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 had to shuffle on without Trinity Thomas this week following a warmup injury. This manifested in a non-counting 197.425 that allowed Oklahoma to move into a tie for first place and for LSU and others to gain ground as Florida’s 2021 supremacy took one of its first hits. The Gators still remain ahead of Oklahoma on the tiebreak, which goes to the next-best scorethat isn’t used for NQS (Florida’s 197.500 to Oklahoma’s 197.475).
1. Oklahoma Sooners
Road Score 1
198.225
Road Score 2
197.925
Home/Road Score 1
197.800
Home/Road Score 2
197.800
Current NQS:
197.944
Oklahoma’s two-meet weekend of 197.950 and 197.800 allowed the Sooners to move into a tie with Florida and party like it’s 2014. Oklahoma competes next weekend while Florida doesn’t, so Oklahoma will have the opportunity to move into sole possession of first with anything better than 197.800. Though at this point, with Florida aiming to drop a lower score with that 197.500, the Gators probably still enjoy the inside track to #1 following conference championships.
3. LSU Tigers
Road Score 1
197.550
Road Score 2
197.325
Home/Road Score 1
198.050
Home/Road Score 2
197.875
Current NQS:
197.700
LSU’s 197.875 performance on Fridayallowed the team to (kind of) keep up with the Joneses and the current reality that if you’re not scoring at least a 197.8, you might as well just quit. The Tigers are still couting a very drop-able road score in there but are far enough back of the #1s that it would take a 198.300 at SECs just to get up to that 197.944 NQS status. I mean…scoring these days…but that’s still a tough ask. The focus for LSU is probably on maintaining #3 heading into elimination season.
4. Michigan Wolverines
Road Score 1
198.025
Road Score 2
197.375
Home/Road Score 1
197.650
Home/Road Score 2
197.225
Current NQS:
197.569
After being absent from the rankings last week due to a lack of road scores, Michigan returned with a bang and the first 198 in school history (which is still preposterous to me that this had never happened before). What will be concerning to other teams is that, if this 198 is now a representative scoring pace, Michigan has some real room to continue increasing NQS.
5. Utah Utes
Road Score 1
197.575
Road Score 2
197.450
Home/Road Score 1
197.475
Home/Road Score 2
197.375
Current NQS:
197.469
Utah recorded a season high on Friday but dropped ground in the rankings because of Michigan’s reentry. These lower bold scores likely won’t allow Utah to challenge the top 3 (and there’s no difference between being ranked 4th and 5th because they go to the same regional, which Utah is hosting), though Utah will be eager to try to join the 198 club in its home finale as conference supremacy is suddenly looking more tentative than it did a week ago.
6. Cal Bears
Road Score 1
197.425
Road Score 2
197.125
Home/Road Score 1
198.050
Home/Road Score 2
197.100
Current NQS:
197.425
Cal also recorded the first 198 in program history this week, though the fact that it hadn’t happened before was less surprising in Cal’s case. They’ve never been this good.Cal’s performance came with a 49.825 (!) on bars, tying the NCAA record for a bars score.Amazing what happens when you hit actual vertical handstands while being scored like a famous team. Cal has added a Wednesday road meet, providing the team more opportunities to improve NQS than the others have. It will be interesting to see if Cal goes for the ranking jugular or uses this as a “Gabby Perea exists” depth meet now that those 196s are gone.
7. Minnesota Gophers
Road Score 1
197.375
Road Score 2
196.975
Home/Road Score 1
197.625
Home/Road Score 2
197.400
Current NQS:
197.344
Minnesota’s 197.400 and Mya Hooten 10 from early on Friday seem like 1700 years ago—back when we were young enough to think scores under 198 were good. But that score did serve the purpose of keeping Minnesota in the top 8. Minnesota’s visit to Illinois on Saturday has some critical ranking implications because it’s MN’s final road meet—while everyone else still has road conference championships to lean on—and that 196.975 probably needs to go if Minnesota is to retain this top-8 spot.
8. Alabama Crimson Tide
Road Score 1
197.325
Road Score 2
197.000
Home/Road Score 1
197.725
Home/Road Score 2
197.225
Current NQS:
197.319
Alabama’s 197.225 against Florida wasn’t poor by any means, but it counts as poor in the current score-scape where 197.225 is now the lowest guaranteed-to-count score for any team in the top 8 and makes Alabama vulnerable to being dropped into a #3 regional seed position. So there will be some pressure on the SECs score to be WELL into the 197s.
