SB Nation’s Week 3 D1 Poll: Chaos Is Queen

In a week that can only be described as chaotic there was little rhyme or reason to results.  Unheralded teams walked into powerhouse barns and took points, other known entities struggled against teams they normally beat and underdogs prevailed, and losses that some thought were bad are looking a lot more reasonable.

This is only week three of the season, so there is plenty of time for things to settle down. This week the poll was jolted by some unexpected shockers.

1.     Wisconsin (3-0-1), (14) 162 — Last Week: 1

• Last Week: W 3-0 v Ohio St (10/7), T 1-1 (1-0 SOW) v Ohio St (10/8)
• Coming week:  @ Clarkson (10/14, 10/15)/

Despite a shocking tie to Ohio State, they were able to win 1-0 in the shootout that left LaBahn in stunned silence, and the Badgers have held onto the top spot in the poll.  However, the margin between them and the majority of the field has plummeted, and a big reason they survived was that Minnesota had their own shocker in the form of a shutout loss to Bemidji State.  In the coming week they head out on the road to take on a reeling, yet still potent, Clarkson. This matchup has potential to either cement their hold until a meeting with Minnesota or cast the whole national picture into pure chaos.

2.     Minnesota (3-1-0), (1) 139 — Last Week: 2

• Last Week: W 3-1 @ Bemidji St (10/7), L 0-2 @ Bemidji St (10/8)
• Coming week: v Minnesota-Duluth (10/14, 10/15)/

With Wisconsin stumbling at home to completely unheralded Ohio State, the doors were flung wide open for the Gophers to grab the top spot.  The problem was Bemidji State’s Brittni Mowat was in the way on Saturday and denied all Gopher attempts to score along with the top spot in our poll.  The coming week does not give the Gophers any breaks, as they play host to fourth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth who already has played the role of giant killers this season.  A sweep here could give them the edge over a Badgers team that could drop points this weekend, but it is far from a lock like it might have been considered in certain past seasons.

3.      Quinnipiac (4-0-0), (1) 135 — Last Week: 3

• Last Week: W 3-0 @UConn (10/7), W 3-0 @New Hampshire (10/8)
• Coming week: @Mercyhurst (10/14, 10/15)/

One of the few teams who escaped unmarred, Quinnipiac struggled a little bit against two weaker Hockey East teams but, unlike others, did what they needed to do to win.  While they have a very winnable week coming up, they must prepare for a Boston College team that will be hungry to prove themselves.

4.     Minnesota-Duluth (3-0-1), 109 — Last Week: 5

• Last Week: W 4-0 v Minnesota State (10/7), W 5-1 v Minnesota State (10/8)
• Coming week: v Minnesota (10/14, 10/15) /

Last week’s darlings didn’t lose their luster as they took care of business in conference play.  A pair of large margin victories was just what the doctor ordered, allowing the Bulldogs to move up in the polls.  This coming week is a huge test for Duluth as they take on the number-two ranked team in the nation, Minnesota, on home ice.  Any points here are very welcome for Duluth and could buoy them to even greater heights in the polls.

5.     Boston College (2-1-1), 98 — Last Week: 6

• Last Week: W 2-1 v Maine (10/8), W 5-1 v Maine (10/9)
• Coming week: @New Hampshire (10/14), @Maine (10/15) /

This isn’t the start to the season that Coach Crowley had in mind.  The points dropped at Duluth might be seen as acceptable based on how the next weekend turns out, though the Eagles surely would’ve liked to have done better.  BC struggled in the first matchup of the weekend but was able to rebound on a powerful performance from new super freshman Delaney Belinskas.  They will finish their season series against Maine and have a game in their house of horrors at New Hampshire next weekend before a huge home-and-home against Quinnipiac.

6.     Colgate (4-0-0), (1) 92 — Last Week: 7

• Last Week: W 4-3 v Merrimack (10/7), W 6-0 v Merrimack (10/8)
• Coming week: No Games/

At home against second-year Merrimack, their game on Friday night was not at all what they wanted, tied late and needing a literal last minute goal to win. The Raiders coaching staff clearly lit the right fire as they came out and bludgeoned Merrimack by a score of 6-0 the very next day.  They have a week off, but with the insanity that has gripped the collegiate landscape they very well could be the big winners of the next week.

7.     Clarkson (2-1-1), 60 — Last Week: 4

• Last Week: L 1-2 @Saint Lawrence (10/7), T 3-3 v Saint Lawrence (10/8)
• Coming week: v Wisconsin (10/14, 10/15)/

Coming into the season, Saint Lawrence was not expected to do much.  After two weekends of play against them, Northeastern and Clarkson would beg to differ. In an odd scheduling decision, the Golden Knights played a non-conference home-and-home series with their conference rival Saints.  This did not go well, as they lost on the road and managed to salvage a tie at home. These results sent Clarkson plummeting in the rankings, but the schedule gives them an immediate chance to redeem themselves as they play host to top-ranked Wisconsin.

8.     Saint Lawrence (3-0-1), 44 — Last week: ARV

• Last Week: W 2-1 v Clarkson (10/7), T 3-3 @Clarkson (10/8)
• Coming Week: No Games /

The Saints were this week’s belles of the ball as they beat and tied a Clarkson team that many had as a possible NCAA final contender.  This was after they travelled to Boston to shock Northeastern as they swept the Huskies, including a 5-0 blowout on their banner night.  Coming into the season most people didn’t expect much out of the Saints, but that’s why they play the game.  The Saints are clearly a talented team that could cause damage; the question now is if they can continue this strong play on the backs of their stellar top line.

9.     Bemidji State (3-1-0), 40 — Last Week: 10

• Last Week: L 1-3 v Minnesota (10/7), W 2-0 v Minnesota (10/8)
• Coming week: v Ohio St (10/14, 10/15)/

After a tough matchup with second-ranked Minnesota on Friday night, the Beavers rallied and stunned everyone by shutting out the Gophers en route to a 2-0 win.  They only moved up one spot but have room to keep climbing depending on other results.  This week they will be taking on an Ohio State team that did their own stunning of Wisconsin, so the Beavers need to be wary to not take them lightly.

10. Princeton (0-0-0), 20 — Last Week: 9

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

Another idle week saw the Tigers slip to the edge of the poll.  They open their season on the road in two weeks and hope to stave off a further drop in their final idle week next week.

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Also Receiving Votes: North Dakota 19, Northeastern 4, St. Cloud State 4, Boston University 3, Providence 3, Vermont 2, Harvard 1

Dropped Out: Robert Morris