Big Ten play began with a topsy-turvy weekend, and it’s anyone’s guess what comes next.
First Michigan dealt Maryland its first loss of the season on Saturday afternoon, a triple-overtime thriller. Moments later, Rutgers closed out a defeat of Johns Hopkins. And on Sunday night, Ohio State extended its winning streak to nine by toppling Penn State.
All three victories came on the road, and the first two were particularly eye-catching considering how non-conference play had treated Michigan and Rutgers.
The upshot? Michigan surged back into the Top 20, and Rutgers is on the doorstep after enduring losses the previous three Saturdays.
Patrick Stevens is a longtime USA Lacrosse Magazine contributor. This is his weekly submission to the USA Lacrosse Division I Men's Top 20.
PATRICK STEVENS' TOP 20
1. Cornell (6-1)
Much like Maryland, the Big Red is an overtime loss at home away from heading into the final weekend of March without a loss. CJ Kirst’s nine-goal outburst against Yale gives him a 50-point season roughly at the midpoint of Cornell’s non-NCAA tournament schedule. (Last week: 3)
2. Maryland (7-1)
The Terrapins lost a triple-overtime coin flip to a Michigan team that came in with a .500 record and was fresh off a 12-goal loss at home to Notre Dame. It’s not as if Maryland was embarrassed, but it also warrants getting dinged just a bit for the home loss. A drop to No. 2 is warranted. (LW: 1)
3. Ohio State (9-1)
The Buckeyes keep checking boxes. They shot 44.8 percent, nearly doubled up Penn State on faceoffs (17-9) and got 17 Caleb Fyock saves in a 13-9 triumph in Happy Valley. A visit from Rutgers is up next for Nick Myers’ bunch. (LW: 5)
4. North Carolina (7-1)
It took all of last season for the Tar Heels to get to seven victories. They got there Friday with a 14-2 drubbing of High Point. North Carolina held the Panthers scoreless for the final 35:49 and allowed its fewest goals since an 18-2 pummeling of Manhattan in 2016. That season, you may recall, ended well for Joe Breschi’s program. (LW: 4)
5. Princeton (5-2)
The Tigers held Harvard to 22 percent shooting in a 13-11 victory, with the defense keyed by Colin Mulshine’s work on Crimson star Sam King (one goal on seven shots). A trip to surging Dartmouth, where Princeton hasn’t lost since 2013, comes Saturday. (LW: 6)
6. Penn State (6-2)
A slow start to the second half did in the Nittany Lions on Sunday night against Ohio State. A (relatively) quick turnaround for a noon start against a cranky Maryland team awaits Penn State, which ripped Maryland in last year’s Big Ten semifinals and has never won consecutive games against the Terrapins. (LW: 2)
7. Notre Dame (4-2)
Here are the Irish’s results the last four seasons when it has nine or more days between games:
2022 vs. North Carolina: 9 days, 12-5 W
2022 at Syracuse: 10 days, 18-11 W
2023 vs. North Carolina: 14 days, 16-9 W
2024 vs. Syracuse: 14 days, 14-12 W
Chances are good that when Duke visits next Saturday, Notre Dame will be rested — not rusty. (LW: 7)
8. Syracuse (7-2)
The Orange collected victories over Manhattan and Colgate, the latter a bit hairier than Syracuse would have liked after a seven-goal lead was trimmed to two in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, the Orange avoided a misstep and now visits a Virginia team in dire need of a high-profile victory. (LW: 10)
9. Richmond (6-3)
The Spiders fended off Georgetown to close out non-conference play with a victory. Lucas Littlejohn had three goals and two assists and now has 30 points (21 goals, nine assists) for the year as the Spiders continue to stack solid performances. (LW: 13)
10. Boston U (7-1)
The Terriers got the better of Army again in overtime, with Jimmy Kohr delivering the game-winner on the second possession of the extra session. Boston U has won five in a row against the Black Knights since the 2022 Patriot League tournament; Army is 18-1 against the rest of the conference in that span. (LW: 16)
11. Army (7-1)
OK, the Black Knights are no longer undefeated after an overtime setback against Boston U, but they have a prime opportunity Saturday with North Carolina visiting Michie Stadium. Another loss pretty much means Army’s path to the postseason will be with a Patriot League tournament title. (LW: 8)
12. Johns Hopkins (6-3)
Shooting 2 of 19 in the second half did the Blue Jays in against Rutgers, which departed Homewood Field with an 11-8 victory. Hopkins is on the road three of the next four weeks, starting with Saturday’s game at Michigan. (LW: 11)
13. Duke (8-2)
The Blue Devils’ final game before their ACC schedule went sideways by halftime. Duke had a scoring drought of more than 42 minutes in a 13-6 defeat against Denver in Dallas, a game that only made it more difficult to figure out this edition of the Blue Devils. (LW: 9)
14. Georgetown (5-3)
Almost rallied back against Richmond, only to fall in overtime. Given the state of the Big East, it’s clear the Hoyas’ path to a seventh consecutive NCAA tournament is through a seventh consecutive Big East tournament crown. (LW: 12)
15. Fairfield (9-0)
The Stags had quite the gut check, rallying from a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Drexel 12-11. The last undefeated team in Division I will play three of its next four on the road. (LW: 15)
16. Harvard (5-2)
The Crimson hit pause on their Ivy League schedule after a 13-11 loss at Princeton to play a pair of non-conference home games this week. Both Boston U and Binghamton visit Jordan Field as Harvard looks to get to 7-2 heading into April. (LW: 14)
17. Michigan (5-4)
If the Wolverines are as healthy as they’ve been all season — and there’s no reason to doubt coach Kevin Conry’s assessment on that front — then they’re going to be a handful for the rest of the Big Ten. Just ask Maryland, which has dropped four in a row over the last three seasons to Michigan after Saturday’s 11-10 triple-overtime loss. Hunter Taylor’s stop at the end of double-overtime will go down as one of the best saves of the season. (LW: Not ranked)
18. Virginia (5-4)
It’s just about prove-it time for the Cavaliers, who defeated UAlbany and Utah to get back over .500. Next up: Syracuse, at North Carolina, at Notre Dame. (LW: 19)
19. Denver (5-4)
It feels overdramatic to suggest the Pioneers saved their season with their 13-6 victory over Duke. But they definitely avoided some unfamiliar territory; Denver hasn’t been under .500 this deep into a season since going 7-8 in 2009. (LW: NR)
20. Saint Joseph’s (7-2)
Winners of seven in a row, the Hawks defeated Penn and Providence in their final non-conference games. Atlantic 10 play begins Saturday at home against Massachusetts. (LW: NR)
Also considered: Colgate (5-4), Dartmouth (7-1), Rutgers (5-5), UMass (7-2)