SB Nation’s NCAA Poll: On the Brink

Now there are four, the next time we put out this poll we will have a champion. Unless the lowest remaining seed pulls off, two upsets we would have a new champion to celebrate.

1. Ohio State (30-6-0), 87 (6) — Last poll: 1

• Last week: L 3-4 2 OT v Quinnipiac (3/12)
• Coming Week: v Yale (3/18), NCAA Championship (3/20)/

The Buckeyes advances after putting more than 70 shots on Quinnipiac’s Corrine Schroeder in the second overtime. If they are to continue to advance they must now take on the other New Haven area-based team with Yale.

2. Northeastern (31-4-2), 82 (3) — Last poll: 3

• Last week: W 4-2 v Wisconsin (3/12)
• Coming Week: v Minnesota- Duluth (3/18), NCAA Championship (3/20)/

The Huskies had the most convincing of the Quarterfinal results, only one not to be decided by a single goal, in what was arguably the toughest matchup of the weekend, being a rematch of last year’s title game, and an opponent who had been ranked in the top four all season. Now Northeastern takes on a Duluth team that shocked Minnesota in the Frozen Four for the second consecutive year, in only their second ever meeting.

T-3. Minnesota (29-9-1), 61 — Last poll: 2

• Last week: L 1-2 v Minnesota-Duluth (3/12)
• Coming Week: No Games/

The Gophers were overwhelming favorites having dispatched Duluth on the same ice the weekend prior but were unable to close out the game and as such are our highest rated eliminated team.

T-3. Minnesota-Duluth (26-11-1), 61 — Last poll: 7

• Last week: W 4-0 v Harvard (3/10), W 2-1 @ Minnesota (3/12)
• Coming Week: v Northeastern (3/18), NCAA Championship (3/20)/

Duluth shocked everyone when they beat Minnesota in Minneapolis. They are the only team to ever win two games to advance to the Frozen Four and they are also the only remaining team that has won a title before. Their reward is the same team that knocked them out this time last year.

5. Yale (26-8-1), 58 — Last poll: 6

• Last week: W 2-1 OT @ Colgate (3/12)
• Coming Week: v Ohio State (3/18), NCAA Championship (3/20)/

Welcome to the last weekend Bulldogs, we have a new member of the Frozen Four club. After losing the ECAC title on home ice in OT the Bulldogs defeated Colgate in their barn by the same margin in OT as well, making them this week’s ‘Belles of the Ball.’ They will take on the number one seed Ohio State to try and make the final game.

6. Wisconsin (26-8-4), 58 — Last poll: 4

• Last week: W 3-1 v Clarkson (3/10), L 2-4 @ Northeastern (3/12)
• Coming Week: No Games /

The Badgers were able to dispatch Clarkson, not easily but well enough to advance and have to play a team that was hungry to beat them in Northeastern. After a bit of drama stemming from last year’s meeting Wisconsin was clearly out to reinforce their dominance. IT did not go their way as they let up an early goal and never led, en route to being eliminated for the season.

7. Colgate (30-8-1), 37 — Last poll: 5

• Last week: L 1-2 OT v Yale (3/12)
• Coming Week: No Games/

Colgate was a team many though could put a scare into Ohio State, all they had to do was take care of a Yale team on home ice that they had beaten just the previous weekend in New Haven. It wasn’t meant to be as the Raiders fell short and saw their season come to a close.

8. Quinnipiac (26-10-3), 35 — Last poll: 8

• Last week: W 4-0 v Syracuse (3/10), L 3-4 2OT @ Ohio State (3/12)
• Coming Week: No Games /

Quinnipiac has nothing to hang their heads about as they took the top team in our poll to double overtime and even had a shot in the first overtime hit inside the top corner of the post, that would have sent them to play another edition of the Battle of Whitney Avenue.

9. Harvard (22-10-1), 14 — Last poll: 9

• Last week: vL 0-4 Minnesota-Duluth (3/10)
• Coming Week: No Games /

Harvard came up very short in their third shot at Duluth. After winning the Beanpot, the Ivy League, and the ECAC regular season title, the Crimson kinda fell apart at the end with the ignominious bouncing in the ECAC tournament and then their loss in the NCAAs.

10. Clarkson (22-12-3), 12 — Last poll: 10

• Last week: L 1-3 v Wisconsin (3/10)
• Coming Week: No Games/

Clarkson gave Wisconsin a fight and were unlucky to not get an early goal, but following the path of their season they outshot their opponent for much of the game but were never able to lead.

Also Receiving Votes: Connecticut 3