SB Nation’s NCAA Poll: Holiday Hors d’oeuvres

Last week saw a big upset and a more minor one but this week will bring some high-profile meetings that are sure to shake things up for our voters.

1. Minnesota (9-1-1), 102 (8) — Last poll: 1

• Last week: L 1-4 v St. Cloud State (11/7)
• Coming Week: @ Wisconsin (11/19, 11/20)/

After shockingly dropping their meeting with St. Cloud, The Gophers had the weekend off to prep for their trip to Madison. This meeting might not be as crucial as it has been in recent years but will still be important as things shake out in the PWR and standings.

2. Ohio State (10-1-1), 95 (2) — Last poll: 2

• Last week: No Games
• Coming Week: v Bemidji State (11/18, 11/19)/

Their bye week leads into a softer matchup as they host a Bemidji squad that is only above St. Thomas in the WCHA table, this should be an easy sweep if they plan to stay up here in the poll.

3. Quinnipiac (10-1-0), 81 (1) — Last poll: 3

• Last week: No Games
• Coming Week: v Clarkson (11/18), v St. Lawrence (11/19)/

The Bobcats were also idle and get to face off against a team that just got back to the poll in Clarkson and a St. Lawrence team that has given good team games this season.

4. Yale (4-0-0), 68 — Last poll: T-4

• Last week: No Games
• Coming Week: v Penn State (11/18, 11/19)/

Yale took a week off and now takes on a Penn State team that has struggled of late but is still garnering attention in the polls.

5. Colgate (13-1-0), 66 — Last poll: 6

• Last week: W 5-4 @ Harvard (11/11), W 3-2 @ Dartmouth (11/12)
• Coming Week: No Games/

The Raiders blew some leads and relied on furious comebacks to sweep the weekend and our voters appreciated it. I’m sure their coach would prefer not to have to come back as much going forward but they will have the week off to recover from the excitement.

6. Northeastern (12-1-1), 62 — Last poll: T-4

• Last week: W 4-0 v Boston College (11/11), W 2-0 @ Boston College (11/12)
• Coming Week: @ Providence (11/15), v Holy Cross (11/18), @ Holy Cross (11/19)/

A weekend sweep in shutout fashion against their rivals did nothing for our voters as they lost some of their vote share this week. The coming week will do nothing to stop that slide with their series against Holy Cross, even with their midweek trek to Rhode Island.

7. Wisconsin (10-2-0), 52 — Last poll: 7

• Last week: No Games
• Coming Week: v Minnesota (11/19, 11/120)/

The Badgers will finally return to the ice as they host longtime rival and foil Minnesota. The Badgers could use the high-profile wins to be a contender in the WCHA and PWR.

8. Minnesota-Duluth (9-5-0), 37 — Last poll: 8

• Last week: W 2-0 @ St. Cloud State (11/11), W 5-1 @ St. Cloud State (11/12)
• Coming Week: v Harvard (11/18, 11/19)/

The Bulldogs did what the Gophers could not in defeating the northern Huskies. This week they play host to a Harvard team that might be turning things around or could be an utter disaster. These will be critical games for the PWR, if Harvard can take the weekend it would boost the East in the PWR otherwise the West will keep their edge.

9. Cornell (6-2-0), 18 — Last poll: 9

• Last week: W 6-0 @ Dartmouth (11/11), L 0-2 @ Harvard (11/12)
• Coming Week: No Games /

The Big Red were not the winners of their Battles of the Colors, after blowing our the Big Green they were unable to beat the Crimson for the title of supreme Ivy red team. They get the week off to regroup before going to Nashville for a pair of high-profile games.

10. Clarkson (12-3-1), 11 — Last poll: ARV

• Last week: W 5-4 OT v St. Lawrence (11/10), W 1-0 @ St. Lawrence (11/12)
• Coming Week: @ Quinnipiac (11/18), @ Princeton (11/19)/

The Golden Knights played their annual OOC pair against their neighbors and were able to sweep, which garnered them enough attention to return to our poll and be this week’s ‘Belles of the Ball.’ The coming weekend will either shoot them up in the poll with their matchup against Quinnipiac or could drop them right back out when they play the Princeton team that is right behind them in the voting.

Also Receiving Votes: Princeton 9, Vermont 2, Penn State 1, Connecticut 1