Note 1: These rankings include the meets from Monday because, you know, they’re already happened. They will therefore differ from the official week 7 rankings, which do not include Monday meets.
Note 2:Cal, Kentucky, Oregon State, Arkansas, and Boise State do not currently have enough meets for an NQS, but I included them here in the spots where their current average would place them to get a sense of where they actually sit in the hierarchy.
Scores in BOLD can no longer be dropped.
1. Michigan
Road Score 1
198.525
Road Score 2
198.025
Road Score 3
197.950
Home/Road Score 1
197.950
Home/Road Score 2
197.925
Home/Road Score 3
197.750
Current NQS:
197.920
This is already the highest NQS in Michigan’s team history, and there’s not really much that needs changing. Still, Utah is closing in and Oklahoma and Florida are lurking with 196s still to get rid of. Plus, Oklahoma has more 198s than Michigan so far this season. So Michigan will still look to improve upon that 197.750 this week to try to fend off the others, among whom Oklahoma has the highest peak after this weekend. A 197.925 would ensure that Michigan stays #1 in next week’s rankings.
2. Utah
Road Score 1
197.950
Road Score 2
197.750
Road Score 3
197.275
Home/Road Score 1
198.000
Home/Road Score 2
197.775
Home/Road Score 3
197.675
Current NQS:
197.685
Utah’s road 197.950 against Washington on Monday night pulled the team just ahead of Oklahoma and Florida and into second place. Unlike Oklahoma, Utah doesn’t have a low score left to get rid of to drastically increase its NQS, so Utah cannot catch Michigan this weekend and will instead be looking for fend off OU and Florida. That will take a combination of a good score and some help from Oklahoma not being awesome.
3. Oklahoma
Road Score 1
198.175
Road Score 2
197.900
Road Score 3
196.650
Home/Road Score 1
198.200
Home/Road Score 2
198.050
Home/Road Score 3
197.425
Current NQS:
197.640
Oklahoma’s third 198 of the season on Saturday proved just enough to bypass Florida in this week’s rankings. While catching Michigan this week will largely be dependent on what Michigan scores, Oklahoma can at least give itself a shot with another 198. Meanwhile, it would take a 197.625 to move back ahead of Utah regardless of what Utah scores, while it would take only a 197.175 to ensure that Oklahoma stays ahead of Florida in next Monday’s rankings since Florida hosts their meet.
4. Florida
Road Score 1
197.775
Road Score 2
197.575
Road Score 3
196.975
Home/Road Score 1
198.250
Home/Road Score 2
198.150
Home/Road Score 3
197.675
Current NQS:
197.630
Florida hosts Oklahoma this Friday, and since Florida’s home scores are already the better half of the team’s NQS picture, there’s unlikely to be a lot of maneuvering Florida can do in the rankings next week—though it will be possible to pass both Utah and Oklahoma if they put up clunkers. That’s more in Utah and Oklahoma’s hands. Still, there’s room to pop a third 198 home score in there to set up Florida for a chance to zoom up given strong road scores in coming weeks, which always helps.
5. Auburn
Road Score 1
197.750
Road Score 2
197.250
Road Score 3
197.175
Home/Road Score 1
197.575
Home/Road Score 2
197.525
Home/Road Score 3
197.350
Current NQS:
197.375
Auburn moved ahead of LSU and Alabama this week for the #2 position in the conference, but because Auburn and Alabama are at home this weekend, while LSU competes away with a 196.850 that can be dropped, it will be LSU’s performance on Friday that most determines the order of these three teams in next week’s rankings. LSU needs 197.350 this weekend to clinch a position ahead of both for week 8. As for Auburn and Alabama, Auburn has a verrrry slightly higher peak than Alabama does this week and can therefore guarantee staying ahead of Alabama with a 197.675. Basically, it will be about whoever has the better competition on Friday.
6. LSU
Road Score 1
197.825
Road Score 2
197.200
Road Score 3
196.850
Home/Road Score 1
198.050
Home/Road Score 2
197.975
Home/Road Score 3
196.950
Current NQS:
197.360
LSU used a two-meet weekend to get itself both a juicy, juicy 198 and a full NQS slate of six scores. With two 196s still hanging around, there’s lots of room to improve on this number and move up the rankings (see notes under Auburn). LSU still does have a long way to go to challenge the top four since Sunday’s second meet score was just 197.200, which isn’t a top-4 score, but would need three big scores out of four meets to get right up there, which is doable.
