Conference championship weekend has arrived—and with it, the most consequential slate of the season so far. Titles, regional seeding, and postseason momentum are all on the line as the nation’s top teams collide across a packed schedule of high-stakes meets. From a razor-tight SEC battle featuring Oklahoma, Florida, and LSU to a surging Utah squad looking to cement its Big 12 dominance, and a wide-open Big Ten race led by UCLA, every tenth will matter. Add in unpredictable showdowns in the ACC, MAC, and Mountain West, and this weekend promises drama, upsets, and defining performances as teams make their final push toward regionals.
Must-Watch Meets
ACC Championship
Saturday, March 21 at 2:30 & 7 p.m. ET | ACCN
Prediction: 72.3% Stanford, 17.0% California, 5.8% Clemson, 3.1% North Carolina, 1.7% N.C. State, 0.1% Pittsburgh
Stanford enters the ACC championship as the favorite after spending most of the season ranked in or around the top 10 and claiming the regular-season title. However, California and Clemson are not far behind. If Stanford counts a fall or has any significant errors, either team could capitalize with a hit performance.
The race for runner-up is especially tight between the Golden Bears and Tigers. If the minor landing issues both teams have shown at times this season resurface, N.C. State, could be in a position to pull off an upset. Despite dealing with injuries and illnesses, the Wolfpack have remained steady across all four events, with particular strength on bars and floor.
North Carolina and Pittsburgh have had inconsistent results in 2026 but shouldn’t be overlooked. The Tar Heels have been strong on vault and floor for much of the season and could use those events to gain ground if opportunities arise. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, has excelled on bars, which could prove decisive if other teams falter. Many ACC meets this season have come down to the final routines, and with upsets in each of the past two years, this championship has all the makings of another tight and exciting finish.
Notes about the predictions: Stanford is a strong favorite to win the ACC title, but if it counts a fall, California becomes the favorite to win with a 44% chance of taking the title. Stanford appears to have figured out its vault struggles, scoring a 49.450 or better in three of its last four meets. Doing so again would give it a 90% chance of winning the championship.
Big 12 Championship
Saturday, March 21 at 2 & 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+ & ESPNU
Prediction: 83.3% Utah, 11.0% Denver, 4.8% BYU, 1.0% Other
Six teams will compete across two sessions in the battle for the Big 12 title. Utah stands above the rest, with its early-season struggles now behind it; the Utes have surpassed 197 in each of their last six meets. Only two other teams in the conference have reached that mark, just once each.
The race for runner-up promises to be just as compelling, as Denver and BYU sit neck and neck in the national rankings. The Pioneers hold a slight edge in NQS, but the Cougars are coming off a statement upset win and boast the higher season high. That push from both teams could apply pressure to Utah—this title is not a foregone conclusion.
Also, keep an eye on the tightly matched battle between Arizona and Arizona State, despite the two being in separate sessions. The in-state rivalry adds another layer of intrigue and underscores the conference’s depth, capping what should be an exciting championship meet.
Notes about the predictions: Utah appears to have hit its stride the past few weeks and should be able to easily win its second straight Big 12 championship. However, if some of its early-season struggles reappear, look to Denver or BYU to capitalize. Scoring below a 49.000 on at least one event drops Utah’s win chances to 57%. Doing so on two events, which it did twice in January this year, drops the Ute’s chances to just 18%.
Big Ten Championship
Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. ET and Saturday, March 21 at 1 & 6 p.m. ET | BTN
Prediction: 70.9% UCLA, 14.7% Michigan State, 8.9% Michigan, 4.4% Minnesota, 1.0% Other
UCLA is the favorite this weekend, but the Bruins won’t be able to claim the title without a fight. Michigan, Michigan State, and Minnesota have all posted scores capable of challenging UCLA if the Bruins have a less-than-stellar meet. Minnesota is the lowest-ranked of the three challengers but owns the highest season high. Michigan State also has a vault lineup that can propel it into contention, especially if the Spartans can pair that strength with a solid beam rotation.
