Week 9+ Rankings & NQS Update

Full NQS Tracker with regionals projections

Any scores in BOLD can no longer be dropped.


1. Oklahoma – 198.210

Oklahoma NQS
Road score 1198.425
Road score 2198.325
Road score 3198.125
Home/road score 1198.575
Home/road score 2198.225
Home/road score 3197.950
NQS:198.210

Oklahoma put up two 197.9s during its two-meet weekend, a win against Florida followed by a loss to Michigan, adjusting its NQS only slightly with two competitions to go until the elimination meets. Oklahoma remains in first and cannot be caught this weekend regardless of what happens. While it’s not yet guaranteed that Oklahoma will finish the regular season at #1, Michigan would have to average better than 198.3 at its remaining to meets to even have a shot, so it’s quite likely that Oklahoma will head to regionals as the national #1.


2. Michigan – 197.960

Michigan NQS
Road score 1198.300
Road score 2198.275
Road score 3197.400
Home/road score 1198.125
Home/road score 2198.025
Home/road score 3197.975
NQS:197.960

Michigan’s victory over Oklahoma on Monday again helped its NQS but only slightly—the headline being more the beating Oklahoma of it all, rather than the score—but Michigan will have a chance to get rid of that road 197.400 next weekend at Georgia to create some real distance ahead of Florida. A 197.875 next weekend would ensure Michigan holds onto the #2 ranking for another week regardless of what Florida scores.


3. Florida – 197.920

Florida NQS
Road score 1197.975
Road score 2197.875
Road score 3197.700
Home/road score 1198.350
Home/road score 2198.150
Home/road score 3197.900
NQS:197.920

In somewhat controversial fashion, Florida elected to go with a couple backup routines against Oklahoma over the weekend, a meet that produced a 197.700. It’s a counting road score, but it’s the lowest counter that Florida has on the slate for now.  Next Sunday’s road meet and SECs both provide chances to improve on that 197.7, but Florida is now also guaranteed to count two (gasp) sub-198 scores, which gives Michigan the advantage in the race for 2nd. Florida would really love a road score of the 198.2 variety this week to better match Michigan’s road scores and also guarantee staying ahead of Utah.


4. Utah – 197.805

Utah NQS
Road score 1197.750
Road score 2197.600
Road score 3197.500
Home/road score 1198.550
Home/road score 2198.200
Home/road score 3197.975
NQS:197.805

No change for Utah in the NQS department this week as the senior night 197.925 was not high enough to count as a home score. To have a shot at going any higher than 4th, Utah will have to put in some higher road numbers, though the main goal for the moment will probably be staying ahead of UCLA for the top ranking at the Pac-12 Championship. Utah has the higher maximum NQS after this week and can therefore guarantee the top spot at Pac-12s with a 198.200, but that’s quite a score and anything lower would be at least slightly vulnerable to the Bruins.


5. UCLA – 197.795

UCLA NQS
Road score 1197.975
Road score 2197.900
Road score 3197.850
Home/road score 1198.175
Home/road score 2197.800
Home/road score 3197.450
NQS:197.795

UCLA is mounting a last-minute challenge to Utah’s place in the top 4 thanks in large part to Sunday’s 198.175. Whether there is an opportunity for UCLA to move into the top 4 this week will ultimately be dependent on Utah’s score, but if UCLA records another 198 on senior day, it will put some real pressure on Utah’s meet directly afterward to be a SCORE score.


6. LSU – 197.665

LSU NQS
Road score 1197.975
Road score 2197.700
Road score 3197.500
Home/road score 1198.100
Home/road score 2197.700
Home/road score 3197.450
NQS:197.665

LSU had 900 more injuries this week and was also able to drop a 197.2 road score to solidify this #6 spot. We don’t yet know what it would take for LSU to stay ahead of Cal this week since Cal competes twice, but LSU does know that a 197.825 would be enough to stay ahead of Alabama regardless of what Alabama scores. 


