NCAA women’s hockey is hurdling toward the holiday break with familiar faces atop the national rankings. 

Wisconsin and Ohio State have combined to win the past six championships, with the two schools facing off against each other in the Frozen Four final in each of the past three years. All signs point to another all-WCHA match up this spring with a sizable gap forming between the WCHA’s power programs and the rest of the nation.

This past week did nothing to change that with Ohio State and Wisconsin combining to outscore non-conference teams 45-3. While they remain the teams to beat at the top, the rest of The Hockey News’ top 10 continue to make their push.

Here’s a look at the top 10 NCAA women’s hockey programs this week.

Women’s college hockey power rankings

1. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)

The star power in Wisconsin’s lineup is hard to combat. Caroline Harvey took the national scoring lead this week, with the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft also becoming the WCHA’s all-time leading scorer among defenders. This past week, Wisconsin won a pair of lopsided decisions at the SMASHVILLE Showcase where they outscored Mercyhurst and Stonehill by a combined 22-3 margin.

2. Ohio State (WCHA)

Ohio State continues to get better, probably because they’re a program that is not led by seniors — but by underclass players like U.S. national team member Joy Dunne, and Swedish rookie sensation Hilda Svensson. Ohio State easily disposed of nationally ranked Clarkson and Colgate by a combined 13-0 score, outshooting their opponents 111-26 and proving that even the best ECAC teams remain a step behind.

3. University of Minnesota (WCHA)

After a nightmare week that saw Minnesota drop a pair of games to Minnesota State, the Golden Gophers entered a much needed bye week to regroup. Abbey Murphy, who leads the WCHA with 18 goals in 16 games, and teammates remain one of the most talented groups in NCAA women’s hockey. But this team will need more consistency to challenge Ohio State and Wisconsin.

4. University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)

Another powerhouse on a bye week, UMD’s only blemishes this season have come against Wisconsin, Ohio State and Minnesota. To be a top team, the 10-6-0 Bulldogs need to beat a top team. With the Olympics around the corner, they also have the extra challenge of All-American goaltender Eve Gascon and reigning NCAA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Kraemer being pulled in multiple directions as members of Canada’s national program.

5. Penn State (Atlantic Hockey America)

Before dropping the first of their two-game series against Northeastern this weekend — Penn State won the second game — the Nittany Lions were the only undefeated program in the nation. Tessa Janecke continues to dominate this high octane offense that trails only Wisconsin with a +69 goal differential. They’ve been rolling over opponents in Atlantic Hockey America, but have a tougher schedule ahead including games against Cornell and Ohio State (twice).

6. Cornell (ECAC)

Cornell can win on any given night with Annelies Bergmann in net. She is near the top of NCAA statistical leaders with 10 wins, as well as a 1.56 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. In 14 games this season, Cornell has allowed 23 only goals against, an unrivaled mark in the ECAC. What makes Cornell susceptible to upsets, such as the one they suffered last Friday against Vermont, is the absence of a true offensive star.

7. Northeastern (Hockey East)

Captain Lily Shannon, who already surpassed her career-high point total from last season, led the Huskies to a 3-2 upset win over Penn State this weekend with a two-point night. Northeastern had their nine-game winning streak snapped against the Nittany Lions, but they remain the best team in Hockey East. With Swedish stopper Lisa Jönsson in the crease, Northeastern is hard to beat.

8. Connecticut (Hockey East)

Connecticut is a low-scoring team up front, but with netminder Tia Chan back there to clean up any mess, UConn keeps winning. If Connecticut can find a way to spark Julia Pellerin and Claire Murdoch, who are off to uncharacteristically slow starts, they’d be a threat to move up. Edging Quinnipiac 4-3 and Yale 3-2 on the weekend increased their winning streak to four games.

9. Quinnipiac (ECAC)

No one has found a way to cool off Kahlen Lamache who leads the nation in goals with 21 through 18 games. But after splitting games against Connecticut and Sacred Heart over the weekend, the program has its biggest weekend of the season coming up, with key games against nationally ranked Colgate and Cornell.