7. Alabama
Road Score 1
197.600
Road Score 2
197.125
Road Score 3
196.925
Home/Road Score 1
197.875
Home/Road Score 2
197.650
Home/Road Score 3
197.475
Current NQS:
197.355
Another strong 197 over the weekend has Alabama hanging close, but with Alabama competing at home for the next couple meets, there won’t be too much space to make a move in the rankings until the Elevate meet on March 6th, at which point they can start getting rid of the 196.9 and 197.1. For now, Alabama looks comfortable in the top 7 but dependent on the other teams for any chance to move higher.
NR. Cal
Road Score 1
196.925
Road Score 2
196.675
Road Score 3
Home/Road Score 1
197.575
Home/Road Score 2
197.525
Home/Road Score 3
197.350
Current NQS:
N/A
Cal does not yet have a third road score and therefore can’t have an NQS because of the cancellation of the Collegiate Challenge in week 1, but the team’s current average of 197.063 would settle in here. For Sunday’s visit to Arizona State, Cal will be looking at the minimum score goal of 196.875 in order to confirm this #8 ranking for next Monday, (though, really, getting some road 197s out there will be imperative).
NR. Kentucky
Road Score 1
196.700
Road Score 2
196.275
Road Score 3
Home/Road Score 1
197.450
Home/Road Score 2
197.450
Home/Road Score 3
197.350
Current NQS:
N/A
Like Cal, Kentucky has an average of 196.958 but not enough road scores for an NQS. After Friday’s meet, Kentucky will have an opportunity to go as high as 8th, though Cal enjoys the higher peak, so that will be dependent on what Cal does. A 197.325 on Friday at Auburn would make sure Kentucky is ahead of Minnesota regardless of what Minnesota scores at home.
8. Minnesota
Road Score 1
197.125
Road Score 2
196.500
Road Score 3
196.225
Home/Road Score 1
197.650
Home/Road Score 2
197.575
Home/Road Score 3
196.900
Current NQS:
196.865
Minnesota remains in 8th place this week, but the presence of Cal and Kentucky (and Oregon State) as lurking contenders to pass once they have actual NQSs speaks to the danger that Minnesota’s recent beam problems have put the team in. Two straight beampocalypses have saddled Minnesota with a couple unusable 196s and exactly two road meets left (March 4, March 19) to fix it. Competing at home this weekend means Minnesota has a lower NQS peak than Cal, Kentucky, or Missouri so may find itself falling in the rankings for a moment if they all have good ones.
NR. Oregon State
Road Score 1
197.150
Road Score 2
196.575
Road Score 3
Home/Road Score 1
197.375
Home/Road Score 2
197.275
Home/Road Score 3
197.000
Current NQS:
N/A
Oregon State’s current average of 196.821 compares quite well and would nestle right in among the teams challenging for spots in the top 10. This weekend’s home finale, however, won’t give Oregon State a full NQS, so we’ll have to wait until the very last minute to see if the Beavs’ remaining road scores are going to be enough to challenge.
9. Missouri
Road Score 1
196.875
Road Score 2
196.850
Road Score 3
196.275
Home/Road Score 1
197.650
Home/Road Score 2
197.350
Home/Road Score 3
196.600
Current NQS:
196.790
Missouri has very competitive bold scores right now, which augurs well for how high the team can climb—provided that exactly all of the remaining meets are good ones. This week, Missouri enjoys a higher potential peak than both Kentucky and Minnesota. It would take a serious score well into the 197s to absolutely ensure it, but even if Minnesota goes say 197 flat, Missouri would need to go only 196.775 in order to pass, which seems very doable.
10. Michigan State
Road Score 1
196.975
Road Score 2
196.775
Road Score 3
196.500
Home/Road Score 1
197.425
Home/Road Score 2
196.875
Home/Road Score 3
196.475
Current NQS:
196.720
Michigan State’s scores at this point are all pretty representative of the team’s performance this year with no clunkers hanging around, so mostly it will be about holding the fort for the next month. With a lower peak after this weekend than the teams above (including the unranked teams), MSU would be reliant on them not putting up a great score for any chance to improve its ranking.
11. Denver
Road Score 1
197.600
Road Score 2
196.625
Road Score 3
196.600
Home/Road Score 1
197.000
Home/Road Score 2
196.850
Home/Road Score 3
196.125
Current NQS:
196.640
It was a disastrous floor rotation that did in Denver this weekend as Mia Sundstrom joined the thanks-I-hate-it club of being out for the rest of the season. It’s getting harder and harder to fill out these lineups, but there should still be six who can go. Denver now has just one road meet remaining on the schedule and will have to count that 196.625, which is not a bad score but is not going to get a team into the top 10 this year, which means a home 197.0 this weekend would be extremely welcome.
