The NQS (four best scores, two of which must be away) has now taken over for the official weekly rankings. Keep in mind that several teams including Michigan (196.805 avg), Michigan State (195.238 avg), and George Washington (193.275 avg) do not yet have enough meets to make up an NQS and so do not appear on the rankings. It’s very annoying.
Bold meet scores must be counted and can no longer be dropped.
1. Florida Gators
Road Score 1
198.150
Road Score 2
197.500
Home/Road Score 1
198.275
Home/Road Score 2
197.850
Current NQS:
197.944
Florida recorded a national high over the weekend, while the next closest contenders struggled, allowing the Gators to extend their lead atop the rankings and solidify their status as the team to beat.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
Road Score 1
198.225
Road Score 2
197.800
Home/Road Score 1
197.475
Home/Road Score 2
197.450
Current NQS:
197.738
Oklahoma had a semi-dud on Friday for 197.175, which was not high enough to count for NQS. But because the Sooners already had a best-scores advantage on LSU, they were nonetheless able to move up to #2 this week. Oklahoma is farther back of Florida now but also still has four remaining meets to Florida’s two and therefore enjoys more opportunities to gain.
3. LSU Tigers
Road Score 1
197.550
Road Score 2
197.325
Home/Road Score 1
198.050
Home/Road Score 2
197.275
Current NQS:
197.550
LSU’s loss to Kentucky did not allow the team to improve its NQS and also means the team is saddled with counting a 197.550 road score. It’s a good score of course but now a real disadvantage if trying to catch Oklahoma.
4. Utah Utes
Average: 197.113
Road Score 1
197.450
Road Score 2
196.900
Home/Road Score 1
197.475
Home/Road Score 2
197.375
Current NQS:
197.300
Utah stepped up its scoring a little bit from the previous week, going 197.375 in defeating Cal, though that’s still the kind of score that will leave Utah somewhat vulnerable to being dropped out of a #1 regional seed position. Minnesota and Alabama (and probably eventually Michigan) are closing in.
5. Minnesota Gophers
Road Score 1
197.375
Road Score 2
196.975
Home/Road Score 1
197.625
Home/Road Score 2
197.025
Current NQS:
197.250
Minnesota recorded the best score at the Big Five meets to improve its ranking three spots. It was a particularly critical result for Minnesota to achieve in its second-to-last road meet as the team didn’t have any 197 road scores to that point.
6. Alabama Crimson Tide
Road Score 1
197.325
Road Score 2
197.000
Home/Road Score 1
197.725
Home/Road Score 2
196.925
Current NQS:
197.244
Alabama defeated Arkansas with its highest road score so far to set up a very competitive NQS picture and make a good argument for a #2 regional seeding, at least. That home 197.7 is the main difference maker between Alabama and the other teams in the top 10, and And Alabama hosts Florida this Friday…
7. Arizona State Sun Devils
Road Score 1
197.050
Road Score 2
196.650
Home/Road Score 1
197.450
Home/Road Score 2
197.150
Current NQS:
197.075
So Arizona State is good now, you guys, and used a two-meet week to zoom up the rankings and establish a competitive NQS that even has a drop-able road score still hanging around. ASU will still need to be wary of Cal and UCLA moving up, so a spot in the all-important top 8 is not a given, but it’s suddenly looking possible.
8. Arkansas Razorbacks
Road Score 1
196.875
Road Score 2
196.675
Home/Road Score 1
197.350
Home/Road Score 2
197.250
Current NQS:
197.038
Arkansas lost some ground this week because a 197.000 home score was not enough to break into its NQS picture. The home scores are already fine. It’s the road scores that need addressing, and there’s an opportunity to do just that at Auburn this weekend. Arkansas has some (some) actual score pressure this weekend as Kentucky still maintains a chance to pass Arkansas for the final spot in the evening session at SECs.
9. Cal Bears
Road Score 1
197.425
Road Score 2
197.125
Home/Road Score 1
197.100
Home/Road Score 2
196.075
Current NQS:
196.931
Among the teams in the top 10, Cal has the lowest score still hanging around the NQS picture with that second-meet 196.075. Given a hit meet sometime in the next few weeks, Cal will relish the opportunity to challenge Arizona State and Arkansas.Saturday’s Cal/UCLA dual meet provides quite an opportunity to disrupt the current top 10 for both teams.
