The past week in college wrestling was filled with a number of surprising upsets from the Illinois Matmen Open and Southern Scuffle. Take a look at a breakdown of the biggest upsets along with a full list below.

Kyle Cochran On A Mission This Season

Kyle Cochran is 14-1 on the year and won the Scuffle by taking out #12 Jonathan Loew, #16 Jeremiah Kent, and returning All-American #8 Hunter Bolen. Cochran was only 6-8 last season and has yet to qualify for the NCAA tournament. The turnaround for Cochran this season is remarkable and one of the most compelling stories of the season. If Cochran continues to wrestle at this level, he’ll earn a high seed at the NCAA tournament and challenge for All-American honors in March. 

Cochran’s semi-final win over All-American Hunter Bolen:

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Cochran’s finals win over Jonathan Loew:

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Watch Out 197, Greg Bulsak Is Here

Four-time NCAA qualifier Greg Bulsak won the Matmen Open last week with notable wins over Junior World Champion Braxton Amos and returning NCAA finalist Nino Bonaccorsi. On top of those signature wins last week, Bulsak is currently 12-0 on the season and is establishing himself as a legitimate contender at 197 pounds. His upcoming Big 10 schedule will tell us how close Bulsak is to the top as he’s set to face off against #2 Max Dean, #10 Patrick Brucki, and #23 Cam Caffey in the next three weeks. 

Greg Bulsak takes out 2021 runner-up Nino Bonaccorsi! #RelentlessPursuit pic.twitter.com/p0bk0b3vka

— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) December 31, 2021

Hamiti > Conigliaro > Wentzel

Dean Hamiti has been a man on a mission this year with an 11-0 record with 10 wins coming by bonus. Hamiti continued that dominance at the Matmen Open with bonus wins in all four of his matches including a tech fall over #15 Phil Conigliaro, a major decision over HM Danny Braunagel, and a pin over #14 Zach Hartman. Of note, Conigliaro had previously 2021 NCAA runner-up #9 Jake Wentzel, 1-0, before falling to Hamiti in the finals. 

With Hamiti’s dominance to start the season, the question now becomes - Is Hamiti a title contender? He hasn't faced the best 165 wrestlers in the country just yet but is set to square off against #4 Alex Marinelli on February 5th. Hamiti has passed every test thus far, but the match with Marinelli will surely tell us how close he is to the top.

165: Dean Hamiti wins the title! 🏆

1st Place @IllinoisMatmen Champion @HamitiDean dominates opponent Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) in 20-6 major decision victory

Watch it here ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/vpJRct0AyR

— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) December 31, 2021

Peyton Hall Jumping Levels

West Virginia’s Peyton Hall was one match away from earning All-American honors as a true freshman last year when he fell to Anthony Valencia in the round of 12. This season, Hall has amassed a 17-1 record and finished runner-up to #3 Keegan O’Toole at the Southern Scuffle. On the way to the finals, Hall took out true freshman Patrick Kennedy (6-4, OT) and #7 Luke Weber. Hall will assuredly move up in the rankings and will continue to be tested in the coming weeks with potential matches against #23 Joshua Ogunsanya, #8 Travis Wittlake, HM Tanner Cook, and #7 Luke Weber. 

Hall's win over Weber:

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All Upsets

125

Drake Ayala, Iowa D;14-10 #13 Noah Surtin, Missouri

Drake Ayala, Iowa D;9-3 #13 Noah Surtin, Missouri

Ryan Miller, Penn D;5-3 HM Dylan Shawver, Rutgers

Blake West, Northern Illinois D;6-4 HM Anthony Molton, Campbell

Sheldon Seymour, Lehigh D;8-7 HM Dylan Shawver, Rutgers

Diego Sotelo, Harvard D;9-6 HM Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh

