OK.

Sigh.

I’ve given in to calling it NQS. But I’m not happy about it and will still call it RQS most of the time. It’s still the SCORE used to determine who QUALIFIES to REGIONALS. Regional Qualifying Score. 

1. Oklahoma Sooners

NQS: 197.940
Previous ranking: 1

Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 198.050
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 2

Oklahoma improves its NQS only slightly this week after the solid-but-non-invincible 197.775 scored in victory over UCLA. That score replaced a previous 197.700 but is still the low number Oklahoma that will be looking to drop this coming weekend, a two-meet road trip against Michigan on Saturday and Iowa State on Monday. Nichols returned on bars and beam, though it was beam that proved to be the culprit in keeping Oklahoma away from the 198s this week rather than floor, which looked more composed and improved even without Nichols once again. As last week, Oklahoma is already locked at #1 for next Monday’s rankings regardless of the events of this weekend.

2. UCLA Bruins

NQS: 197.800
Previous ranking: 2

Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.885
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 1

No change for UCLA this week following the 197.575 in a loss to Oklahoma, an acceptable score but not one that got into the top 6 team scores on the season. UCLA showed some solid improvements on floor but was a little too blah in the first half of the meet, particularly in those final cast handstands on bars, to earn the right to challenge Oklahoma—or a countable road score. Because this 197.800 NQS is already quite high, UCLA cannot be caught at #2 this coming weekend.

3. Florida Gators

NQS: 197.545
Previous ranking: 3

Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.675
Meets remaining: 2
Road meets remaining: 1

Florida suffered a similar fate to UCLA in that a no-vault-for-you road score of 197.225 was not enough to change the NQS picture this week. That means Florida is now guaranteed to count both a 197.675 and a 197.500, which will make it difficult to move up higher than third even with 198s in the remaining two meets since UCLA has all of those 197.7+ scores. Though not impossible. Like the top 2, Florida is already safe at #3 for next week’s rankings.

4. LSU Tigers

NQS: 197.380
Previous ranking: 4

Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.475
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2

LSU finally got its score, using the cracky top-3-team home evaluation the squad had been dreaming about for weeks to snatch a season high and ensure that the team remained at #4 despite being under threat from both Utah and Denver. This weekend, LSU stays at home to face Oregon State and will therefore have to wait to get rid of those remaining low-197 road scores. Focus will once again be on retaining the #4 spot, which is almost in the bag but not entirely. If LSU goes sub-197.450 and Denver gets a season high at the same time, then Denver could pass up LSU for #4, but it’s a fairly long shot.

5. Utah Utes

NQS: 197.315
Previous ranking: 5

Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.480
Meets remaining: 2
Road meets remaining: 2

Facing a similar threat from Denver, Utah had to get a season high against Michigan on Saturday to retain its #5 ranking and did so with a Happy Senior Day 197.975 of its own. All is safe for now. But, Utah does not compete this coming weekend so will be enitrely at the mercy of Denver as to whether #5 can be retained for another week.

Continue reading Ranking Watch: Week 9 →