Yep, you read those numbers right. Ohio State is ranked five spots above Michigan ahead of 2024’s The Game: Gymnastics Edition, which has the potential to be as competitive as it’s ever been. Though they’re 14-30 in the all-time series, the surging Buckeyes are arguably the favorite going into today’s matchup. Freshman Courtney McCann turned heads last week with her 9.975 on beam, her first counting college routine, and don’t look now, but Ella Hodges is currently tied for first place in the country on floor. The Buckeyes have the pieces to make it happen against their rival, but they’ll need to rise to the occasion.
Last week, Michigan worked to change the narrative established by its less than ideal showing at the Super Sixteen. The Wolverines went over 197 at home, highlighted by a top 2 program floor record and Sierra Brooks earning the new highest all around score in school history. Look for her and classmate Gabby Wilson to do much of the heavy lifting today as the Wolverines take this show back on the road, where they’ll hope to decisively put the question of whether this is just a rebuilding year to rest.
Assuming we’ve all seen Ohio State’s new for the meet today. For some reason I can’t embed it, but I love. Michigan is in this.
Recent Buckeye grad and legend Lexi Edwards is on the call on B1G+ today!
Rotation 1: Ohio State VT, Michigan UB
Michigan with an identical lineup to last week’s.
Grimes VT: Floaty full, some legs in the air, small hop back. 9.825
Morrison UB: Based on the cheers, it sounds like she’s going, but we’re not seeing it. She went 9.825.
Mintz VT: Another full, looks like a bigger block than Grimes and another small hop. 9.800
Vore UB: First UB we’ll see for Mich. Tkatchev caught, avoids the fall this week, nice last handstand, stuck DLO. Redemption routine. 9.800
Washington VT: Looks like a small hop in place to me but commentators stay stick. Hard to say, but beautiful vault. 9.875
Wilson UB: Blind to pike Jaeger, flexed feet, close to the bar. Last handstand a little short, DLO, step back. 9.825
Riccardi VT: Small hop back on the full. Buckeyes looking clean thus far. 9.875
Zabrowski UB: Blind to Jaeger, foot and knee form. Pak looked nice. DLO a little pikey, step back. 9.775
Harris VT: Crowd was hyped for her. Tiny hop forward 1.5. Looked very clean in the air. 9.900
Bauman UB: Toe half, Jaeger, nice, bail. Nice distance from the bar. Blind to double front, looked stuck. Very nice. 9.950, warranted.
Vetter VT: Full, little scoot but not much movement at all. 9.850
Brooks UB: Aggressive blind to pike Jaeger, that one looked a little far from the bar but caught. Toe hand to bail hand, a bit arched over. FTDL, small hop. 9.825
Gregory VT exh: 1.5 small step forward. Her first time throwing the 1.5. 9.775
Marr UB exh: Great to see the Penn transfer finally get some action in lineups here. Pretty nice handstands and toe point, DLO big step back.
After 1: Ohio State 49.325, Michigan 49.225
Told y’all it was set to be close! Michigan’s bars were serviceable but felt like they were missing that extra oomph without Brooks’s usually flawless routine. Nevertheless, it was good for them to avoid a miss. Ohio State didn’t get any sticks on vault, but kept it clean overall.
Rotation 2: Ohio State UB, Michigan VT
Guggino VT: 1.5, trots forward. Leading off this week. 9.775
Pritchard UB: Legs kept together on Gienger comes a bit close to the bar, last handstand looked like a stuck double back. 9.775
Mulligan VT: Some legs in the air, several steps forward goes outside the lines. Some nerves at the start of this lineup. 9.700
Washington UB: Beautiful Maloney, Pak a little archy, pirouette looks good on the low bar, beautiful last handstand into double back with a big hop back. 9.825
Morrison VT: STUCK 1.5. That’s what the Wolverines needed. Not much to take from that. 9.950
Vetter UB: Tkatchev absolutely huge but some flexed feet, bail. Last handstand a bit short, full-in looked stuck. 9.825
Wilson VT: Another stuck 1.5, amazing. Couldn’t ask for a better 3-4 punch, let’s see if Brooks can make it a third stick. 9.950
Harris UB: Tkatchev good into bail, last handstand full pirouette and another stick. Love to see both of these lineups picking up steam. 9.900. With those first two rotations she’s looking like a potential AA champ.
Brooks VT: 1.5, this time a step back. 9.825
Riccardi UB: Tkatchev easily caught, Pak beautiful form, few issues so far, chest down and fights for stick, looks like she got it. 9.875 a little low I think.
Jordan VT: From the leadoff last week to the anchor position. Yfull a little underrotated and steps to the side. 9.625
McCann UB: Last handstand a little short, sticks double back to finish. 9.825
Buchanan UB exh: Her club teammate Haylen Zabrowski is across the arena from her right now. Toe-on Tkatchev, Pak super close and has to come off. 9.150
After 2: Ohio State 98.575, Michigan 98.425
Ohio State building its lead, answering the call with a bunch of stuck landings after struggling to find them on vault. Michigan’s lineup was a bit up and down; Morrison getting the stick we knew she was capable of was a bright spot.