Blair Orr, Penn M;12-4 HM Colton Camacho, Pittsburgh

Lucian Brink, Northern Illinois M;13-3 HM Anthony Molton, Campbell

#16 Brandon Kaylor, Oregon State D;5-3 #6 Taylor LaMont, Utah Valley

133

Drew Mattin, Michigan D;10-3 #7 Michael Colaiocco, Penn

Kurtis Phipps, Bucknell D;9-4 #7 Michael Colaiocco, Penn

Aaron Nagao, Minnesota D;5-2 #20 Codi Russell, Appalachian State

Brayden Palmer, Chattanooga D;9-4 #20 Codi Russell, Appalachian State

Trey Crawford, Missouri D;9-7 #20 Codi Russell, Appalachian State

Carter Bailey, Lehigh F;2:20 #21 Sammy Alvarez, Rutgers

Ethan Oakley, Appalachian State D;6-2 #24 Jackson DiSario, Stanford

King Sandoval, Maryland F;4:06 #24 Jackson DiSario, Stanford

Aaron Nagao, Minnesota D;4-0 HM Kellyn March, North Dakota State

Carter Bailey, Lehigh D;4-3 HM Kyle Burwick, Wisconsin

Joe Olivieri, Rutgers M;9-1 HM Kyle Burwick, Wisconsin

#16 Devan Turner, Oregon State D;4-3 #15 Haiden Drury, Utah Valley

Ethan Fernandez, Spartan Combat RTC D;4-1 HM Kellyn March, North Dakota State

141

CJ Composto, Penn M;9-1 #14 Parker Filius, Purdue

McKenzie Bell, Rider D;4-1 HM Carmen Ferrante, Penn

Joshua Saunders, Cornell D;5-3 HM Angelo Martinoni, CSU Bakersfield

CJ Composto, Penn D;7-5 HM Cole Matthews, Pittsburgh

We Rachal, Illinois F;2:56 HM Carmen Ferrante, Penn

Wyatt Henson, Iowa M;10-2 HM Angelo Martinoni, CSU Bakersfield

HM Cole Matthews, Pittsburgh F;4:14 #18 Joseph Zargo, Wisconsin

#13 Real Woods, Stanford D;5-4 #7 Andrew Alirez, Northern Colorado

#12 Allan Hart, Missouri D;2-0 #6 Clay Carlson, South Dakota State

#18 Joseph Zargo, Wisconsin D;6-4 #14 Parker Filius, Purdue

#13 Real Woods, Stanford D;4-0 #12 Allan Hart, Missouri

149

Victor Voinovich, Oklahoma State D;5-3 #HM Zach Price, South Dakota State

Jeff Boyd, West Virginia D;9-5 HM Zach Price, South Dakota State

157

Elijah Cleary, Pittsburgh D;9-8 #18 Doug Zapf, Penn

HM Alex Carida, Bloomsburg D;7-2 HM Jake Keating, Virginia

165

Cael Carlson, Minnesota D;3-1 #7 Luke Weber, North Dakota State

Cael Carlson, Minnesota F;6:15 #15 William Formato, Appalachian State

Patrick Kennedy, Iowa D;10-4 HM Caleb Fish, Michigan State

Andrew Nicholson, Chattanooga D;10-5 HM Gabe Dinette, Duke

Tyler Brennan, Little Rock D;3-1 HM Evan Barczak, Drexel

Alex Facundo, Penn State D;3-1 HM Evan Barczak, Drexel

Nick Knutson, Northern Colorado D;5-0 #HM Selwyn Porter, The Citadel

Holden Heller, Hofstra D;6-5 HM Dan Braunagel, Illinois

Clayton Ulrey, Virginia Tech D;8-2 HM Selwyn Porter, The Citadel

Patrick Kennedy, Iowa D;8-3 HM Rodrick Mosley, Gardner-Webb

Cael Carlson, Minnesota M;12-4 HM Gabe Dinette, Duke

#21 Izzak Olejnik, Northern Illinois D;7-3 #13 Zach Hartman, Bucknell

#14 Philip Conigliaro, Harvard D;1-0 #6 Jake Wentzel, Pittsburgh

#20 Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin F;5:51 #13 Zach Hartman, Bucknell