NR. Arkansas
Road Score 1
196.800
Road Score 2
196.475
Road Score 3
Home/Road Score 1
197.200
Home/Road Score 2
197.050
Home/Road Score 3
195.675
Current NQS:
N/A
Like Oregon State, Arkansas still needs a road score but competes at home this weekend so cannot get an NQS until the following week. The team’s current average of 196.442 is medium-fine, but NQS will help a team like Arkansas because there’s still a chance to drop some of those weaker numbers if they can put together hit meets. There’s still a lot of room to grow for Arkansas (Sunday’s performance was only OK and got 196.800), but is there time?
12. BYU
Road Score 1
196.575
Road Score 2
196.450
Road Score 3
196.425
Home/Road Score 1
197.225
Home/Road Score 2
196.775
Home/Road Score 3
196.700
Current NQS:
196.585
A two-meet weekend allowed BYU to get rid of all of its low scores in one fell swoop to create a picture that’s pretty competitive. Still, 196.4s and 196.5s are not going to be high enough this season to get a spot in the top 16, so BYU will still be looking to its remaining road meets to get those numbers a little higher.
13. Iowa
Road Score 1
196.475
Road Score 2
196.425
Road Score 3
196.225
Home/Road Score 1
196.825
Home/Road Score 2
196.125
Home/Road Score 3
196.125
Current NQS:
196.275
Iowa will besomewhat concerned about the recent stagnation of scores in the lower 196s because that is a dangerous game to play. Lots and lots of teams, including some that currently sit outside the top 36, are capable of 196.2-196.4. It’s not a safe score. For now, Iowa is still in a solid position to make regionals but will be eager to start getting some high 196s this weekend so that getting relegated to the play-in meets is also not an option because this team is too talented for that.
NR. Boise State
Road Score 1
197.000
Road Score 2
196.525
Road Score 3
Home/Road Score 1
196.950
Home/Road Score 2
195.975
Home/Road Score 3
194.850
Current NQS:
N/A
It was always going to be a late thing for Boise State given the schedule, but this team is now setting itself up to make a move on the top 16 after those two big scores over the weekend. If that’s representative of what the team will continue to score, a high ranking is quite believable. But with just four meets left and a 195, a 194, and a zero still on the slate, there’s little room to count a fall in here.
14. Utah State
Road Score 1
196.800
Road Score 2
196.450
Road Score 3
196.350
Home/Road Score 1
196.425
Home/Road Score 2
195.875
Home/Road Score 3
195.800
Current NQS:
196.180
Utah State is in the somewhat unusual position of having better road scores than home scores, which allows for many more opportunities to get rid of those pesky 195s that are keeping the ranking down since they can be dropped at any time.
15. Stanford
Road Score 1
196.275
Road Score 2
196.000
Road Score 3
195.725
Home/Road Score 1
196.900
Home/Road Score 2
196.575
Home/Road Score 3
196.250
Current NQS:
196.165
Stanford’s setup is currently pretty comfortable-looking—and a mid-196 for a counting fall on Monday is encouraging—but the team will still want a few more road scores to get safely out of the 196.2 purgatory.
16. Arizona State
Road Score 1
196.600
Road Score 2
196.550
Road Score 3
196.275
Home/Road Score 1
197.800
Home/Road Score 2
196.100
Home/Road Score 3
195.275
Current NQS:
196.160
Arizona State is making a move now. With a 195.275 to get rid of this weekend, expect a huge ranking surge next Monday as ASU’s setup is currently more encouraging than for the teams ranked Iowa-through-Stanford.
17. Ohio State
Road Score 1
196.900
Road Score 2
196.675
Road Score 3
195.775
Home/Road Score 1
196.450
Home/Road Score 2
196.025
Home/Road Score 3
195.750
Current NQS:
196.135
Ohio State’s 196.900 on Friday ranks as one of the best scores in team history, and even if that level can’t quite be replicated, it makes those 195.7s hanging around look infinitely droppable to solidify this ranking position.
18. Southern Utah
Road Score 1
197.000
Road Score 2
195.550
Road Score 3
195.000
Home/Road Score 1
196.975
Home/Road Score 2
196.550
Home/Road Score 3
196.450
Current NQS:
196.105
It will all come down to the road meets for SUU on March 5 and March 19 because everything else is quite competitive. But counting 195s will put almost any team in ranking danger this year.
19. UCLA
Road Score 1
196.850
Road Score 2
196.300
Road Score 3
195.475
Home/Road Score 1
197.650
Home/Road Score 2
196.400
Home/Road Score 3
194.850
Current NQS:
195.975
Sunday’s bars meltdown means that UCLA is stuck counting a 196.300 road score, which is going to curtail how high the team can climb. UCLA’s ranking should improve significantly once that 194.850 is removed (right?) to get the team out of the actual ranking danger it is in right now, but that 197.600 will have to be replicated plenty more times to get to a ranking that even vaguely befits the talent level of the team.