10. Clarkson (ECAC)

This is not the same Clarkson team that relied on top-10 PWHL draft picks Haley Winn, Nicole Gosling and Anne Cherkowski last season. However, what they do have is a group of bright young rookies in Sara Manness, and French national team member Manon le Scodan. Clarkson has lost to opponents they shouldn’t have this season. They also lost to Ohio State last weekend, but bounced back with a hard-fought 2-0 win against St. Cloud State in non-conference play.

AI-assisted summary
• The Chicago Bears have moved into the top seed in the NFC playoff picture following a win and a loss by the Los Angeles Rams.
• Two division have new teams in first place after Sunday’s action.
• Several teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, are making late-season pushes for a playoff berth.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 13 complete:

NFC playoff picture

1. Chicago Bears (9-3), NFC North leaders: With back-to-back victories over winning adversaries − in conjunction with the Rams’ stunning loss Sunday − the Bears have now rocketed to the top of the conference. Chicago’s 6-2 record in NFC games sends LA (4-3) down a spot. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3), NFC West leaders: Carolina snapped their NFC-high six-game winning streak in rainy Charlotte, a loss that dropped LA out of the conference’s top spot. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), NFC East leaders: Two losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5), NFC South leaders: They narrowly beat Arizona to narrowly maintain their half-game lead over Carolina in the division. But the schedule is awfully forgiving the rest of the way aside from two meetings with those Panthers. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. Seattle’s Week 11 loss to the Rams meant they couldn’t move up Sunday … but they are otherwise tied for first place in the NFC West. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), wild card No. 2: They merely maintained their standing (for now) with their Thanksgiving win at Detroit, but a loss would have dropped them from the field entirely. A thin margin for the Pack to be sure … yet they remain just a half-game off the NFC North lead, too. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4), wild card No. 3: They now have a 1½-game lead on their wild-card pursuers after Sunday’s win, but are only a half-game behind the Rams and Seahawks for the NFC West lead. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (7-5), in the hunt: Getting swept by the Packers further entrenches Detroit, which could have moved into a wild-card slot with a Turkey Day win, on the outside of the field. Huge game this Thursday night with Dallas. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1), in the hunt: Three wins in a row further fuels playoff aspirations in Big D. Week 14’s game in Detroit looms as massive − and potentially must-win − for the Cowboys and Lions. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

10. Carolina Panthers (7-6), in the hunt: The upset of the Rams on Sunday reaffirms the Panthers as an outfit to be reckoned with, though they didn’t gain any ground in the wild-card or divisional races (on a day when they could have gone into first place had Tampa Bay lost). Remaining schedule: BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

AFC playoff picture

1. New England Patriots (11-2), AFC East leaders: The first team in the league to 11 wins thanks to Monday night’s rollover of the Giants, the Pats are in a very tight race with Denver, the teams’ airtight tiebreakers set to take effect once New England’s bye is over. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (10-2), AFC West leaders: Denver held a one-game advantage in the common-games tiebreaker with New England − the difference being the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Raiders − before the Pats won Monday night. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), AFC South leaders: Their win in Nashville coupled with Indy’s loss moves the Jags into first place by virtue of the common-games played tiebreaker, which they own by a one-win advantage. Slide back later, and victories over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6), AFC North leaders: A sloppy performance against the Bengals briefly cost them first place in the division and a slot in the projected playoff field − but Pittsburgh’s loss Sunday conferred it back, the Ravens currently with one additional win over the Steelers in the common-games tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4), wild card No. 1: They looked fairly fresh while taking out the Raiders in their return from the bye. Then QB Justin Herbert got hurt. But the Bolts’ 7-2 record in AFC games currently renders them the top-seeded wild card. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4), wild card No. 2: They’ve dropped three of their past four to fall off the conference pace … and have now ceded first place in the AFC South to Jacksonville after Sunday’s loss to Houston. Though they beat the Chargers in Week 7, the three-way tiebreaker (conference record) currently takes precedence, and the Colts are 6-3 in those contests. The schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way out. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