#20 Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin M;20-6 #14 Philip Conigliaro, Harvard

#12 Peyton Hall, West Virginia M;13-5 #7 Luke Weber, North Dakota State

174

Austin Brenner, North Dakota State D;6-4 #8 Matt Finesilver, Duke

Justin Phillips, Virginia D;3-2 #18 Troy Fisher, Northwestern

Reece Heller, Hofstra D;5-2 #20 Gerrit Nijenhuis, Purdue

Nate Dugan, Princeton D;5-3 #22 Jackson Turley, Rutgers

Bailee O'Reilly, Minnesota D;10-3 HM Tyler Eischens, Stanford

Connor O'Neill, Rutgers D;4-3 HM Josh Kim, Harvard

Reece Heller, Hofstra D;5-1 HM Hunter Kernan, Pittsburgh

Mason Kauffman, Northern Illinois D;6-3 HM Josh Kim, Harvard

#17 Peyton Mocco, Missouri F;4:35 #8 Matt Finesilver, Duke

184

Zach Braunagel, Illinois D;8-4 #9 Brit Wilson, Northern, Illinois

#24 Kyle Cochran, Maryland D;6-4 #8 Hunter Bolen, Virginia Tech

Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota D;11-9 #21 Layne Malczewski, Michigan State

#24 Kyle Cochran, Maryland D;4-1 #12 Jonathan Loew, Cornell

Deanthony Parker Jr, North Dakota State D;6-1 HM Cade King, South Dakota State

Chase Mielnik, Maryland D;6-5 HM Cade King, South Dakota State

Neil Antrassian, Penn D;8-3 HM Gregg Harvey, Pittsburgh

Zach Braunagel, Illinois F;6:27 HM Gregg Harvey, Pittsburgh

#24 Kyle Cochran, Maryland D;5-0 #16 Jeremiah Kent, Missouri

#15 Trey Munoz, Oregon State D;12-7 #9 Brit Wilson, Northern Illinois

197

Garrett Joles, Minnesota F;4:52 #15 Owen Pentz, North Dakota State

#17 Greg Bulsak, Rutgers D;3-2 #3 Nino Bonaccorsi, Pittsburgh

Michael Beard, Penn State D;6-2 HM Cameron Caffey, Michigan State

Cole Urbas, Penn M;11-0 HM Levi Hopkins, Campbell

HM Jaron Smith, Maryland D;12-6 #15 Owen Pentz, North Dakota State

HM Tanner Sloan, South Dakota State D;4-0 #24 Alan Clothier, Northern Colorado

HM Cameron Caffey, Michigan State D;6-2 #24 Alan Clothier, Northern Colorado

285

Ethan Laird, Rider F;3:51 #17 Luke Luffman, Illinois

Deonte Wilson, NC State D;3-1 #19 Michael Wolfgram, West Virginia

Aaron Costello, Iowa D;5-3 #19 Michael Wolfgram, West Virginia

Michael McAleavey, The Citadel D;5-4 #20 Owen Trephan, NC State

Tyrie Houghton, NC State D;6-4 #23 AJ Nevills, South Dakota State

Austin Harris, Oklahoma State D;4-0 HM Zach Schrader, Maryland

Boone McDermott, Rutgers D;7-4 HM Jack DelGarbino, Princeton

Michael Woulfe, Purdue D;8-4 HM Jake Slinger, Pittsburgh

Nathan Taylor, Lehigh F;3:52 HM Jake Slinger, Pittsburgh

Michael Woulfe, Purdue F;4:59 HM Jack DelGarbino, Princeton

#22 Brandon Metz, North Dakota State D;3-2 #20 Owen Trephan, NC State