Rotation 3: Ohio State BB, Michigan FX
Pritchard BB: Cat to side aerial good form and confident, BHS LOSO great form as well and no hesitation, beat to jump struggles a bit with a check, stuck 1.5 to end. 9.700
Bauman FX: Natural by Imagine Dragons to open her music. Front double full, good landing step forward. Switch half wolf full wolf full. Back 1.5 front lay, stuck. Absolutely love Bolla Rebolla to end. 9.825
Hankins BB: BHS LOSO looked like a slight check. Front toss. LOL with this view of the beam in front of the audience, it’s almost hard to pick out the athlete on the beam from everyone in the crowd if that makes sense. Crowd cheering like a stick but I think I saw movement. 9.850
Mulligan FX: String version of Unholy, dying. Mulligan (UM): Front through double tuck, couple steps back off the floor. Switch side to straddle, good oversplit on the leap position. Double pike, slide back slightly. 9.575
Harris BB: Nice full turn, aerial to back pike (?), holds the stick on back double full. 9.925
Guggino FX: slide back on front tuck through to double pike, Rudi to end. 9.875
Loving the cheers the tOSU crowd is bringing when they hear the announcement of a 9.9+ score.
Vetter BB: BHS LOSO no movement, tiniest of checks on side aerial. I kind of like that these athletes don’t have beam music and just keep the hype songs going throughout the routines. Back 1.5 super deep squat and has to take several steps out, barely stays standing so that’s impressive. 9.625
Morrison FX: full-in outstanding. Switch half to wolf full, good height. Front tuck through to double tuck, she’s having a really good day. 9.900
Hodges BB: Precise on the leaps, BHS LOSO small check. Standing BHS LOSO another tiny check but looks aggressive, stuck back 1.5 beautiful to end. 9.950 okay then! Highest score of the meet thus far.
Brooks FX: Stuck full-in, looking like the start of her 10 last week. Stuck on the leap combo too. Controlled lunge. This was definitely picking up from her first two events. Let’s see what they give her. 9.950
McCann BB: Round off layout leg comes up, struggles and a fall. Bummer after her incredible debut last week. Now tOSU will count Vetter’s 9.6 range score. back 1.5 step forward. 8.975
Wilson FX: Full-in controlled lunge. The ubiquitous Mi Gente music. Straddles over extended. Front lay to back half, avoids the OOB this week. 9.925
Buchanan BB exh: BHS LOSO check, side aerial to beat. Slight break in between those skills. A little undersplit on the leap combo. back 1.5 almost a stick very tiny step forward, good for her after the fall last exh.
After 3: Michigan 147.9, Ohio State 147.625
And the Wolverines surge from behind. Ohio State hurt itself with the mistakes from two top beamers after the run of 9.9+ routines from Michigan. It still feels like anyone’s game!
Rotation 4: Ohio State FX, Michigan BB
Mulligan BB: Combo leaps looking solid, side aerial, stuck tucked 1.5. I have to give these Michigan athletes credit for coming back after a few tough events. 9.900
Grimes FX: Double pike great landing, I like this music a lot. Back 1.5 front lay. Double back step forward, good for her after a fall last time. 9.800
Guggino BB: BHS LOSO, leap combo a bit underrotated, second straddle better, tiny check on side somi, back 1.5 big step forward. 9.875
Washington FX: huge double pike. nice front lay front double full. Love this random medley including SexyBack to end, so fun. Double back controlled slide. It’s cute how Coach Paulicivic joins the team with doing the choreo. 9.900
Wilson BB: BHS LOSO some leg form but no hesitation there. Nice standing leap combo, slight check on the full turn. Gears up for dismount, step back on double back. 9.875
Mintz FX: Full-in looked a little low to the ground with a step back. Front lay to front full. Appreciate the three pass routines. Big double back super insecure landing with some stumbles, barely stays in bounds. 9.800
Vore BB: BHS LOSO no movement, much better week than last. Front toss. Back 1.5 small step forward. 9.825
Vetter FX: SUPERBASS music love. So many Nicki routines this season, think I remarked it in my Florida liveblog last week as well. Double back excellent landing, leaps a little under 180. She has great choreo. Rudi to end. 9.900
Bauman BB: BHS LOSO Michigan has some great series today. Leaps great positions, slight check on this side somi as well. Gainer pike hop forward. 9.875.
Harris FX: Let’s see how she caps off her day. Front double to front tuck, very vocal music? Double pike hops out of the end a bit. 9.875
Brooks BB: Triple series excellent control. Front toss, no issues thus far. Stuck back 1.5. Felt tenny. 9.975
Hodges FX: One of the nation’s top floor workers. Love this dramatic routine. Double pike controlled slide back. 1.5 back loso, absolutely gorgeous. 9.925
Marr BB exh: BHS LOSO no hesitation, side aerial, stuck back 1.5. She certainly seems to have gotten more adjusted.
Gonzalez FX exh: Euphoria music. Big double pike.
FINAL: Michigan 197.400, Ohio State 197.025
And that’s another one in the W column for the Wolverines in this series. The Buckeyes had a lot of momentum going into beam and floor but made some nervy mistakes. We can question Michigan’s depth all we want, but its top routines from Brooks and, today, Morrison, are truly the best of the best.
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Live blog by Katherine Weaver