From a regionals perspective, plenty is at stake this weekend. Rutgers and Illinois are two of 11 teams on the bubble fighting for five spots. Both programs will need strong team scores to improve their postseason chances. There is also plenty to be decided in seeding among teams already projected to qualify. Michigan, Minnesota, and Michigan State still have a wide range of possible seeds, and Penn State, Iowa, and Ohio State remain in contention for a spot in the top 16.
Notes about the predictions: These numbers may look like UCLA is going to walk away with the title, but the competition in the Big Ten is heating up. At the start of the season, UCLA had a 94% chance of winning the championship meet. The drop to just 70% shows how strong the rest of this conference has become.
SEC Championship
Saturday, March 21 at 3 & 8 p.m. ET | SECN
Prediction: 41.0% Oklahoma, 31.1% Florida, 24.2% LSU, 2.5% Alabama, 0.8% Georgia, 0.4% Other
All nine SEC teams head to Tulsa for a shot at one of the top conference titles in NCAA gymnastics. Five teams will compete in the afternoon session, headlined by Georgia, which is putting together one of its strongest seasons in recent years but is still working to fill the void left by Lily Smith’s season-ending injury. The freshmen have stepped up in a major way, giving Georgia a slight edge over the rest of the afternoon field. To secure that advantage, it will need to hold off Arkansas and Missouri, as well as Auburn and Kentucky, both of which have rebounded from slow starts and appear to be peaking at the right time.
The evening session will be the highlight of the weekend, with Oklahoma, LSU, Florida, and Alabama entering as the nation’s top four teams. Of the group, only Alabama has yet to break the 198 mark, while the other three have done so multiple times this season. Oklahoma enters as the favorite and will begin on vault, where it ranks No. 1 nationally. The Sooners will be the team to watch, but LSU and Florida won’t make it easy. LSU boasts the nation’s top all-arounder in Kailin Chio and the top-ranked floor lineup, while Florida leads the country on bars and beam. Alabama is the dark horse, with a slightly lower scoring ceiling, but it features two of the nation’s top bar workers in Chloe LaCoursiere and Azaraya Ra-Akbar. If the Crimson Tide delivers a complete performance, it could still contend. Each team has shown vulnerabilities at points this season, and in a field this tight, even a single mistake could prove decisive. Ultimately, the title may come down to which team hits when it matters most.
Notes about the predictions: The past two weekends have shifted what was already a competitive conference championship into an extremely close matchup. Florida and LSU both secured two strong 198+ scores, lowering Oklahoma’s win chances from 60% down to 40%. The numbers show that any of these three teams could walk away with the title, depending on who hits on the day.
Upset Alert
MAC Championship
Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 41.9% Central Michigan, 34.9% Ball State, 12.4% Kent State, 10.3% Western Michigan, 0.6% Other
With a perfect conference record and a regionals spot already secured, Central Michigan enters as the team to beat. Luciana Alvarado-Reid has been on a tear in her senior season, earning five weekly all-around conference honors in 2026 and emerging as the frontrunner for the all-around title. Backed by Lia Kmieciak on vault and bars, the Chippewas are well-positioned for a strong weekend.
Ball State has the best chance to challenge, thanks largely to its dominance on beam. Ashley Szymanski and Delaney McMahon lead the conference and have hit every routine this season, while defending champion Heidi Schultz looks to repeat. Western Michigan’s Reese Samuelson and Eastern Michigan’s Katin Childress are also names to watch.
Vault favors Kent State, which has posted multiple 49-plus rotations. Charlie Behner leads the way, with Ball State’s Zoe Middleton among those who could contend. Floor is similarly wide open, with seven gymnasts scoring 9.900 or higher this year, including potential disruptors Kayla Shaw (Bowling Green) and Abby Brushwood (Eastern Michigan).
All seven teams will compete in a single mega-session for the final time before Northern Illinois departs for the Mountain West, adding extra significance to an already competitive championship.