9. Arkansas Razorbacks
Road Score 1
197.425
Road Score 2
196.875
Home/Road Score 1
197.350
Home/Road Score 2
197.250
Current NQS:
197.225
Arkansas recorded another program-record score on Friday and dropped a spot in the ranking as a result, which is some peak 2021 action. Arkansas has a slightly lower score to get rid of than Alabama does but is also slightly behind in NQS, so we should see those two teams jockeying for position come SECs with not too much between them.
10. 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
Arizona Statecounted a fall on beam on Saturday for a non-counting score and therefore dropped three spots in the rankings. No room for blinking. ASU does have only road meets remaining, so there’s still room to get rid of those lower away totals. With several teams hot on their tail, that 196.650 really will need to go.
11. Denver Pioneers
Road Score 1
196.875
Road Score 2
196.600
Home/Road Score 1
197.650
Home/Road Score 2
197.000
Current NQS:
197.031
Denver counted a fall on beam and still scored the 5th-best total in program history on Sunday with a 197.650, truly the cherry on top of a preposterous weekend. Denver has not gone 197 on the road yet this year, so Thursday’s meet against BYU will provide a wild opportunity to do that against a team that has been scoring pretty similarly to Denver all year.
12. BYU Cougars
Road Score 1
197.075
Road Score 2
196.900
Home/Road Score 1
196.975
Home/Road Score 2
196.925
Current NQS:
196.969
The only difference between Denver and BYU thus far is yesterday’s Denver home score. BYU has the stronger road totals, so Denver’s quest to stay ahead relies on bridging that gap on Thursday. BYU’s counting scores are now all very closely packed, so to move up at all, BYU will have to show scoring potential that we haven’t seen yet this season in its home finale.
12. Kentucky Wildcats
Road Score 1
196.900
Road Score 2
196.875
Home/Road Score 1
197.100
Home/Road Score 2
197.000
Current NQS:
196.969
Kentucky’s loss to Georgia will have been disappointing because that was a winnable prospect against a lower-ranked team, but the 196.900 score still very much got the job done of dropping that piddly little 195. What Kentucky missed out on this year was that bonkers home score in the mid-197s, and the lack of that will make it tough to move much higher.
14. UCLA Bruins
Road Score 1
197.100
Road Score 2
196.925
Home/Road Score 1
197.025
Home/Road Score 2
196.750
Current NQS:
196.950
UCLA will rue the missed opportunity presented by that Cal meet, where the Bruins were easily on track for a mid-197 and probably a spot in the top 10 this week before a missed beam rotation dropped them into the (gasp) 196s. UCLA is a team no one wants to see at regionals, because it’s UCLA, but is also running out of time to develop a competitive ranking. Saturday’s home finale would need to be a serious 197.
15. Auburn Tigers
Road Score 1
197.025
Road Score 2
196.100
Home/Road Score 1
197.125
Home/Road Score 2
197.075
Current NQS:
196.831
Auburn’s 197.125 in the home finale against Arkansas was a season high, but also didn’t change a whole lot because Auburn already had two low 197s as home scores. With that 196.1 road score to get rid of, the opportunity still exists to move up several ranking spots after SECs so Auburn will feel somewhat comfortable with its chances to stay in the seeded positions.
16. Georgia Bulldogs
Road Score 1
196.375
Road Score 2
196.150
Home/Road Score 1
197.325
Home/Road Score 2
197.275
Current NQS:
196.781
Georgia was saved by the home meet again. A 197.325 allowed Georgia to get back into the top 16 despite the fact that the team has not recorded a strong road performance yet this season (and will need its first one at SECs top stay in the top 16 because this isn’t a safe position). This is also an excellent illustration of why the other teams are scared of a Georgia-hosted regional because Georgia has demonstrated the ability to get non-trivial 197s and upsetting-top-teams scores at home. Not the #4 seed (or unseeded team) you want to meet.
If the season ended today interlude
Alabama Regional Florida-Alabama-Arkansas-Auburn
Georgia Regional Oklahoma-Minnesota-ASU-Georgia
West Virginia Regional LSU-Cal-Denver-UCLA
Utah Regional Michigan-Utah-BYU-Kentucky
17. 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
A miss from Southern Utah on Sunday saw the team drop out of the top 16 this week, butbecause SUU competes this coming weekend and Georgia doesn’t, we know that SUU will be looking for a 196.650at Arizona on Saturday to move back ahead of Georgia.
