National Rankings – Week of January 23rd
T1. UCLA – 196.775
T1. Arkansas – 196.775
3. Utah – 196.713
4. Nebraska – 196.575
5. Oklahoma – 196.433
6. Alabama – 196.325
7. Georgia – 196.275
8. Florida – 196.158
9. Penn State – 196.000
10. Oregon State – 195.675
11. Ohio State – 195.483
12. Stanford – 195.413
13. Boise State – 195.288
14. Illinois – 194.900
15. Arizona – 194.763
16. Auburn – 194.725
17. LSU – 194.617
18. Denver – 194.517
19. Michigan – 194.325
T20. Missouri – 194.308
T20. NC State – 194.308
22. Washington – 194.108
23. Iowa – 194.058
24. Maryland – 194.008
25. West Virginia – 194.000

Full rankings: Troester

A tie at the top, two different paths there.  Arkansas has done it with steady, impressive performances, while UCLA did it with one humongous score to leapfrog everyone it appeared would be above them.  The most encouraging part of yesterday’s meet for UCLA is that they were not great on the dismounts or even landing some of the tumbling passes with control.  Ostensibly, they could easily perform five tenths better than they did this week, which would put them into potential 198 territory at home or away at Georgia. Which leads us to the overarching question that has come up again and again this January: what do you do with those routines scoring 9.900-9.925 when the gymnasts actually starting hitting to full potential?  If the judging continues on this trajectory, we will have either a March of Tens or controversy over a January 9.925 still scoring 9.925 in March when the routine has improved.  Let’s all keep an eye on that moving forward.

Other thoughts:

• Stanford has already used up two of their three home meets, and they have not broken 196. There will be a lot of pressure on their road scores because they will need to count more than three to have a respectable RQS.  Ivana Hong came in on vault this week and scored 9.800.
• If not for the opening meet disaster, LSU would be in 10th.  As usual, vault is the strength, and that rotation is carrying their scores.  Imagine if they had Ranzy as well.
• Florida has Arkansas at home followed by Alabama away in the next two weeks.  Time to initiate phase two of Operation Rhonda Peak.  If they are still scoring in the low 196s after the Alabama meet, then we start to worry.  Wang and Spicer are not cutting it yet, which will mean more pressure on the big five (Hunter, Dickerson, Caquatto, Johnson, King) to contribute on every event.  I can’t see them putting up those mid-197s until all five are at full potential.
• Half of Georgia’s scores against Auburn were below 9.800.  Floor continues to be a major weakness.  They can do better, but can we even envision a lineup that could legitimately put up 49.400?  It would require Nuccio, Earls, Davis, and Worley all hitting to potential at the same time.  I’m not holding my breath.  Jay says they have more depth on floor than last year, and while it’s true they have more routines to choose from, do they really have any more depth? A 9.750 is not depth.