20. Illinois
Road Score 1
196.450
Road Score 2
196.350
Road Score 3
195.650
Home/Road Score 1
196.350
Home/Road Score 2
195.725
Home/Road Score 3
195.450
Current NQS:
195.910
21. West Virginia
Road Score 1
196.575
Road Score 2
195.925
Road Score 3
195.425
Home/Road Score 1
196.100
Home/Road Score 2
195.900
Home/Road Score 3
195.725
Current NQS:
195.815
22. Iowa State
Road Score 1
196.325
Road Score 2
196.275
Road Score 3
195.775
Home/Road Score 1
196.225
Home/Road Score 2
195.575
Home/Road Score 3
194.350
Current NQS:
195.640
Note a low 194 still to be removed here.
23. Washington
Road Score 1
196.825
Road Score 2
195.100
Road Score 3
194.450
Home/Road Score 1
197.275
Home/Road Score 2
196.250
Home/Road Score 3
195.450
Current NQS:
195.615
It took Washington a single weekend to go from danger zone to glory. And now with bold scores right up there alongside teams like Arkansas (and some very low numbers to drop), Washington is looking dangerous.
24. North Carolina
Road Score 1
196.625
Road Score 2
195.325
Road Score 3
194.225
Home/Road Score 1
196.475
Home/Road Score 2
196.000
Home/Road Score 3
195.700
Current NQS:
195.545
UNC came up with a big road score this weekend and not a moment too soon. Those other road scores will still have to go, but both bold scores look safe for regionals.
25. Towson
Road Score 1
195.975
Road Score 2
194.975
Road Score 3
194.000
Home/Road Score 1
196.700
Home/Road Score 2
196.525
Home/Road Score 3
196.225
Current NQS:
195.540
26. Rutgers
Road Score 1
195.750
Road Score 2
195.550
Road Score 3
195.475
Home/Road Score 1
195.950
Home/Road Score 2
195.675
Home/Road Score 3
195.175
Current NQS:
195.525
No 196s = big danger
27. Penn State
Road Score 1
196.425
Road Score 2
196.125
Road Score 3
195.875
Home/Road Score 1
195.475
Home/Road Score 2
195.325
Home/Road Score 3
194.775
Current NQS:
195.515
28. Georgia
Road Score 1
196.800
Road Score 2
196.125
Road Score 3
194.500
Home/Road Score 1
196.300
Home/Road Score 2
196.100
Home/Road Score 3
194.475
Current NQS:
195.500
Georgia is hanging on. We can assume those 194s will fly shortly even if the performances continue being kind of meh, which should get Georgia to a safe-ish ranking. But if it’s still 196.3s, Georgia won’t sleep well for a while.
29. Nebraska
Road Score 1
196.750
Road Score 2
195.625
Road Screo 3
195.525
Home/Road Score 1
196.350
Home/Road Score 2
195.500
Home/Road Score 3
194.425
Current NQS:
195.485
The scores have started to come for Nebraska, but only just in the nick of time. There’s no room remaining to count falls with four meets left and four scores that really need to go.
30. NC State
Road Score 1
196.725
Road Score 2
195.125
Road Score 3
194.550
Home/Road Score 1
196.350
Home/Road Score 2
195.600
Home/Road Score 3
195.250
Current NQS:
195.375
31. Pittsburgh
Road Score 1
196.450
Road Score 2
195.575
Road Score 3
194.575
Home/Road Score 1
196.775
Home/Road Score 2
195.800
Home/Road Score 3
194.300
Current NQS:
195.340
Pitt is making a late upset bid for a spot at regionals with two very useful bold scores. If those 194s can both go over the next two meets, this starts to look like a competitive slate.
32. Arizona
Road Score 1
196.050
Road Score 2
196.025
Road Score 3
195.500
Home/Road Score 1
196.400
Home/Road Score 2
195.125
Home/Road Score 3
193.775
Current NQS:
195.295
Arizona’s secret weapon is that 193 still to drop. But will those 196.0s be enough?
33. Western Michigan
Road Score 1
196.100
Road Score 2
195.400
Road Score 3
194.875
Home/Road Score 1
196.225
Home/Road Score 2
196.000
Home/Road Score 3
194.050
Current NQS:
195.285
34. San Jose State
Road Score 1
196.550
Road Score 2
196.025
Road Score 3
195.950
Home/Road Score 1
195.975
Home/Road Score 2
195.725
Home/Road Score 3
192.725
Current NQS:
195.280
Watch out for SJSU in the coming weeks. There’s a misleading 192 in there.