Notes about the predictions: Central Michigan enters one of the closest conference championships of the weekend with a slight advantage due to its strength on bars and floor. It has reached 49+ on these two events in four of its last five meets, but failing to do so again would make Ball State a 49% favorite. The Cardinals failed to hit 49 on any event last weekend for the first time since week one, but hitting that 49+ mark on two events would give it a 68% chance of taking the title.
Mountain West Championship
Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m. ET | Free live stream
Prediction: 51.1% Utah State, 31.8% San Jose State, 9.0% Air Force, 8.2% Boise State
Buckle up—this championship could come down to the final landing. The last two editions were decided by just a half-tenth, and the parity across the conference is even greater in 2026. Utah State looks to defend its title after sharing the regular-season crown with Air Force, but the Falcons enter with the most momentum. San Jose State boasts a program-record vault score this season, while Boise State will benefit from competing at home.
Utah State holds the edge in NQS, but Air Force is coming off a historic 197.150—the program’s first 197 and a mark no other team in the field has reached this year. The Falcons have broken their program record four times in 2026 and sit at No. 33, in position for their first team regionals appearance since 2002. While the conference title is the goal, putting up a strong mark to secure their place in the postseason will be another important factor for the Falcons.
The Aggies remain a serious threat. Their 196.875 season high ranks third in program history, and they’ve posted six straight scores of 196 or better, building one of the program’s strongest seasons in decades. San Jose State’s vault lineup stands out and could be decisive as it closes the meet on that event. Boise State, meanwhile, has surged in March after a slow start, with freshman Miraya Nero leading the way. The Broncos remain on the regionals bubble and will need a season-high performance to strengthen their case.
Individually, Air Force’s Maggie Slife leads the field with 9.900-plus scores on every event and two 9.975s on bars. San Jose State’s Mikaela Pitts and Kaviana Jurries are top vault contenders, while Utah State’s Nyla Morabito (floor) and Boise State’s Kristina Shchennikova (bars, beam) bring additional 9.900-plus potential.
Notes about the predictions: Air Force is entering the postseason red hot, so while some historically lower scores are pulling down its chances here, definitely do not count it out. Another 196+ would give Air Force a 67% chance of winning the title.
Wondering how we came up with the predictions for each meet? Read more about our methodology.
There’s Other Stuff Happening Too
We’d be remiss to let a preview for week two go by without bringing up these additional areas of interest.
- NCGA nationals is the first of the season’s national championships, with Brockport, Cortland, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, and Whitewater contending for the title. With a bevy of DIII teams eclipsing the 190 mark this season, this should be a more competitive championship than ever before. One of the best gymnasts there, Ithaca’s Grace Murray, will be competing as an individual, but look for her to make a splash in the title race. Check out our in-depth preview of the meet here.
- With multiple DI wins under its belt, Texas Woman’s is the frontrunner for MIC championship, but the all-around battle should be a tight one, with SEMO’s Taylor Ingle having taken the MIC by storm all season long. One of the few competitions held on Friday night, and taking place all in one session, this will be an underrated fun one.
- The EAGL championship is one of many conferences to look different than it once did, but it should be a competitive meet with the remaining teams, especially between Towson and New Hampshire at the top of the podium.
Fantasy Corner
If you’re diving into fantasy gymnastics this year, you’re aiming to crush it—right? Fantasy Central has you covered with smart tips and strategic insights all season long. Tara Graeve and data editor Dara Tan will keep you up to speed on injuries, scoring trends, under-the-radar waiver wire gems, and everything else you need to stay ahead of the competition.
CGN Pick’em
Want to join in on the predictions? Tag us on social media with your picks, then tune into the meets to see how well you do!
How to Watch
Looking for more info on how to watch your favorite teams in action? Head to our master schedule for all the scoring, video, and live blog links, or head to our annual “How to Watch” article to see what platforms you have access to with various streaming services.
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Article by the editors of College Gym News