10. UCLA Bruins
Road Score 1
197.100
Road Score 2
196.750
Home/Road Score 1
197.025
Home/Road Score 2
196.600
Current NQS:
196.869
UCLA has comfortably moved itself into 197 land over the last couple meetsbut will now aim for something a little stronger than that. Every other team in the top 10 has at least a 197.3 so far, which UCLA would have achieved last week with a hit beam. That 197.100 that’s now guaranteed to count is fine, but it’s still a score that could see UCLA head into regionals as a #3 seed, not favored to make nationals.
11. BYU Cougars
Road Score 1
197.075
Road Score 2
196.425
Home/Road Score 1
196.975
Home/Road Score 2
196.925
Current NQS:
196.850
BYU has looked increasingly consistent in the high 196 zone, scores that could challenge for a spot in the top 10. BYU’s like, “And we haven’t even done our Oklahoma road meet yet.” Given the scores we’ve seen, the team will view that 196.425 road number as easily dropped, but we also haven’t seen BYU score any higher than 196.325 outside of the state of Utahso farthis season.
12. Auburn Tigers
Road Score 1
197.025
Road Score 2
196.100
Home/Road Score 1
197.075
Home/Road Score 2
197.050
Current NQS:
196.813
After a much-needed 197 road score against Florida, Auburn is making a late push and suddenly has three very competitive scores, needing just one more. Since Auburn is at home this weekend, that 196.100 road score will have to stick around for another week, inhibiting the opportunity to move up much more until championship season. But, SECs will provide one final chance for Auburn to go all-197s.
13. Denver Pioneers
Road Score 1
196.875
Road Score 2
196.600
Home/Road Score 1
197.000
Home/Road Score 2
196.725
Current NQS:
196.800
Denver traveled to Oklahoma and nearly won last Friday, recording its highest score since week 2 and its second-highest number of the season. All good things. But because that score was still a 196, Denver lost ground and now sits at 13th—below expectations for the team this season. This weekend’s home finale should provide the opportunity to get back over 197. If not, DU will be stuck counting at least one 196, and the way this season is shaping up, I don’t think top-10 teams will end up counting scores under 197. Maybe one 196.9 or something.
14. Kentucky Wildcats
Road Score 1
196.875
Road Score 2
195.825
Home/Road Score 1
197.100
Home/Road Score 2
197.000
Current NQS:
196.700
Kentucky’s big win over LSU last Friday may not have changed the rankings, but it did set Kentucky up for a major push given the 195.825 road score that can be dropped this weekend. With anything resembling a normal hit, expect Kentucky to gain a handful of ranking spots and potentially even more ahead of Arkansas for the last SEC evening spot. Because the high score isn’t dropped this season, it’s not possible to come up with a specific goal number (if Arkansas goes 199 or something, that would kind of change things…), but Kentucky would definitely need to go over 197 while also having Arkansas not do great.
15. Southern Utah Thunderbirds
Road Score 1
196.650
Road Score 2
196.175
Home/Road Score 1
197.275
Home/Road Score 2
196.550
Current NQS:
196.663
Southern Utah did not get a counting score this weekend but already has an exceeds-expectations NQS solidified for the season. The team will expect to drop that 196.175 during the coming road meets, which may end up being critical in trying to fend off Boise State, but in the grand scheme there’s not a ton of urgency in this score picture.
16. Boise State Broncos
Road Score 1
196.900
Road Score 2
196.400
Home/Road Score 1
196.775
Home/Road Score 2
196.350
Current NQS:
196.606
Boise State has moved into the final seeded spot for the time being, and now with three meets remaining (BSU has joined this Sunday’s meet at Washington), the team will entertain some hope of staying in the top 16 even once Michigan gets a ranking. It’s realistic, especially with another couple higher 196s.
