It’s a top-10 matchup this Friday night and the first time these two teams will meet as SEC foes! The No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners travel to Tuscaloosa to face No. 8 Alabama in the Crimson Tide’s second home meet of the season. Oklahoma aims to stay consistent and maintain its top ranking for the fourth straight week.
At its home opener last weekend against Missouri, Oklahoma posted an impressive 197.775, just two-tenths shy of its season-high score. For a team as precise as the Sooners, identifying a “weak” event is tough. Last week, vault was the lowest-scoring event, yet they still managed over a 49.300, with only some minor deductions on landings. Oklahoma has relied heavily on its core group of all-arounders, so it will be intriguing to see if more gymnasts break into the lineups as the season progresses. The Sooners remain in search of their first perfect 10.0 of 2025, and even the smallest improvements could help them continue their dominance.
Alabama, on the other hand, is heading into its third meet of the season after a dip in scoring last week, posting a 196.100—a full point lower than its season debut. Beam was the Tide’s downfall against Kentucky, where they had to count a fall and other lower-than-expected scores in the final rotation. However, Alabama excelled in the first three rotations, earning five scores of 9.9+. With the home crowd energy in Coleman Coliseum, the Tide will be looking to bounce back and make a strong statement against the top-ranked Sooners, solidifying themselves as a major SEC contender.
You can follow along on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET for an exciting competition to come!
Rotation 1: VT Alabama, UB Oklahoma
German (Alabama): Starting this meet off strong with a big Yurchenko 1.5, big step forward. 9.775
Pederson (OU): Perfect Maloney to Pak, dismounts double layout, step back on that landing, beautiful lead off for OU! 9.800.
Bunagan (Alabama): Yurchenko 1.5, comes in short and takes a few steps back on the landing. Looking like she buckled on the board but still got it to her feet. 9.600
Fatta (OU): Long wait for Fatta. Opens up with a huge Church to toe handstand to Pak, dismounts with a stuck double layout! Definitely Fatta’s best routine thus far for OU! 9.850.
Paradise (Alabama): Another Yurchenko 1.5, better landing, still a bit short but keeps this one up and a cleaner landing! 9.750.
Torrez (OU): HUGE Ray to toe handstand to Pak, really nice. Really fighting for these handstands and dismounts double layout with just a shuffle on the landing. 9.750.
Hudson (Alabama): Yurchenko 1.5, small hop forward! Really great vault for this lineup half way through! 9.875.
Mueller (OU): Big Ray down to Pak, a little bit of legs, doesn’t make the pirouette over on the first try, dismounts with a big double layout stuck, but drops her chest on the landing. 9.650.
Gladieux (Alabama): Yurchenko 1.5, smaller hop forward! Nice momentum in the back half of this lineup! Another 9.875!
Davis (OU): Eagle pirouette to the flightiest Jaeger ever and down to a Pak, Eagle grip pirouette, front giant to double front half out STUCK. Clones this routine every time, wow. 9.925
Adams (Alabama): Ends this lineup with with a nice Yurchenko full and a small scoot / jump in place. 9.800
Bowers (OU): Blind to a really nice piked Jaeger, great Pak down and dismounts full in, STUCK! What an exclamation point in these last two spots of the OU lineup! 9.950.
After 1: Alabama 49.075, Oklahoma 49.275
Not what we would probably have predicted to see in this first rotation from these two teams, but both were able to pick it back up in the last couple of lineup spots with some big scores to help each event total. Jordan Bowers notched the highest score of the first rotation with a 9.950 on bars, right after Audrey Davis’ 9.925 in the fifth spot. Alabama is led by a pair of 9.875 by Gabby Gladieux and Lily Hudson on vault after a handful of lower scores on the event. Both teams were seemingly starting to settle in in these last few spots, and with OU only two tenths ahead, Alabama will be looking to build on this rotation and keep it a tight meet while OU will be looking for more stuck landings and the high scores we are used to from the Sooners on vault.
Rotation 2: VT Oklahoma, UB Alabama
Pederson (OU): Yurchenko 1.5, huge height and just on step forward. 9.875.
LaCoursiere (Alabama): Maloney up to a Pak, right back up with. a Maloney 1/2 and a stuck full in dismount! Great lead off for Alabama in rotation two! 9.850.
Torrez (OU): STUCK Yurchenko 1.5! Amazing. 9.950! Career high for her!
Paradise (Alabama): Blind to straddle Jaeger, really stretched on that wow, right to shoot over, dismounts double layout and another stick for Bama! 9.850.
Fatta (OU): Yurchenko 1.5, really nice height and just a hop forward! 9.825
Hudson (Alabama): Maloney, leg separation on the catch but follows it up with a nice shoot over and a full in dismount, hops forward with just a little under rotation on that. 9.775
Wells (OU): Yurchenko 1.5 , just a step forward on that. 9.775.
Fuller (Alabama): Starts off with a Pak down and back up with a Maloney 1/2 after missing her toes in the first try, but makes it through to a stuck double layout! 9.750.
Bowers (OU): Yurchenko 1.5 just a little under rotated and take a step back on the landing. 9.800.
Gladieux (Alabama): Straddle Jaeger right to shoot over, another really reached for release wow, blind full to double tuck, hops forward on that landing. 9.775.
Davis (OU): Yurchenko 1.5, small hop forward on that. 9.850.
Walker (Alabama): Nice Pak down, really nice Maloney right to in bar Geinger, and dismounts full in stuck. WOW. Already a huge routine for Alabama!