7. Buffalo Bills (8-4), wild card No. 3: They got back into the win column at Pittsburgh, thus hanging on to the AFC’s final projected wild-card spot. A 5-3 record in conference games leaves Buffalo behind the Chargers and Colts in the wild-card seeding. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Houston Texans (7-5), in the hunt: They’ve won five of six, including four in a row. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts − and they took their first step toward that with Sunday’s win at Indy − while continuing their surge. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6), in the hunt: They’re virtually tied with the Ravens … but won’t be after next weekend’s trip to Baltimore. A 5-3 record in AFC games does slot the Steelers ahead of K.C. (3-4) for now. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), in the hunt: Not only will they almost certainly not win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, they could miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills and Jags, who are all ahead of them. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

AI-assisted summary
• The New England Patriots defeated the New York Giants 33-15, extending their winning streak to 10 games.
• Patriots quarterback Drake Maye finished with 274 passing yards and two touchdowns.

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Time is a flat circle.

The New England Patriots have one of the best quarterbacks in the league and sit atop the AFC. The dynastic days are in the rearview mirror, but a new era of Patriot hegemony could be dawning. 

Perhaps that’s an overreaction to the Pats’ 33-15 demolition of the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football.” The final extended the Patriots’ winning streak to 10 and did the same to the Giants’ losing streak, which now stands at seven. Beyond the box score, of course, are winners and losers. Let’s dive into it all. 

WINNERS

Drake Maye 

The second-year quarterback has an effortlessness delivery that makes everything look easier than it is. The intermediate balls are feathered. The ones that need zip have the proper amount. Even the simple looks impressive. 

In the first half, Maye was 16-for-20 with 208 passing yards and two touchdowns while averaging 10.4 yards per attempt. He finished 24-for-31 with 274 yards (he has not yet surpassed 300 yards passing despite his dynamite season).

Maye leads the league in completion percentage after 13 weeks and is third in passing yards per game. 

Mike Vrabel (and mustaches) 

The mustachioed head coach of the Patriots has his team on a 10-game winning streak in his first season in New England. They are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and face two 2024 playoff teams (the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens) out of their bye before games against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.

Marcus Jones

If Jones doesn’t have the mantle of most-feared return man in the league by this point, maybe it’s time he starts being talked about that way. Jones scored the first touchdown of the night with 5:17 left in the first quarter when he returned a punt 93 yards up the left sideline – evading Giants punter Jamie Gillan’s futile attempt to push him out of bounds – for his second punt-return TD of the year.  

According to ESPN, it was Jones’ 75th career punt return, which qualifies him for the official NFL record book. His average career punt return of 13.6 entering the game was already the highest in NFL history – before that lengthy runback. 

Christian Elliss

The Patriots linebacker had two massive hits that would have been fitting for the retired “Jacked Up!” segment on ESPN. The first came against Dart, who was running up the right sideline but wasn’t stepping out of bounds. So Elliss unloaded on the youngster and the hit was so forceful Dart went nearly horizontal. 

On a kickoff in the second quarter, Elliss had a (legally questionable?) shellacking of Gunner Olszewski whose helmet paint flew off. 

Jaxson Dart

The rookie signal-caller doesn’t have much to work with but his two-point conversion toss to Darius Slayton is one example of how talented he is. He threw for 139 yards and didn’t turn the ball over in his first game back after missing two games with a concussion.

Joe Buck

LOSERS

Giants’ special teams 

As if giving up a lengthy punt return for a touchdown wasn’t bad enough, it was just the start of New York’s special-teams gaffes. Kicker Younghoe Koo had maybe the blooper of the entire NFL season when he lined up for a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter. Koo stumbled and his right foot got stuck in the Gillette Stadium turf, turning the attempt from routine to lowlight-reel-worthy. In fairness to Koo, neither the snap nor hold were crisp.

Olszewski was rocked on a kickoff return in the second quarter and fumbled the ball back to the Patriots; he departed the game with a concussion. 