17. Iowa Hawkeyes
Road Score 1
196.450
Road Score 2
196.325
Home/Road Score 1
196.800
Home/Road Score 2
196.775
Current NQS:
196.588
Iowa had to count a beam fall over the weekend and therefore did not get a usable score for the second-straight week and dropped to #17, a pretty harsh ranking for the quality this team has shown this year. Iowa could really use a bonkers, drug-induced home score right about now.
18. Georgia Bulldogs
Road Score 1
196.375
Road Score 2
196.150
Home/Road Score 1
197.275
Home/Road Score 2
196.150
Current NQS:
196.488
Another 196.1 saw Georgia drop some additional ranking spots, all the way out of the seeded places this week. Georgia is actually in some danger of becoming the bottom-ranked team in the conference this season since Missouri has a lot more room to improve its number from this point. That counting 196.375 road score is going to make it pretty difficulty for Georgia to improve its ranking too much now—even if another big home score comes on senior night this Friday—though a regionals seeding is still attainable.
19. Illinois Illini
Road Score 1
196.600
Road Score 2
196.300
Home/Road Score 1
196.650
Home/Road Score 2
196.075
Current NQS:
196.406
20. Utah State Aggies
Road Score 1
196.600
Road Score 1
196.250
Home/Road Score 1
196.225
Home/Road Score 2
195.975
Current NQS:
196.263
21. Ohio State Buckeyes
Average: 195.642
Road Score 1
196.400
Road Score 2
196.000
Home/Road Score 1
196.375
Home/Road Score 2
195.950
Current NQS:
196.181
22. Missouri Tigers
Road Score 1
196.850
Road Score 2
194.800
Home/Road Score 1
196.575
Home/Road Score 2
196.175
Current NQS:
196.100
Watch out for Missouri. With that 194.800to drop, this team is about to make a large ranking move and can still challenge the top 16.
23. Oregon State Beavers
Road Score 1
196.500
Road Score 2
195.850
Home/Road Score 1
196.200
Home/Road Score 2
195.250
Current NQS:
195.950
Oregon State got that critical 196 and has now been able to drop all of the sub-195 scores to move into the relative safety of the top 25.
24. Central Michigan Chippewas
Average: 194.750
Road Score 1
195.950
Road Score 2
195.050
Home/Road Score 1
196.300
Home/Road Score 2
195.975
Current NQS:
195.819
25. Western Michigan Broncos
Road Score 1
196.050
Road Score 2
195.575
Home/Road Score 1
196.025
Home/Road Score 2
195.425
Current NQS:
195.769
26. Penn State Nittany Lions
Road Score 1
196.000
Road Score 2
195.850
Home/Road Score 1
195.925
Home/Road Score 2
195.275
Current NQS:
195.763
27. NC State Wolfpack
Road Score 1
195.425
Road Score 2
195.025
Home/Road Score 1
196.200
Home/Road Score 2
196.125
Current NQS:
195.694
28. Eastern Michigan Eagles
Road Score 1
195.975
Road Score 2
195.150
Home/Road Score 1
195.825
Home/Road Score 2
195.800
Current NQS:
195.688
29. Kent State Golden Flashes
Road Score 1
195.650
Road Score 2
194.825
Home/Road Score 1
196.375
Home/Road Score 2
195.850
Current NQS:
195.675
30. Maryland Terrapins
Road Score 1
196.275
Road Score 2
195.725
Home/Road Score 1
195.350
Home/Road Score 2
195.300
Current NQS:
195.663
31. Towson Tigers
Road Score 1
196.150
Road Score 2
195.175
Home/Road Score 1
196.150
Home/Road Score 2
194.475
Current NQS:
195.488
Lots still to do, but Towson has five meets left (!) in its preposterous schedule this season, and could hang onto the top 36 to make regionals for the first time in more than 20 years.
32. Iowa State Cyclones
Average: 195.388
Road Score 1
196.125
Road Score 2
196.050
Home/Road Score 1
195.500
Home/Road Score 2
193.875
Current NQS:
195.388
Iowa State competes in a few hours and will move up a ton by dropping that 193, likely going into the top 25 with a good hit.
