B5Q Blogopean Union: rankings updates for hockey and volleyball

Good morning! This is going to be a daily(ish) post that discusses the goings on of the rest of the Big Ten Conference, and the country as needed. Much like the European Union, the Big Ten is a loosely confederated group of entities that sometimes have the same goals (like free movement of people between countries or not winning national titles in football or basketball) and sometimes accept new members that they later regret (Estonia or Nebraska).

We hope that you will use this post to comment on things happening around the conference and also as a sort of daily open thread to discuss breaking news or argue about Spotted Cow (which we NO LONGER DO).

• Hmmmm, really makes you think.

• Melvin Gordon setting Wisconsin-related records for touchdowns in the NFL! Good for him! Kevin will have your full Badgers in the NFL breakdown coming on Wednesday.

• Wisconsin men’s hockey get started this weekend and the Badgers enter the season ranked as the No. 11 team in the country. UMass, St. Cloud State and Michigan are the top-three teams in the USCHO.com poll and all received double digit first place vote. Minnesota is ranked No. 4 and Notre Dame is ranked No. 18 to round out the Big Ten representation in the poll.

• The women’s hockey team remained at No. 1 after a dominant sweep over Lindenwood to start the season. Not every team has played yet, but Ohio State jumped up to No. 3 after their season opening sweep while Minnesota dropped to No. 5, although they haven’t started their season. The Badgers also had two players receive WCHA honors for their performances over the weekend.

WCHA Forward of the Week, sophomore Casey O’Brien, scored six goals off of 15 shots and had an 82.4 winning percentage in the faceoff circle while finishing with a plus-6 rating on the weekend. WCHA Defender of the Week Katie Koslowski had an even strength, power play, and shorthanded goal on the weekend, in addition to notching an assist. Her four points were tied for the most among all NCAA defenders this weekend, while she tallied 11 shots on goal.

• After suffering their first loss of the season, the volleyball team dropped three spots in the newest AVCA rankings to No. 5. Texas is unanimously the No. 1 team in the country and Purdue, thanks to their big win over Ohio State, is now the top ranked Big Ten team at No. 4.

Minnesota is No. 7, Ohio State is No. 8, Nebraska is No. 12, Penn State is No. 14 while Michigan and Maryland are receiving votes.

• Sam Dekker looking sharp at Media Day for the Toronto Raptors.

• Is Michigan ready for their first road game of the season?
• Iowa got a new TE commit and I’m sure he’ll end up being drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft after making our lives miserable for four years.
• They’re making changes to Ryan Field! Hopefully they remove whatever ancient spirits live in the walls that make it impossible for Wisconsin to win there.
• Is there a QB controversy in Columbus?!?!?
• Minnesota football seems to be going through the same offensive crisis as Wisconsin. Everything about that sentence is offensive to me.
• Rutgers women’s soccer has won three in a row.