As a fan, which NCAA loss left the biggest bruise?

As a fan, which NCAA loss left the biggest bruise?


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    150

mvattivo

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2005
347
1,608
93
It's hard to avoid recency bias, but, trying to think about how I felt at the time, I went with, in order:

1. DT losing to Bubba. - All the circumstances around the pin, but, mostly, it ruined one of, if not the most impressive Freshman (redshirt) seasons in history.

2, Mesenbrink losing to Carr - Very likely to be his only loss, and I wish he realized he was losing.

3. Duke losing to Robideau - This is likely recency bias, but, the way that it happened still just doesn't sit right
 

creamery freak

All-Conference
Jul 26, 2014
366
1,249
93
In honor of @mcpat

We are used to huge wins. But there are some losses that just sting and sting again. Pick up to 3, add your “other” and I’ll put it in the poll (if I can do that, I’m not McPat fer cryin’ out loud!).
Beau's loss to Mendez, when it looked like he had the winning takedown, was a gut punch for me. DT's loss to Dake, after getting the initial takedown was another tough one at the time.

Now that Kyle's with the good guys and DT's with the bad, it doesn't hurt anymore!🙂
 
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Goggles Paisano

All-Conference
Feb 6, 2018
776
2,016
93
Very difficult to narrow it to three. But even ignoring recency bias:

PJ got plain robbed, that was unique on the list.

Bo really dominated and if it were not for an opportunistic roll through by MM on his throw to the back, he wins going away and becomes our first 4xer. Then again I guess Miles could say the same thing 3 years later :)

Mitchell just lost track of the score. Giving up a riding time point is not the stuff of champions though. He may or may not have won if he knew the score, there was little time but he was on a Mitch roll at the end

For those three karma just swing the wrong way that day to snatch defeat from a victory, and one could argue each did enough to win but simply didn't.

DT had the biggest shock value, but in the end Bubba earned the victory, most painfully so.

All the rest, from memory, our guy just lost in a tough bout that if they went again may well have had a different result. Maybe Shane should be added, as many saw this year as his window. Next year will definitely be tougher, and for Beau to lose from rear standing is a real kick in the nuts.
 
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Misalorales

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2025
1,163
3,570
113
RBY losing to Vito was jarring.
Joseph losing to Lewis.
Nolf losing to Imar.
Starrocci losing to Washington was frustrating to watch while knowing the talent gap was that of the Grand canyon.

Vespa not pinning Lee is the quickest I've ever gone " holy fk holy fk holy....alright nvm".

The answer for me,personally, though is Nolf vs Imar.
 

TangSoo

Junior
Oct 29, 2021
85
314
53
Q vs the Cornell Dude (from State College). Q could've/should've been a 3 timer. Should've been some stalling calls.

Cenzo and Mark not being able to get 3rd, and 2nd titles. Don't remember if Zahid was in Mark's way, but Cenzo certainly looked good for a 3rd. They couldn't compete, now guys are getting 6 and 7 years. A real cluster.
 

PSUer89

Senior
Feb 6, 2017
146
412
63
PJ’s loss because he won on the mat and Cenzo’s because he is one of my all time favorites and I thoroughly expected him to win. Then COVID taking his last opportunity to win another one makes it an even harder pill to swallow
 
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BriantheLion

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2023
1,420
1,934
113
Looks like the losses by the current team members are winning this by a landslide…

For me, I’m at the point of knowing they’ll bounce back, though it ALWAYS hurts to see one of our guys lose their chance to be four time champions, or to have an undefeated career.

McCoy was before I was watching, DT and MacIntosh were when I was just starting to follow…

I voted for the ones from the first era that I was fully invested-Bo and Jason, Cenzo and Mark.
 

Fatwoodchuck

Senior
Oct 19, 2023
396
573
93
It's hard to avoid recency bias, but, trying to think about how I felt at the time, I went with, in order:

1. DT losing to Bubba. - All the circumstances around the pin, but, mostly, it ruined one of, if not the most impressive Freshman (redshirt) seasons in history.

2, Mesenbrink losing to Carr - Very likely to be his only loss, and I wish he realized he was losing.

3. Duke losing to Robideau - This is likely recency bias, but, the way that it happened still just doesn't sit right
#3 because they all had their chance to win but only this one was decided by another entity other than "just not your time."
 
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fortheglory94

Sophomore
Dec 7, 2009
32
170
33
Duke was more of a put my hand through the wall to cause a bruise. Cenzo hurt because I just figured he'd find a way in the Finals like he had before. But I voted DT. At the time, it almost took the entire edge off of winning the team title for me.
Funny how things go. Now if I saw Bubba Jenkins I'd shake his hand specifically for that win!
 

nerfstate

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2021
619
2,524
93
DT's loss to Dake, after getting the initial takedown was another tough one at the time.

Now that Kyle's with the good guys and DT's with the bad, it doesn't hurt anymore!🙂
It’s hilarious to me that I didn’t even think of this one.

I maxed out on poll options though so I can’t add it or Beau/Mendez.
 
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Nitlion1986

All-Conference
Apr 13, 2024
1,588
4,730
113
Bubba pinning Taylor
Martin beating Bo
Considering the level of hero worship, finding out Andy Matter got pinned in his sophomore season
 

mcpat

All-American
Mar 12, 2021
1,771
7,120
113
Bubba over Taylor hurt at the time but I’m cool with it now.

I’m picking unexpected losses that kept our guy from being a 4xer, or so it appeared at the time:
  • Myles over Bo NCAAs
  • Carr over Mesenbrink NCAAs
  • Lewis over Cenzo NCAAs
 

El_Jefe

Heisman
Oct 11, 2021
3,313
13,113
113
Considering how many people posted for years about a "curse," wouldn't the correct answer be Cruiseliner Nick vs. whoever he forfeited to?

I mean, that left a pretty big bruise on a lot of people, and winning all those national titles without him didn't seem to relieve the pain.
 
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Efejle

All-Conference
Apr 30, 2023
882
2,082
93
By far Mesenbrink vs Carr: He thought he was ahead. It cost him the Cael Tax. Without this match there is no such thing because as we all said at the time he would never lose again.
 

Dogwelder

All-Conference
Aug 1, 2013
804
2,733
93
By far Mesenbrink vs Carr: He thought he was ahead. It cost him the Cael Tax. Without this match there is no such thing because as we all said at the time he would never lose again.
Why is it called Cael Tax?

With a tax, someone requires you to pay him because you are in his jurisdiction. So we can logically joke that a Hawkeye’s late-season lingering injury is an Iowa tax.

Or, in the case of a stupidity tax, you get taxed because of who you are.

Neither of the above two meanings apply to Mesenbrink. There is no funny sense in which he lost because he is on Cael’s team. And he did not lose because of who he is.

So in what other sense of the word “tax”, is falling short of Cael’s undefeatedness like a tax, and a Cael tax at that ?
 
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mcpat

All-American
Mar 12, 2021
1,771
7,120
113
Why is it called Cael Tax?

With a tax, someone requires you to pay him because you are in his jurisdiction. So we can logically joke that a Hawkeye’s late-season lingering injury is an Iowa tax.

Or, in the case of a stupidity tax, you get taxed because of who you are.

Neither of the above two meanings apply to Mesenbrink. There is no funny sense in which he lost because he is on Cael’s team. And he did not lose because of who he is.

So in what other sense of the word “tax”, is falling short of Cael’s undefeatedness like a tax, and a Cael tax at that ?
I think he said Blessed are the cheesemakers.
 
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