Mike Kafka 

The interim head coach had to bench Abdul Carter and deal with some horrid special teams play. But the call on Devin Singletary’s 22-yard touchdown out of the wildcat was creative and commendable, a wrinkle on Jameis Winston’s electric touchdown against the Detroit Lions last Sunday. But the decision to punt halfway through the fourth quarter while trailing by two scores was a contradictory decision to going for two after the Singletary score. Keeping Dart in the game when it was already lost was also unwise. He remains winless in his audition for Brian Daboll’s former job. 

Abdul Carter

Benched to start the game for the second time in three games, Carter missed the first quarter for disciplinary reasons. It’s a bad look for Carter, who missed a team walkthrough that led to him missing the first series against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 16. The rookie clearly needs somebody in the locker room to straighten him out. These are not the type of storylines the team that drafted him third overall seven months ago wants to deal with. 

Self-preservation 

Dart running up the sideline and decked by Elliss with such force that his body went horizontal was perhaps too typical of a rookie who hasn’t yet learned a lesson.  This is a player who has been in the concussion protocol four times and missed the last two games with the head injury. Somebody has to get that message through to the 22-year-old. 

Joe Schoen 

His roster is completely non-competitive, it turns out, regardless of who the coach is. Is Giants ownership really comfortable with him leading the search for the next sideline leader in New York? 

Denver Broncos

It was a fun 24 hours for Sean Payton’s team as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but now that the Pats are 11-2, New England has jumped back into the top spot in the conference. 

Buffalo Bills

As the Patriots enter their bye week, they hold a 2.5-game lead over the Bills in the division race and made Buffalo’s quest for home-field advantage in the playoffs all the more difficult. 

Everything changes now.

Lane Kiffin’s redemption arc just made a 180-degree pivot. He’s a turncoat again.

The Portal King has entered the transfer portal, and he took a blow torch to his Mississippi legacy on the way out the door.

Lane’s back in the fast lane, rekindling his renegade past. Kiffin spent nine seasons coaching underdogs, and those years became his finest hour, but he never stopped being the proprietor of heartbreak hotel.

He’s off to coach rival LSU, and he’s breaking faith with playoff-bound Ole Miss.

Step 1: Howl at the moon, and burn stuff in the streets.

Step 497: When Kiffin returns to Vaught-Hemingway, bring mustard bottles and yellow golf balls.

Ole Miss hired Kiffin when schools like LSU wouldn’t have him. When Kiffin had to choose between reupping with Ole Miss or turning heel to rival LSU, he traded the playoffs for an ego stroke.

The Ole Miss administration wouldn’t let an outbound Kiffin coach in the postseason, because who lets their ex keep living in the house for several weeks after they’ve wedded a new bride?

Kiffin enjoyed a taste of the simple life in Oxford, Mississippi. He did his hot yoga, bought the rocking chairs, quoted Chinese parables, strived to become a higher version of himself, spent years polishing his tarnished image, and got his family back together.

A charmed run, truly, that culminated with this year’s 11-1 team. He became undeniably successful.

At Ole Miss, the expectations weren’t as nearly demanding as those he experienced as either the coach of the Raiders, Tennessee or Southern California. In the absence of those pressures, Kiffin thrived like never before.

A hungry man’s gotta eat, though, and Kiffin couldn’t resist the allure of coaching another monster. That didn’t bring out his best side in the past, but, hey, he’s a man now. He’s 50! Better version of himself, or something like that.

Kiffin enjoys a good proverb. Here’s one from author Courtney Summers: People don’t change. They just get better at hiding who they really are.

I bet Kiffin won’t read that in the “The Pivot Year”!

Kiffin made some personal improvements, but, also, he’s a master of media messaging, and he’s quite skilled at curating a public image he desires. No amount of evolution or Ole Miss success stopped Kiffin from fantasizing about what he might achieve elsewhere. LSU counts as a great opportunity. He couldn’t resist it, even though it meant dipping out on the Ole Miss playoff team he built that’s good enough to play into January.