18. 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 was also not able to break into the counting scores with its performance on Sunday and dropped a few spots in the rankings. Like SUU, Boise State and several of the other teams ranked below also have a chance to move into the top 16 this week, but for them it would take scores into the 197s and help from other teams.
19. 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’s 196.450 in its home finale was not enough to break into the counting scores and saw Iowa continue to lose ground in the rankings. Iowa’s weaker scores thus far are road scores, so with two road meets remaining, there is still time to challenge teams like Boise State and Southern Utah.
20. Utah State Aggies
Road Score 1
196.775
Road Score 1
196.600
Home/Road Score 1
196.250
Home/Road Score 2
196.225
Current NQS:
196.463
Utah State achieved the third-highest score in program history over the weekend at 196.775 to avoid the ranking drop most of the other teams around this area have been experiencing.
21. Illinois Illini
Road Score 1
196.600
Road Score 2
196.300
Home/Road Score 1
196.650
Home/Road Score 2
196.225
Current NQS:
196.444
21. Missouri Tigers
Road Score 1
196.850
Road Score 2
196.175
Home/Road Score 1
196.575
Home/Road Score 2
196.175
Current NQS:
196.444
23. Iowa State Cyclones
Road Score 1
196.575
Road Score 2
196.125
Home/Road Score 1
196.375
Home/Road Score 2
196.050
Current NQS:
196.281
Iowa State was able to get rid of a 193 this weekend to move up 9 spots in the rankings. With three meets still remaining, other teams will need to watch out for more ISU movement.
24. Oregon State Beavers
Road Score 1
196.500
Road Score 2
195.850
Home/Road Score 1
196.425
Home/Road Score 2
196.200
Current NQS:
196.244
If only Oregon State could do bars. The team now has three 196s while working against an auto-48 on bars.
25. Ohio State Buckeyes
Road Score 1
196.400
Road Score 2
196.000
Home/Road Score 1
196.375
Home/Road Score 2
196.000
Current NQS:
196.194
26. Central Michigan Chippewas
Road Score 1
196.425
Road Score 2
195.950
Home/Road Score 1
196.300
Home/Road Score 2
195.975
Current NQS:
196.163
27. NC State Wolfpack
Road Score 1
195.850
Road Score 2
195.425
Home/Road Score 1
196.200
Home/Road Score 2
196.125
Current NQS:
195.900
28. Maryland Terrapins
Road Score 1
196.275
Road Score 2
195.725
Home/Road Score 1
196.025
Home/Road Score 2
195.350
Current NQS:
195.844
29. 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
30. 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
31. Towson Tigers
Road Score 1
196.150
Road Score 2
195.550
Home/Road Score 1
196.150
Home/Road Score 2
195.175
Current NQS:
195.756
32. 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
33. 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
34. Ball State Cardinals
Road Score 1
195.975
Road Score 2
195.725
Home/Road Score 1
195.550
Home/Road Score 2
195.275
Current NQS:
195.631
35. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Road Score 1
196.150
Road Score 2
195.350
Home/Road Score 1
195.250
Home/Road Score 2
195.200
Current NQS:
195.488
Nebraska finally got its 196 over the weekend, but that was only enough to just stay afloat at 35th. More of them need to come.
36. West Virginia Mountaineers
Road Score 1
195.900
Road Score 2
195.350
Home/Road Score 1
195.400
Home/Road Score 2
195.175
Current NQS:
195.456
A season-high 195.900 also kept West Virginia (barely) in the good portion of the rankings, but WVU does have three meets remaining still rather than the two most teams have.
37. Arizona Wildcats
Road Score 1
196.075
Road Score 2
195.650
Home/Road Score 1
195.075
Home/Road Score 2
194.875
Current NQS:
195.419
A much-needed 196 on Saturday kept Arizona (and New Hampshire) in contention for regionals, but it’s going to take getting rid of that 194 to have a shot.
37. New Hampshire Wildcats
Road Score 1
195.300
Road Score 2
194.900
Home/Road Score 1
196.125
Home/Road Score 2
195.350
Current NQS:
195.419
39. 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
UNC dropped six spots in the rankings this week, the result of a non-counting score on Saturday. That’s how dramatically these things are going to change in the final weeks.
40. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Road Score 1
195.975
Road Score 2
195.225
Home/Road Score 1
194.800
Home/Road Score 2
194.600
Current NQS:
195.150
41. Temple Owls
Road Score 1
194.850
Road Score 2
194.825
Home/Road Score 1
195.400
Home/Road Score 2
195.100
Current NQS:
195.044
41. Northern Illinois Huskies
Road Score 1
195.050
Road Score 2
194.800
Home/Road Score 1
195.500
Home/Road Score 2
194.825
Current NQS:
195.044
43. Illinois State Redbirds
Road Score 1
195.725
Road Score 2
194.900
Home/Road Score 1
194.650
Home/Road Score 2
194.150
Current NQS:
194.856
44. Lindenwood Lions
Road Score 1
194.800
Road Score 2
193.900
Home/Road Score 1
195.250
Home/Road Score 2
195.000
Current NQS:
194.738
45. 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
46. George Washington Colonials
Road Score 1
195.700
Road Score 2
193.600
Home/Road Score 1
195.675
Home/Road Score 2
192.950
Current NQS:
194.481
Watch out for George Washington to make a late move when those 193s and 192s go away.
Whoah, on the possibility of Alabama vs. Arkansas for the second spot to move on to Nationals. I think they’ll probably be separated placement-wise at least one more spot once the teams from #10-12 get their last meets in, but man, that would be a brutal outcome.
And neither Minnesota nor ASU would feel secure against Georgia at home.
There was no way around this for this season, but having only 4 scores count with the high score included leads to no security for pretty highly ranked teams because consistency is devalued. Just 2 high scores + 1 super high score does much more for a team’s ranking this season than being consistent across at least 6 meets.
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NQS has always punished consistency but it’s particularly bad this season. I hope post-COVID they go to counting 8 or 10 meets (they won’t because NCAA gymnastics is all about preserving the status quo, but I’m still dumb enough to hope).
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I would also be fine if they just competed fewer times. By this point in the season, I’m just kind of sick of seeing everyone. If you want to keep it to 6, just compete 8-9 times.
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Man, I don’t want to have to compete for any team at any of these regionals. It is going to be a war to make it to Nationals.
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OMG that West Virginia regional is insane. Denver and UCLA can 100% beat all the other #3 seeds but they’re both on the outside looking in. I hope for both those teams sake that they move up in the rankings
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how many teams make it through from regionals? Like from Cal-UCLA-Denver-LSU how many get through? or the regionals don’t eliminate teams yet?
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2 will get through from each regional to nationals for a total of 8 at nationals.
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oh my god from these very top teams only two make it to nationals? I’m afraid my bruins won’t make it this year…
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While I really feel like Utah is one of the only top teams that has been scored according to some sane rubric of standards (i.e. Utah’s meets haven’t been judged by a drunk Carol…just maybe a few Carol’s here and there), it may actually benefit them in the end based on current regionals. Fingers crossed it stays this way!
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Agreed! Very doable for Utah. The LSU regional is this year’s death regional (currently).
Whoah, on the possibility of Alabama vs. Arkansas for the second spot to move on to Nationals. I think they’ll probably be separated placement-wise at least one more spot once the teams from #10-12 get their last meets in, but man, that would be a brutal outcome.
And neither Minnesota nor ASU would feel secure against Georgia at home.
There was no way around this for this season, but having only 4 scores count with the high score included leads to no security for pretty highly ranked teams because consistency is devalued. Just 2 high scores + 1 super high score does much more for a team’s ranking this season than being consistent across at least 6 meets.
NQS has always punished consistency but it’s particularly bad this season. I hope post-COVID they go to counting 8 or 10 meets (they won’t because NCAA gymnastics is all about preserving the status quo, but I’m still dumb enough to hope).
I would also be fine if they just competed fewer times. By this point in the season, I’m just kind of sick of seeing everyone. If you want to keep it to 6, just compete 8-9 times.
Man, I don’t want to have to compete for any team at any of these regionals. It is going to be a war to make it to Nationals.
OMG that West Virginia regional is insane. Denver and UCLA can 100% beat all the other #3 seeds but they’re both on the outside looking in. I hope for both those teams sake that they move up in the rankings
how many teams make it through from regionals? Like from Cal-UCLA-Denver-LSU how many get through? or the regionals don’t eliminate teams yet?
2 will get through from each regional to nationals for a total of 8 at nationals.
oh my god from these very top teams only two make it to nationals? I’m afraid my bruins won’t make it this year…
While I really feel like Utah is one of the only top teams that has been scored according to some sane rubric of standards (i.e. Utah’s meets haven’t been judged by a drunk Carol…just maybe a few Carol’s here and there), it may actually benefit them in the end based on current regionals. Fingers crossed it stays this way!
Agreed! Very doable for Utah. The LSU regional is this year’s death regional (currently).