7. Cal – 197.575

Cal NQS
Road score 1197.675
Road score 2197.550
Road score 3197.525
Home/road score 1197.975
Home/road score 2197.600
Home/road score 3197.525
NQS:197.575

Ca’s next droppable score is not as low as the drop score for LSU in 6th or Alabama in 8th, which may cause some problems in trying to retain this ranking or move up, but what Cal does have in its pocket is a two-meet weekend with home competitions on both Friday and Sunday. A season high on Friday would allow Cal to match LSU’s current NQS of 197.665 and guarantee that Cal will stay in the top 8 this week, with then the possibility of improving on that position with Sunday’s meet. Cal is the only team in the top 8 that doesn’t have a 198 this season, so that will be the weekend goal.


8. Alabama – 197.530

Alabama NQS
Road score 1198.000
Road score 2197.525
Road score 3197.375
Home/road score 1197.925
Home/road score 2197.850
Home/road score 3196.975
NQS:197.530

With two falls on floor on Friday, Alabama put up a non-counter and missed an opportunity to move up in the rankings. That opportunity recreates itself this coming Friday, when Alabama will have another opportunity to drop that 196.975. But Alabama really does need to put up a counting number because all of these 198s flapping around for the 10-13 teams all of a sudden mean that many teams have an outside chance to catch Alabama this week if Alabama has another non-counter and they repeat their 198s.


9. Auburn – 197.460

Auburn NQS
Road score 1197.700
Road score 2197.350
Road score 3197.200
Home/road score 1197.750
Home/road score 2197.550
Home/road score 3197.500
NQS:197.460

A Suni-absent non-counter over the weekend (the team’s second consecutive mid-196 road score) has created some real ranking trouble for Auburn. Competing at home this weekend does provide the opportunity to snatch a big number, but it also means that Auburn cannot drop that road 197.200 and is at least a little vulnerable—and in some cases a lot vulnerable—to being passed by Michigan State, Denver, Kentucky, and Oregon State, with a lower maximum NQS than all of them after this weekend. Watch that space, as Auburn looks increasingly likely to be the #3 regionals seed no one wants to draw.


10. Michigan State – 197.455

Michigan State NQS
Road score 1197.675
Road score 2197.500
Road score 3197.450
Home/road score 1198.225
Home/road score 2197.450
Home/road score 3197.200
NQS:197.455

Hi, Michigan State gets 198s now. Sunday’s program record 198.225 elevated Michigan State into the top 10—and allows for the opportunity to move up even more if things go right this weekend. With a 197.500 on Saturday, Michigan State would guarantee moving ahead of Auburn. It would take 198.175 to guarantee not being passed by anyone else (more on Kentucky in a moment), which would be quite the back-to-back result, but at this point MSU will consider that Auburn-passing 197.500 very doable.


11. Denver – 197.410

Denver NQS
Road score 1197.650
Road score 2197.275
Road score 3197.200
Home/road score 1198.150
Home/road score 2197.500
Home/road score 3197.425
NQS:197.410

Hi, Denver gets 198s now. And also experienced the joy of getting a program-record score and falling one spot in the rankings thanks to what Michigan State put together. Denver’s Auburn-passing goal score this week is 197.725, which the team has not yet done in a road context but surely isn’t an out-of-this-world aim at this point. Since Michigan State and Kentucky have higher maximums after this weekend than Denver, moving ahead of Auburn would be the one way Denver can guarantee not losing more ground in the rankings.


12. Kentucky – 197.385

Kentucky NQS
Road score 1197.575
Road score 2197.275
Road score 3196.575
Home/road score 1197.875
Home/road score 2197.825
Home/road score 3197.675
NQS:197.385

Kentucky’s secret weapon is that road 196.575 that can be dropped this week with a hit. That’s why Kentucky’s Auburn-passing score is a mere 197.225, which takes on extra significance for Kentucky since passing Auburn would mean a #4 seed at the SEC Championship and a spot in the evening session, bumping Auburn to the afternoon. Kentucky can also guarantee a ranking ahead of #11 Denver this week with another 197.675.


13. Oregon State – 197.355

Oregon State NQS
Road score 1198.075
Road score 2197.550
Road score 3197.300
Home/road score 1197.375
Home/road score 2197.275
Home/road score 3197.275
NQS:197.355

Oregon State heads into its final regular season meet, at home against Utah, with a somewhat lower maximum NQS than MSU, Denver, or Kentucky and will therefore be dependent on those teams scores for any chance to pass them. But, it would be possible for Oregon State to guarantee passing Auburn with another 198.075 to match the program record from two weeks ago. Oregon State is safe at least in 13th this week and cannot drop any lower regardless of result.


