SB Nation’s NCAA Poll: Welcome Back
We are in the second half and things are heating up. Plenty of intrigue to be had on both sides of the country.
We are in 2023 and there has been plenty of intrigue already. Our darling Providence who was riding high off a split against Quinnipiac that could’ve been a sweep fell apart to start the new year getting swept so they have left us and we welcome back an old friend.
1. Ohio State (18-2-2), 67 (5) — Last poll: 1
- Last week: W 4-3 @ Cornell (12/17), W 4-0 @ Cornell (12/18), W 9-1 @ Lindenwood (12/30), W 6-0 @ Lindenwood (12/31)
- Coming Week: v Wisconsin (1/13, 1/14)/
Over the Break, the Buckeyes played a nervous game against the Big Red and then remembered they were the top team in the country. Then right before the new year, Ohio State went to Missouri for a pair of blowout wins. They now play host to a Wisconsin team that is absolutely desperate for a win.
2. Yale (14-1-1), 61 — Last poll: 2
- Last week: W 3-1 v Mercyhurst (1/2), W 5-0 v Mercyhurst (1/3), W 3-1 @ Clarkson (1/6), W 4-2 @ St. Lawrence (1/7)
- Coming Week: @ St. Anselm (1/10), v Brown (1/12), @ Brown (1/14)/
Yale continues to roll a pair of out-of-conference games against Mercyhurst were easy wins then a trip North went well. This week should be a trio of easy wins as they travel to St. Anselm and then a pair against Brown.
3. Minnesota (16-3-2), 55 (2) — Last poll: 5
- Last week: W 9-2 v Merrimack (1/6), W 8-1 v New Hampshire (1/7)
- Coming Week: v St. Thomas (1/13, 1/14)/
The Gophers had a pair of the weakest eastern teams come west for a showcase and it went as expected with a pair of big wins. Their next opponent is a step down though as they host the bottom-of-the-table Tommies.
4. Colgate (17-2-1), 47 — Last poll: 3
- Last week: W 4-0 v Rensselaer (1/6), W 10-0 v Union (1/7)
- Coming Week: @ Syracuse (1/10), v Quinnipiac (1/13), v Princeton (1/14)/
A pair of big shutout wins over weak conference foes was a nice way to get off the break. Now they play a local rival on the road at Syracuse and then host Quinnipiac for a huge showdown before Princeton rounds out the weekend.
5. Quinnipiac (20-3-0), 44 — Last poll: 4
- Last week: L 0-3 v Wisconsin (12/31), W 3-0 v Wisconsin (1/1), W 3-2 v Harvard (1/6), W 3-2 v Dartmouth (1/7)
- Coming Week: @ Colgate (1/13), @ Cornell (1/14)/
After splitting with Providence right before we went to break the Bobcats next hosted Wisconsin with whom they also split. They gave up their home game against Harvard to play in Fenway Park where they got their first of two tight victories on the weekend. This weekend is a road trip to upstate NY that will have major implications for the standings.
6. Northeastern (19-2-1), 32 — Last poll: 7
- Last week: W 6-0 v Boston University (1/8)
- Coming Week: v Boston College (1/13), v Maine (1/14)/
In their first game back the Huskies took a BU team that was already having a bad weekend having lost to Holy Cross, to the woodshed scoring early and often. Up next is another home rivalry game against BC and a chance to beat a Maine team that counts for half of their losses once again.
7. Minnesota-Duluth (15-6-1), 29 — Last poll: 8
- Last week: W 3-1 @ Wisconsin (1/7), W 1-0 @ Wisconsin (1/8)
- Coming Week: v Bemidji State (1/13, 1/14)/
A big sweep of Wisconsin on the road makes them this week’s ‘Belles of the Ball’ and gave them some breathing room for home ice in the WCHA tournament. Now they should get two very easy wins when the Beavers visit Duluth.
8. Wisconsin (16-5-1), 27 — Last poll: 6
- Last week: W 3-0 @ Quinnipiac (12/31), L 0-3 @ Quinnipiac (1/1), L 1-3 v Minnesota-Duluth (1/7), L 0-1 v Minnesota-Duluth (1/7)
- Coming Week: @ Ohio State (1/13, 1/14)/
The Badgers have not lost three games since the 2012-2013 season, the last time they missed the NCAA tournament. Now that doesn’t seem likely at this point, especially with the slightly expanded field but the Badgers are not in great shape as they travel to Columbus for two.
9. Cornell (9-5-2), 12 — Last poll: 9
- Last week: L 3-4 v Ohio State (12/17), L 0-4 v Ohio State (12/18), W 7-2 v Union (1/6), W 1-0 v Rensselaer (1/7)
- Coming Week: v Princeton (1/13), v Quinnipiac (1/14)/
After coming up blank hosting Ohio State the Big Red returned from the break and beat a pair of bad ECAC teams. Now they get an Ivy League matchup and a meeting with the top team in their conference.
10. Penn State (15-8-1), 6 — Last poll: NR
- Last week: W 4-3 v LIU (12/30), W 4-1 v LIU (12/31)
- Coming Week: v RIT (1/13, 1/14)/
The Nittany Lions are back in the poll thanks to Providence blowing a tire in the new year but they have been on the cusp of returning for a while. They have been winning the games they need to win of late and this weekend shouldn’t give them too much trouble.
Also Receiving Votes: Clarkson 3, Vermont 2
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