SB Nation’s NCAA Poll: Midweek Madness

As we approach the end of the season, conferences are scrambling to make up lost games and cancelling others that can’t be made up. This is leading to many midweek games, adding to an already convoluted schedule.

1. Ohio State (19-5-0), 83 (3) — Last poll: 1

• Last week: W 2-1 OT v Minnesota (1/28), L 3-5 v Minnesota (1/29)
• Coming Week: @ Minnesota State (2/4, 2/5)/

The Buckeyes had an overtime win Saturday before they fell to the WCHA-leading Gophers Sunday. This week should be a nice easy trip to Mankato as they try to catch up in the standings.

2. Wisconsin (19-3-34), 78 (3) — Last poll: 2

• Last week: T 1-1 OT ( SOW 1-0) @ St. Cloud State (1/28, W 4-0 @ St. Cloud State (1/29)
• Coming Week: @ St. Thomas (1/31), v Minnesota Duluth (2/4, 2/5)/

After a shocking tie, which required late game heroics to force overtime, the Badgers recovered to soundly beat the western Huskies. A trip to St. Thomas tonight will be a warm up for Wisconsin as they play host to a Duluth team that is lagging behind the leaders.

3. Minnesota (20-7-1), 77 (2) — Last poll: 4

• Last week: L 1-2 OT @ Ohio State (1/28), W 5-3 @ Ohio State (1/29)
• Coming Week: v Bemidji State (2/4, 2/5)/

Taking four of six points from OSU was a huge weekend for Minnesota. With their remaining easy schedule the Gophers are clearly in the drivers seat to win the WCHA regular season crown.

4. Northeastern (21-3-1), 62 (1) — Last poll: 3

• Last week: L 1-2 v Vermont (1/28)
• Coming Week: v Boston College (2/1), @ Merrimack (2/4)/

Northeastern forgot to show up at the start of the game once again and it finally bit them once again as they dropped a bad game to Vermont. One might think they were focusing on their Beanpot rematch with BC but now they are in must win territory the rest of the way if they want to host come tournament time.

5. Minnesota-Duluth (16-8-0), 49 — Last poll: 5

• Last week: W 4-2 v Minnesota State (1/28), W 5-3 v Minnesota State (1/29)
• Coming Week: @ St. Cloud State (2/1), @ Wisconsin (2/4, 2/5)/

After a sweep of Mankato, the Bulldogs will have lots of traveling as they have a midweek contest in St. Cloud before a weekend pair inMadison.

T-6. Quinnipiac (18-5-3), 40 — Last poll: 6

• Last week: L 3-4 OT v Colgate (1/28), W 3-0 v Cornell (1/30)
• Coming Week: @ Clarkson (2/4), @ St. Lawrence (2/5)/

The Bobcats needed a weekend sweep but were unable to take out Colgate though they did rebound with a win over Cornell. This weekend takes them up north where they must win games if they want to stay in the ECAC race.

T-6. Harvard (15-5-0), 40 — Last poll: 8

• Last week: W 6-2 v Clarkson (1/28)
• Coming Week: v Boston University (2/1), @ Colgate (2/4), @ Cornell (2/5)/

The Crimson only had one game get played this weekend in which they took out Clarkson and took control of the ECAC race. The out of town scores were favorable as they now sit a single tie for either themselves or Princeton from winning the Ivy League crown. Tuesday starts the Beanpot as they get a down Boston University team before a pair of big ECAC games.

8. Colgate (20-5-1), 34 — Last poll: T-9

• Last week: W 4-3 OT @ Quinnipiac (1/28), W 3-1 @ Princeton (1/29)
• Coming Week: v Clarkson (2/1), v Harvard (2/4), @ Cornell (2/6)/

Colgate did what most teams could not this weekend, win both their games. The overtime win over Quinnipiac could be crucial for a lot of teams in a few weeks and made the Raiders this week’s ‘Belles of the Ball.’ If Colgate can take care of business against this week they will be right back in the mix of it for the ECAC.

9. Yale (16-5-1), 17 — Last poll: 7

• Last week: W 3-0 v Rensselaer (1/25), L 1-4 @ Brown (1/28), W 5-1 v Brown (1/29)
• Coming Week: @ Rensselaer (2/4), @ Union (2/5)/

They lost to Brown. Not much else to say, they might have gotten revenge the next day but it was still a bad loss that took them out of consideration for the Ivy League. This week are a pair of absolute must wins.

10. Clarkson (19-5-3), 13 — Last poll: T-9

• Last week: L 0-4 @ Cornell (1/25), L 2-6 @ Harvard (1/28), W 4-2 @ Dartmouth (1/29)
• Coming Week: @ Colgate (2/1), v Quinnipiac (2/4), v Princeton (2/5)/

Clarkson seems to be sticking here because the other alternatives have had equally bad results. The two losses this week were devastating as the Golden Knights were putting themselves in position for a good NCAA seed, now they are back squarely in the bubble.

Also Receiving Votes: Vermont 1, Connecticut 1