14. Arizona State – 197.105

Arizona State NQS
Road score 1197.475
Road score 2196.900
Road score 3196.800
Home/road score 1197.725
Home/road score 2197.550
Home/road score 3196.800
NQS:197.105

Arizona State used another giant score to move up a spot and into 14th this week. Enough of a gap exists that it will not be possible for ASU to catch Oregon State for an evening spot at Pac-12s or move up any farther in the rankings this week, but it will also be possible for ASU to sew up 14th place for another week with a 197.275.


15. Ohio State – 197.020

Ohio State NQS
Road score 1196.825
Road score 2196.750
Road score 3196.725
Home/road score 1197.600
Home/road score 2197.575
Home/road score 3197.225
NQS:197.020

Ohio State took advantage of its two-meet weekend, particularly with Sunday’s 197.600, to gain a spot and move to 15th. It’s still a precarious position with regard to regionals seeding since Missouri is a quality team sitting there in 17th, so Ohio State will be eager to improve on those road 196.7s and not let Missouri have a look in. A 197.450 this week would be enough to guarantee staying in the top 16 for the moment regardless of what anyone else does. 


16. Arkansas – 197.000

Arkansas NQS
Road score 1197.150
Road score 2197.125
Road score 3196.675
Home/road score 1197.475
Home/road score 2197.400
Home/road score 3196.650
NQS:197.000

Arkansas put together a complete hit for the first time in a while over the weekend, which proved enough to move into the coveted top 16. Arkansas and #17 Missouri have basically the same maximum NQS after this weekend, which should be fun, though Arkansas has a lower score to drop so doesn’t have to pop off quite as much as Missouri does in order to have a top-16 ranking next Monday. Either way, it’s going to be very close and going to come down to SECs. 


17. Missouri – 196.985

Missouri NQS
Road score 1197.850
Road score 2196.800
Road score 3196.625
Home/road score 1197.450
Home/road score 2197.075
Home/road score 3196.975
NQS:196.985

Missouri got the short end of the stick this week, going 197.075 and dropping three ranking spots, all the way out of the top 16, because a 197.0 is bad now. Competing at home this weekend, Missouri can’t get rid of that lowest road score yet but still has a realistic shot at catching someone (or someones) in the 14-16 zone with a huge 197. Mostly, this week is about setting themselves up to make a big push with a high road number at SECs.


18. Georgia – 196.860

Georgia NQS
Road score 1196.925
Road score 2196.875
Road score 3196.850
Home/road score 1197.325
Home/road score 2197.225
Home/road score 3196.425
NQS:196.860

Georgia’s ceiling fell this week, and no that’s not a euphemism. The literal ceiling fell in Stegeman, forcing Georgia to move its final meets to Duluth, which will also host the SEC Championship. Having Sunday’s meet suddenly count as a road score was a useful development for NQS, though Georgia has an uphill climb to get into the top 16 at this point. Season highs and help is what it will take. 


19. Minnesota – 196.750

Minnesota NQS
Road score 1197.075
Road score 2196.875
Road score 3196.800
Home/road score 1197.600
Home/road score 2196.675
Home/road score 3196.325
NQS:196.750

Minnesota is the final team with a shot to move into the top 16 after this week’s meets, though it’s only a very outside shot. Minnesota’s maximum NQS after this weekend is 197.005, so it would pretty much require a season high and everyone 16-18 not getting a counter.  


20. Stanford – 196.705

Stanford NQS
Road score 1197.075
Road score 2196.825
Road score 3196.725
Home/road score 1197.575
Home/road score 2196.625
Home/road score 3196.275
NQS:196.705

Stanford cannot get into the top 16 this weekend but heads up the tier of teams that are nonetheless safe for regionals at this point.

