1. Oklahoma – 198.420

2. Cal – 197.950

Cal moved back ahead of LSU on Saturday with its second consecutive 198, though the advantage now swings back to LSU this week as LSU has the much lower score to try to remove. Cal cannot move any lower than 3rd after this weekend’s meets, but the identity of the #2 team will rest largely on what LSU scores.

3. LSU – 197.885

LSU notched another big home score this week but fell in the rankings because of the wide disparity between those high home scores and those road scores that still trail behind what Cal has done on the road. On Friday, LSU competes in Baton Rouge but gets to count it as a road score because it’s in a different arena and will be eager to drop that 197.225, needing at very minimum 197.575 to have a chance to pass Cal and 198.100 to guarantee it. in lower-scoring concerns, LSU would also need 197.450 to make sure Florida cannot pass.

4. Florida – 197.765

Florida jumped ahead of Utah this week for 4th thanks to a season high 198.225 in Kentucky. The scores have come at exactly the right time, though Florida still needs to perform in at least two of the final three meets to get rid of those 197.4s. This week, Florida has an outside shot to catch LSU if LSU has a bad one but will mostly be looking for 197.650+ to guarantee keeping a spot in the top four.

5. Utah – 197.725

6. Kentucky – 197.680

7. Michigan – 197.510

Michigan’s ranking survived the weekend. Even though Michigan put up a non-counting 197.325 against Oklahoma, none of the teams below were able to score well enough to pass, so Michigan stays at 7. Staying at 7 will be the goal again, and once again it will be a fight as Michigan State, Alabama, UCLA, and Denver all have higher potential NQSs after this week than Michigan.

8. Michigan State – 197.500

Michigan State stays home this week so cannot drop that 197.275 road score but will be looking to pass Michigan—and can guarantee that with a 197.900. Alabama, UCLA, and Denver, however, do all have higher peaks than MSU and can pass this week.

9. Alabama – 197.465

Also competing at home this week, Alabama has a 197.225 to drop and will be on the lookout for another 198.000, which would mean that Alabama definitely passes both of the Michigans (197.825 to ensure passing first Michigan), but would still be vulnerable to UCLA and Denver.

10. UCLA – 197.460

UCLA missed the opportunity to move up over the weekend by scoring 197.175 at Stanford but has another chance on the road this Saturday at Arizona State. It will take 197.725 to guarantee passing Michigan, 197.900 to guarantee passing MSU, and 198.000 to guarantee passing Alabama. And then of course if those schools don’t get season highs this week, the goal gets lower.

11. Denver – 197.435

12. Arkansas – 197.335

An Arkansas program record of 197.650 on Sunday did a lot to solidify the team’s position in 12th. This week, Arkansas could only tie Denver if everything falls absolutely right so will mostly be looking to keep this ranking, which would take just 197.250 at home against Oklahoma to guarantee.

13. Missouri – 197.275

Missouri fell to Arkansas on Sunday at home but also got a good one with a season-high 197.525 to help mitigate the threat of Auburn in 14th. Missouri will now be looking for 197.375 in its home finale to ensure that no one can pass.

14. Auburn – 197.105

Auburn has only road meets remaining, so the chance exists to get rid of those lagging road numbers if the scores are there. It’s going to be a tough ask to move any higher this week, but Auburn does have a chance to create some separation from the #15+ teams and needs just another 196.900 to keep hold of 14th (but will want more to have any shot at a higher ranking as we go).

15. Ohio State – 197.030

A non-counter 196.825 in its home finale has made Ohio State somewhat vulnerable to dropping out of the seeded positions, so getting rid of that last 196 road score on Friday will be crucial. A 197.050 would keep Oregon State and Minnesota at bay for the week.

16. Oregon State – 196.975

Oregon State put up a useful home 197.400 to move up into the seeded spots this week ahead of Minnesota, but in staying at home for this weekend’s meet as well, Oregon State cannot yet get rid of the road-score problem created by those two 196s. That gives Minnesota the sliiiiiight edge in the fight for the top 16 this week.

17. Minnesota – 196.945

Minnesota’s non-counting 196.425 was the culprit in dropping out of the seeded spots and into the geographical wilderness this week. It’s a fight with Oregon State now (save for Georgia heading to Michigan this weekend and getting full home scores), and a season high for Minnesota on Friday at Alabama would definitely put Minnesota back into the top 16.

18. Arizona State – 196.795

Arizona State sits in 18th but cannot move into the top 16 this week so, like every other team in this section of the rankings except Georgia, is sort of safely idling knowing that regionals is secure—and then if a huge number comes, maybe top 16 emerges as a possibility in future weeks.

19. Arizona – 196.770

20. Georgia – 196.670

Because Georgia has those big home scores and a 195 road score still to remove, there is the chance to move up quite a bit with a big road result. It would take at least 197.175 to have even the slightest shot at a spot in the top 16 this week, but if that happens, then we start to talk.

21. NC State – 196.620

22. Stanford – 196.585

23. Penn State – 196.545

24. Illinois – 196.525

25. Washington – 196.485

26. Boise State – 196.480

27. Nebraska – 196.425

28. Ball State – 196.410

29. BYU – 196.390

30. Southern Utah – 196.370

31. Clemson – 196.360

31. Kent State – 196.360

33. San Jose State – 196.335

34. Towson – 196.320

35. Iowa State – 196.255

36. Iowa – 196.155

37. Maryland – 196.125

After Southern Utah’s result on Monday, Maryland now sits outside the top-36 cutoff. But, with two 195 road scores hanging and two road meets this weekend, Maryland has an excellent shot to move way up.

This puts particular pressure on Iowa, since Iowa has all of those bunched low 196s and cannot pass anyone this weekend regardless of score. And then if Maryland does move up with even one good road score out of the two meets, Iowa would be the odd team out in 37th come next Monday’s rankings. Iowa is going to have to start pouring on the higher 196s.

Next in the rankings is Western Michigan on 195.680, so quite a gap has suddenly emerged between the top 37 and everyone else.