The Southern Scuffle is a midseason college tournament hosted in Chattanooga each January.
The Southern Scuffle is a two-day open tournament hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga at the start of each January. It is one of the main midseason tournaments in college wrestling, with individual brackets at all ten weights and a team score.
Because it falls just after the holiday break, coaches often use it to test backups and redshirts as well as starters.
Latest results
2026 Southern Scuffle — January 3–4, 2026, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Team standings (top five)
| Place | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penn State | 143.5 |
| 2 | Penn | 123.5 |
| 3 | Little Rock | 106 |
| 4 | Virginia Tech | 105.5 |
| 5 | North Dakota State | 99 |
History & key moments
| Year | Moment |
|---|---|
| Early January | Annual date |
| 2026 | Penn State wins with 143.5 points and five champions; Penn second |
A fan's guide
The Scuffle's brackets mix starters, backups and redshirts, so it is where fans discover next year's lineups. It is also one of the first tournaments after the holiday break, which shows which wrestlers have stayed in shape.
Results and live streams are usually available through FloWrestling.
Our take
The Scuffle is the best measure of program depth in college wrestling, because teams bring wrestlers who would not start in March. Penn State winning with mostly non-starters in 2026 was the clearest demonstration of its roster strength all season.
For fans, it is also one of the most watchable tournaments of the year: ten brackets, two days, and a lot of upsets.
What's next
The 2027 Southern Scuffle is expected in early January in Chattanooga.
Latest coverage
Coverage of the next edition will appear here.
FAQ
Who won the 2026 Southern Scuffle?
Penn State, with 143.5 points.
Where is the Southern Scuffle held?
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
When is the Southern Scuffle?
In the first week of January.