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.965


21. Maryland – 196.630

Maryland NQS
Road score 1196.875
Road score 2196.600
Road score 3196.475
Home/road score 1196.950
Home/road score 2196.650
Home/road score 3196.550
NQS:196.630

Maximum NQS after Friday’s meet: 196.725


22. Illinois – 196.625

Illinois NQS
Road score 1196.875
Road score 2196.825
Road score 3196.575
Home/road score 1196.700
Home/road score 2196.600
Home/road score 3196.425
NQS:196.625

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.715


22. Southern Utah – 196.625

Southern Utah NQS
Road score 1197.125
Road score 2197.125
Road score 3196.275
Home/road score 1196.925
Home/road score 2196.600
Home/road score 3196.200
NQS:196.625

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.810


24. Iowa – 196.610

Iowa NQS
Road score 1196.925
Road score 2196.900
Road score 3196.575
Home/road score 1196.875
Home/road score 2196.475
Home/road score 3196.225
NQS:196.610

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.750


25. Washington – 196.530

Washington NQS
Road score 1196.750
Road score 2196.550
Road score 3196.375
Home/road score 1197.250
Home/road score 2196.625
Home/road score 3196.350
NQS:196.530

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.710


26. Nebraska – 196.410

Nebraska NQS
Road score 1197.500
Road score 2196.325
Road score 3196.150
Home/road score 1196.925
Home/road score 2196.850
Home/road score 3195.800
NQS:196.410

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.750


27. NC State – 196.380

NC State NQS
Road score 1196.475
Road score 2196.275
Road score 3196.125
Home/road score 1197.225
Home/road score 2196.650
Home/road score 3196.375
NQS:196.380

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.600


28. Western Michigan – 196.305

Western Michigan NQS
Road score 1196.725
Road score 2195.925
Road score 3195.525
Home/road score 1197.100
Home/road score 2196.750
Home/road score 3196.600
NQS:196.305

Western Michigan made a big jump this week and has a chance to get out of the play-in meet risk pile by replacing one of those 195s this coming weekend.

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.620


29. Arizona – 196.300

Arizona NQS
Road score 1196.675
Road score 2196.475
Road score 3196.375
Home/road score 1196.800
Home/road score 2196.100
Home/road score 3195.875
NQS:196.300

By ranking, Arizona would currently be the first team dumped into the playoff meets. Geographical placement means it doesn’t always work like that, but you can’t rely on the luck of the nonsense. So with two meets this weekend, Arizona will be eager to catch at least one team ranked ahead in order to, maybe, avoid the play-in fate.

Maximum NQS after Friday’s meet: 196.485


30. Towson – 196.270

Towson NQS
Road score 1196.450
Road score 2196.350
Road score 3196.050
Home/road score 1196.775
Home/road score 2196.375
Home/road score 3196.125
NQS:196.270

Towson is currently safe for the top 36 this week regardless of what happens but, much like Arizona, would prefer to use this double-meet weekend to try to get out of a potential play-in meet. Geographically, getting ahead of NC State by the end of conference championships would do Towson the most good because they’ll probably go to the same regional.

Maximum NQS after Friday’s meet: 196.415


31. Boise State – 196.225

Boise State NQS
Road score 1196.825
Road score 2196.525
Road score 3196.075
Home/road score 1196.500
Home/road score 2196.325
Home/road score 3195.700
NQS:196.225

The most basic goal for Boise State right now will be a 195.875, which would mean they cannot be bumped out of the top 36 this week, but they’ll be on the lookout for more than just a 195.

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.450


32. San Jose State – 196.215

San Jose State NQS
Road score 1196.600
Road score 2196.300
Road score 3195.850
Home/road score 1196.625
Home/road score 2196.175
Home/road score 3196.150
NQS:196.215

A big two-meet weekend saw San Jose move into the regionals positions, and not a bad spot at all in 32nd. Now, to do it again. A 196.100 on Friday would see SJSU stay in the regionals spots for another week. 

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.370


33. BYU – 196.200

BYU NQS
Road score 1196.650
Road score 2196.475
Road score 3195.575
Home/road score 1196.450
Home/road score 2196.350
Home/road score 3196.150
NQS:196.200

Essentially, BYU has one more low score to remove to clinch safety, which should not be a burden, but even a 195.900 would be enough to stay in the top 36 this week.  

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.415


34. Ball State – 196.190

Ball State NQS
Road score 1196.550
Road score 2196.375
Road score 3196.125
Home/road score 1196.300
Home/road score 2196.100
Home/road score 3196.050
NQS:196.190

Ball State’s regionals position is a little more precarious, but with two meets this weekend, there’s a chance to un-precarious things. A 196.425 in the first meet would ensure Ball State stays in the top 36 this week, and then they could use the second meet to create some more buffer.

