October 9, 2025, was one of those nights that reminded everyone why we love college hockey. The game is wild, unpredictable, and sometimes the giants fall. And fall they did. Three of the top four teams—No. 1 Western Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State, and No. 4 Penn State—came up short in surprising season-openers.
Western Michigan Falls to Ferris State
In Kalamazoo, the defending champs and No. 1-ranked Broncos looked ready to make a statement. Bobby Cowan and Liam Valente put them on the board early, giving fans hope for a strong start. But Ferris State wasn’t having it. Carter Rapalje scored twice, Gavin Best added another, and goalie Shane Soderwall turned in a jaw-dropping 46-save performance. In the end, Western Michigan couldn’t break through, and the Bulldogs walked away with a 3–2 upset.
Michigan State Upset by New Hampshire
Over in East Lansing, the Spartans were hosting the University of New Hampshire. The first period was tight, ending 1–1, and the back-and-forth continued all night. New Hampshire pulled ahead, Michigan State tied it up, then the Wildcats struck again with a power-play goal. The finish? Pure chaos. With just five seconds left on the clock, junior Marty Lavins found the net for the game-winner. Wildcats 4, Spartans 3. Heartbreak for Michigan State fans.
Penn State Can’t Hold Off Clarkson
Penn State’s home opener at Pegula Ice Arena was supposed to be a showcase. JJ Wiebusch delivered with a record-setting four goals, but the Nittany Lions couldn’t keep Clarkson in check. Defensive mistakes and penalty issues let the Golden Knights take over, scoring three times in the third period. Adrian Misaljevic’s second goal put them ahead, and an empty-net goal sealed the deal at 6–4.
Why College Hockey Is So Unpredictable
College hockey stands out among NCAA sports for its unmatched parity. Unlike football or basketball, where upsets still happen, the top talent is often concentrated in a handful of powerhouse programs, hockey’s talent is more evenly spread across schools of all sizes. This balance allows smaller programs like Ferris State, New Hampshire, and Clarkson to compete effectively against nationally ranked teams such as Western Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State.
A major reason for this balance is the arrival of players from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), now fully eligible to compete in NCAA hockey thanks to a recent rule change. This season alone, nearly 325 CHL players committed to U.S. colleges, giving smaller programs access to elite talent that might previously have been concentrated at bigger schools. Many of these players also come from regions in the Northeast and northern U.S., where hockey is a part of the culture. Not only is there a high density of skilled players, but many of the country’s college hockey programs are located giving smaller schools nearby the chance to assemble competitive rosters.
This has narrowed the gap between traditional powerhouses and underdog programs, making upsets like those on October 9 more common and a lot more thrilling for fans, who get to see smaller schools compete, pull off upsets, and keep the season unpredictable.