The narrative shifts now. No more cute, lovable underdog story for Kiffin at Ole Miss. No more celebrating seasons that end in bowl games. No more winning 70% of the time. LSU had that in Brian Kelly. It fired him.

Nobody cares about your yoga routine anymore. Nobody cares about your dog. LSU demands a national championship. Kiffin goes on the clock — starting now.

He’s as clever of a coach as he’s ever been. He’s mastered the portal arts. OK, so he’s never won a playoff game, but he’s also never had LSU’s fertile recruiting terrain, its national brand, its resources. Kelly thought the same thing, but Kiffin’s different. He can do this, right?

Even as Kiffin repeats old moves, he’s a mind suited for this new age. If you don’t believe that, just ask him.

Kiffin once left Tennessee to chase his dream job at Southern California. The dream shattered.

Now, he’s left a dream union with Ole Miss.

Kiffin didn’t need this change, but he wanted this change.

Kiffin was never more likable or successful than he became coaching the SEC’s underdog. There was just no way his inner renegade was ever going to allow that to be the final chapter to his story.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

AI-assisted summary
• The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Buffalo Bills 26-7, dropping their season record to 6-6.
• Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was briefly knocked out of the game after a hit that caused a fumble returned for a touchdown.
• The Bills rushed for 249 yards, controlling the game’s tempo against a collapsing Steelers defense.
• Pittsburgh’s offense was shut out in the second half, and a critical fourth-down run play in the red zone failed.

PITTSBURGH – Getting Aaron Rodgers back in the lineup on Sunday was hardly an elixir for the sinking Pittsburgh Steelers.

Instead, it got even worse for Pittsburgh and its aging quarterback.

Rodgers, playing with a fractured left wrist, was briefly knocked out of the 26-7 loss against the Buffalo Bills – CBS reported that he was treated for a gash on his nose – after absorbing a crushing blow from Joey Bosa on the opening drive of the third quarter that pretty much symbolized the woes for the Steelers.

No doubt, the momentum of the game shifted immediately. Rodgers fumbled on the blindside hit, which was returned 17 yards for a touchdown by Christian Benford that put the Bills ahead – for good.

Rodgers, 41, lay flat on his back, dazed, and was ultimately helped to the turf. After missing the previous week’s loss at Chicago, and with his team clinging to first place in the AFC North, it was not the jolt the Steelers wanted from the once dominant quarterback.

Good news: Rodgers missed just one series before returning to the game.

Bad news: Rodgers’ replacement, Mason Rudolph, threw an interception to end his only drive – Benford picked off a throw along the sideline that sailed over tight end Darnell Washington’s head – to set up another Buffalo touchdown.

And never mind the super-hero stuff. At least not from Rodgers.

His team is now 6-6, heading into another “showdown” next weekend at Baltimore. A few weeks ago, the Steelers had a seemingly commanding grip on the division lead.

Now, the Steelers, shut out in the second half, are showing signs of another late-season collapse. Not only was the offense so feeble, the defense collapsed, too.

Bills, and then Steelers, take ball out of Aaron Rodgers’ hands

The Bills (8-4) rushed for 249 yards – more than any opponent ever at Acrisure Stadium – to control the tempo, flow, momentum and then some. James Cook ran for 144 yards and Josh Allen, as usual, chipped in with some clutch runs, finishing off one drive with a 8-yard TD on fourth down.

Although Rodgers ignited a fourth-quarter drive that advanced to the red zone, it, too, fizzled when push came to shove. Pittsburgh went for it on fourth-and-two from the 7-yard line and rather than wing it with Rodgers, tried to convert with a draw play to running back Kenneth Gainwell. Bad move. Gainwell was stuffed for a 2-yard loss.

That the Steelers took the football out of Rodgers’ hands – not even at least attempting a pass by Rodgers in that critical situation – may have illustrated just how distinctive this fade is for one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks as he tries to make another last-gasp run at glory.

Meanwhile, Allen, Buffalo’s reigning NFL MVP, served yet another reminder of what an elite quarterback looks like – and does when it matters the most.

He put the team on his back again. Like Rodgers used to do.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on  X: @JarrettBell