33. North Carolina Tarheels
Road Score 1
195.600
Road Score 2
195.250
Home/Road Score 1
195.300
Home/Road Score 2
195.200
Current NQS:
195.338
34. Ball State Cardinals
Road Score 1
195.975
Road Score 2
195.550
Home/Road Score 1
195.275
Home/Road Score 2
194.425
Current NQS:
195.306
Ball State is in a similar position to Towson with the potential for historic regionals qualification, though the scores look a little more precarious in Ball State’s case.
35. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Road Score 1
195.350
Road Score 2
195.250
Home/Road Score 1
195.200
Home/Road Score 2
195.100
Current NQS:
195.225
With another low 195, Nebraska remains very much in the weeds and very much not safe.
36. West Virginia Mountaineers
Average: 195.120
Road Score 1
195.350
Road Score 2
194.775
Home/Road Score 1
195.400
Home/Road Score 2
195.175
Current NQS:
195.175
37. Arizona Wildcats
Average: 194.894
Road Score 1
195.650
Road Score 2
194.750
Home/Road Score 1
195.075
Home/Road Score 2
194.875
Current NQS:
195.088
Three meets left and three scores still to drop for Arizona to have a realistic shot at regionals.
38. New Hampshire Wildcats
Road Score 1
195.300
Road Score 2
194.900
Home/Road Score 1
195.350
Home/Road Score 2
194.375
Current NQS:
194.981
39. Temple Owls
Road Score 1
194.850
Road Score 2
194.825
Home/Road Score 1
195.100
Home/Road Score 2
194.525
Current NQS:
194.825
40. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Road Score 1
195.975
Road Score 2
195.225
Home/Road Score 1
194.050
Home/Road Score 2
194.025
Current NQS:
194.819
Watch out for Rutgers if they can keep getting 195s like the last two weeks.
41. Northern Illinois Huskies
Road Score 1
194.825
Road Score 2
194.800
Home/Road Score 1
194.825
Home/Road Score 2
194.250
Current NQS:
194.675
42. Pittsburgh Panthers
Road Score 1
194.050
Road Score 2
193.875
Home/Road Score 1
195.700
Home/Road Score 2
194.525
Current NQS:
194.538
43. Southeast Missouri Redhawks
Road Score 1
194.425
Road Score 2
193.950
Home/Road Score 1
195.050
Home/Road Score 2
194.275
Current NQS:
194.425
44. TWU Pioneers
Road Score 1
195.125
Road Score 2
194.750
Home/Road Score 1
194.050
Home/Road Score 2
193.650
Current NQS:
194.394
45. Lindenwood Lions
Road Score 1
193.900
Road Score 2
193.000
Home/Road Score 1
195.250
Home/Road Score 2
195.000
Current NQS:
194.288
46. Illinois State Redbirds
Road Score 1
194.900
Road Score 2
194.125
Home/Road Score 1
194.150
Home/Road Score 2
192.075
Current NQS:
193.813
46. Washington Huskies
Road Score 1
194.125
Road Score 2
193.500
Home/Road Score 1
194.050
Home/Road Score 2
193.575
Current NQS:
193.813
48. Air Force Falcons
Road Score 1
192.650
Road Score 2
192.575
Home/Road Score 1
193.350
Home/Road Score 2
192.225
Current NQS:
192.700
49. Bowling Green Falcons
Road Score 1
193.750
Road Score 2
190.550
Home/Road Score 1
193.250
Home/Road Score 2
190.375
Current NQS:
191.981
50. Long Island Sharks
Road Score 1
188.850
Road Score 2
188.075
Home/Road Score 1
191.925
Home/Road Score 2
190.575
Current NQS:
189.856
51. Centenary
Average: 187.825
Road Score 1
189.925
Road Score 2
188.000
Home/Road Score 1
185.725
Home/Road Score 2
183.425
Current NQS:
186.769
NR. Michigan Wolverines
Road Score 1
197.375
Road Score 2
Home/Road Score 1
197.650
Home/Road Score 2
197.225
Current NQS:
N/A
I’m basically keeping this here so that when copying this post for next week’s ranking I don’t have to remake a new section for Michigan. But also, like, reference.