SB Nation’s NCAA Poll: Starting Blocks

Teams are slowly starting to wade into competitive games as the season gets underway. Lots of disagreement among our voters so far.

Welcome back, everyone! This week had our first competitive games since The newly crowned Buckeyes left the ice in State College last spring. Not everyone is starting yet but plenty of action to go around.

1. Ohio State (0-0-0), 88 (8) — Last poll: 1

  • Last week: No Games
  • Coming Week: v Minnesota State (9/30, 10/1)/

The defending champs will open up with an easy home weekend with Mankato on deck.

2. Minnesota (0-0-0), 82 (1) — Last poll: T-3

  • Last week: No Games
  • Coming Week: No Games/

The Gophers are off for another weekend before they open the season. They will have a nice easy warm up slate before they take on the Buckeyes at the end of next month.

3. Wisconsin (1-1-0), 61 — Last poll: 6

  • Last week: L 1-4 @ Penn State (9/22), W 9-1 @ Penn State (9/23)
  • Coming Week: v Lindenwood (9/29, 9/30)/

After getting shocked in State College the Badgers got mad and stomped the Nittany Lions. This week will be a pair of easy games as Lindenwood heads to town.

4. Northeastern (0-0-0), 60 — Last poll: 2

  • Last week: W 3-2 v Boston Pride (Exh)
  • Coming Week: v LIU (9/30, 10/1)/

Northeastern had a great showing against the defending Isobel Cup champs, who admittedly had just started practicing together, which gives a good feeling for Huskies fans as they begin the season with a pair against the Sharks.

5. Minnesota-Duluth (2-0-0), 48 — Last poll: T-3

  • Last week: W 4-1 @ LIU (9/24), W 5-0 @ LIU (9/25)
  • Coming Week: @ St. Lawrence (9/29), v Penn State (9/30)/

The Bulldogs are bucking WCHA trends and having a slightly more challenging OOC schedule as they will be on the road for a second straight week after sweeping LIU rather handily. They will play both Penn State and St. Lawrence at St. Lawrence

6. Colgate (1-0-0), 45 — Last poll: 7

  • Last week: W 3-0 v Syracuse (9/24)
  • Coming Week: @ Mercyhurst (9/30, 10/1)/

A shutout of the Orange was a solid start for the Raiders and now a pair in Erie is on tap.

7. Quinnipiac (2-0-0), 33 — Last poll: 8

  • Last week: W 3-2 OT @ Maine (9/23), W 3-0 @ Maine (9/24)
  • Coming Week: v Boston College (9/30), v New Hampshire (10/1)/

A surprising OT bout in Orono to open the season led to a more convincing win the next day against the Black Bears. They will take on two more Hockey East foes, one of which is a contender this season.

8. Princeton (0-0-0), 18 — Last poll: 9

  • Last week: No Games
  • Coming Week: No Games /

The Tigers are delayed in their start as they are every year being an Ivy.

9. Penn State (1-1-0, 15 — Last poll: 10

  • Last week: W 4-1 v Wisconsin (9/22), L 1-9 v Wisconsin (9/23)
  • Coming Week: v Minnesota-Duluth (9/30), @ St. Lawrence (10/1)/

The Nittany Lions shocked everyone beating the Badgers on four unanswered goals to start the season out but the next day the wheels fell off even though they scored first. They were the first team to defeat Wisconsin in the regular season that isnt in the WCHA since Northeastern defeated them in the DC showcase back in 2017, which makes them this week’s ‘Belles of the Ball.’  This week takes them to St. Lawrence for a pair of games, one of which is Duluth.

10. Yale (0-0-0), 14 — Last poll: 5

  • Last week: No Games
  • Coming Week: No Games/

No games for the Bulldogs for a while as an Ivy League member.

Also Receiving Votes: Boston College 8, Clarkson 8, Cornell 7, Vermont 4, Connecticut 2, Harvard 1, Minnesota State 1