pounds which is basically a fugazi weight class, there were still over 100 bona fide upsets so far this season. 

Seems like a lot! Dunno though, would have to go back through the years and see how this season compares. Also could have made a mistake in classifying these upsets. If you catch something amiss let us know!