Maximum NQS after Friday’s meet: 196.290


35. West Virginia – 196.165

West Virginia NQS
Road score 1196.625
Road score 2195.675
Road score 3195.575
Home/road score 1197.325
Home/road score 2196.575
Home/road score 3196.375
NQS:196.165

West Virginia’s ranking is in the scary zone, but the good side of the scary zone thanks to their 197.325 over the weekend, which turned out to be a dream-destroyed for a lot of other teams on the outside of the top 36. A 196.075 in the first meet of the two-meet weekend would ensure #36 North Carolina cannot pass West Virginia this week.

Maximum NQS after Friday’s meet: 196.515


36. North Carolina – 196.105

North Carolina NQS
Road score 1196.275
Road score 2195.975
Road score 3195.700
Home/road score 1196.475
Home/road score 2196.325
Home/road score 3196.250
NQS:196.105

North Carolina fell all the way from 30th to 36th this week despite a season high, and suddenly things look worrisome. With Ball State and West Virginia both competing twice this week and #37 Penn State having a higher maximum NQS, North Carolina is in need of a big road score this weekend to try to stay afloat (and would love an implosion from some of the teams in the 31-35 zone). It’s going to be a nervy two weeks.

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.260


37. Penn State – 196.080

Penn State NQS
Road score 1196.100
Road score 2195.875
Road score 3195.525
Home/road score 1196.875
Home/road score 2196.550
Home/road score 3196.350
NQS:196.080

Penn State got dropped out of the regionals spots this week, also with a season high that didn’t end up helping that much. Visiting Auburn on Auburn’s senior night on Friday, Penn State will be eager to bask in some reflected scores to amp up those road numbers just in time. A 196.450 would get Penn State ahead of North Carolina and into the top 36 this week regardless of what North Carolina does. 

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.350


38. George Washington – 195.855

George Washington NQS
Road score 1196.400
Road score 2196.075
Road score 3195.550
Home/road score 1196.550
Home/road score 2195.875
Home/road score 3195.375
NQS:195.855

George Washington is not out of it yet, especially with two meets this weekend, but enough of a gap is forming that at this point that both scores need to be well into the 196s to have any shot.

Maximum NQS after Friday’s meet: 196.090 


43. Central Michigan – 195.835

Central Michigan NQS
Road score 1196.500
Road score 2196.075
Road score 3195.825
Home/road score 1196.250
Home/road score 2195.600
Home/road score 3195.425
NQS:195.835

Central Michigan is making the late push with Sunday’s 196.500, but is it too late? There’s no chance to get into the top 36 this week, so this week’s score is about setting themselves up for a move during conference championships.

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.050


40. Kent State – 195.790

Kent State NQS
Road score 1196.025
Road score 2195.925
Road score 3195.750
Home/road score 1195.925
Home/road score 2195.725
Home/road score 3195.625
NQS:195.790

Kent State heads up the section of teams that are not eliminated yet, but really need to start getting the 196.7s like yesterday in order to make any kind of an upset push. Season-high-by-a-lot has to be the goal for everyone in this part of the rankings in order to stay mathematically in it for conference championships.

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.870


41. UC Davis – 195.730

UC Davis NQS
Road score 1196.475
Road score 2195.300
Road score 3195.250
Home/road score 1196.750
Home/road score 2196.175
Home/road score 3195.450
NQS:195.730

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.030


42. Rutgers – 195.695

Rutgers NQS
Road score 1196.225
Road score 2195.225
Road score 3195.150
Home/road score 1196.375
Home/road score 2196.325
Home/road score 3195.550
NQS:195.695

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.860


43. Pitt – 195.655

Pitt NQS
Road score 1196.125
Road score 2195.775
Road score 3195.275
Home/road score 1196.550
Home/road score 2195.950
Home/road score 3195.150
NQS:195.655

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.935


44. Iowa State – 195.620

Iowa State NQS
Road score 1195.875
Road score 2195.825
Road score 3195.575
Home/road score 1196.300
Home/road score 2195.525
Home/road score 3195.300
NQS:195.620

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.820