After 2: Oklahoma 49.300 (98.575), Alabama 49.150 (98.225)
Still keeping it really close through two rotations! A much better rotation for both teams, highlighted by the stuck Yurchenko 1.5 for Torrez coming in with a 9.950 in the second spot! Both teams were able to drop a 9.775 in these event totals and get the second 49+ totals of the night moving to the second half of the meet. Freshman Paityn Walker anchored the bar rotation for the Tide with a huge, difficult routine with the highest score of the rotation with a 9.875. There have been frustrations about the judging so far, so hopefully this doesn’t bleed into how the athletes are feeling going into rotation three!
Rotation 3: BB Alabama, FX Oklahoma
LaCoursiere (Alabama): Coming back after a rocky beam rotation last weekend, LaCoursiere starts Alabama off with a split jump to double stag ring. Front aerial BHS series, nice. Dismounts round off 1.5 stuck! 9.825.
Davis (OU): Davis getting the Sooners started on rotation three, huge front double full right into choreo. Torjete half to wolf full to sissone with a clap, love. Second pass back 1.5 to front full, perfect. Such a great lead off for this team! 9.800.
Bunagan (Alabama): Following up a great tone setter for this rotation, nice candle mount to start. BHS LOSO, perfect this weekend! Split jump to double stag ring jump, small wobble. Dismounts a BHS Gainer full stuck! What a way to come back this weekend! 9.825.
Fatta (OU): Front double full to stag jump, nice. Second pass front through to 2.5, almost goes out of bounds but keeps it in, just a large step. Replay she does end up going out of bounds, but not too sure if that was caught by the judges. 9.750. Didn’t get OOB deduction.
Ladanyi (Alabama): Sets up with a front aerial to split jump, nice. BHS LOSO, little check and some bent knees but saves that. Switch leap to split jump, good. Ends with a BHS Gainer full stuck! The third 9.825 in a row for Alabama!
Mueller (OU): Front thru to double tuck, nice. Front layout to front rudi, really nice height on that. Torjete 1/2 to straddle full, really nice extension on that. 9.875.
Hudson (Alabama): Opens up with a front aerial to BHS LOSO, perfect. Switch leap to beat jump, nice. Really good side aerial. Dismounts with a round off 1.5 tiny hop forward. 9.850.
Pederson (OU): 1.5 step out to 2.5, hops on that landing into her dance but keeps it in bounds. Front double full to kick, really nice on that. Switch side to straddle full to end her routine! 9.825.
Adams (Alabama): Double wolf turn, really nice. Front aerial, little off breaks the connection but a solid BHS LOSO. Switch leap to split jump, nice. BHS Gainer full, small scoot back. 9.875.
Bowers (OU): Starts off with a huge front double full to front, perfect. Love this dance. Double pike sky high second pass. Switch leap to switch half to wolf full. No notes. 9.950!
Gladieux (Alabama): Anchoring this lineup, BHS layout to two feet, wobbles and lifts her foot off the beam. Little form issues on that but brings it back with a front aerial to beat jump. Switch leap to split jump, good. Round off double full, stuck!!
Torrez (OU): HUGE double layout to start. Torjete half to wolf full, second pass a front through to double tuck, really nice.
After 3: Alabama 49.200 (147.425), Oklahoma 49.400 (147.975)
What a comeback on beam for Alabama after a shaky beam rotation last week at Kentucky! No score under a 9.800 with the highest from 9.875 from Adams in the fifth spot. This lineup looked strong and intentional heading into its floor rotation for its last rotation of the night. Oklahoma heads into beam after a strong rotation on floor with a pair of 9.95s from Torrez and Bowers in the five and six spots. Oklahoma has the margin of a fall to keep up its lead in this close meet to start off the weekend!
Rotation 4: BB Oklahoma, FX Alabama
Davis (OU): First time OU finishes on beam this year and what a great lead off to have in this spot! Perfect BHS LOSO. Front aerial, right to needle kick down to beam choreo. Beat jump to ring jump, little wobble. Dismounts roundoff double full, stuck! 9.900
Sears (Alabama): Opens up with a huge double pike! HUGE jumps with a switch half to straddle full, straddle full. Dances into the corner for her second pass, front through to double tuck, comes up a bit short but keeps it on her feet. 9.750.
Wells (OU): Side aerial, small wobble on that first skill. Switch leap switch leap, perfect. BHS LOSO, solid. Dismounts with round off 1.5, steps back on that. 9.800.
Rybicki (Alabama): Opens with a double tuck, jumps out of bounds with both feet. Switch side for straddle full down the middle. Back 1.5 to front full last pass, keeps that in for a nice ending. 9.575.
Fatta (OU): Opens with BHS LOSO, lifts the front foot a little. Side aerial, good. Hitch kick to switch side, good. Switch leap to split jump, little hesitant but ends BHS Gainer full stuck! 9.900.
LaCoursiere (Alabama): Double tuck (out of bounds maybe?) to start off. Front layout to front rudi, nice. Switch right to Torjete half and a stuck last pass with a front layout front full! 9.750.
Bowers (OU): Starts off with HUGE BHS swing down, absolute favorite part of this routine. BHS LOSO, really nice. Split leap to switch half, small adjustment. Round off double full stuck to end!! 9.925.
Adams (Alabama): Triple wolf turn, beautiful. First pass a front through to double pike, steps forward on that. Switch half to wolf full, nice rotation on that. Ends with nice back 1.5 to front layout. 9.850.
Pederson (OU): BHS LOSO, a little off alignment but pulls it back on. Hitch kick to switch side. Side somi, perfect. Round off double full, stuck! 9.900.
Hudson (Alabama): Front layout to front double full and sits it down, very uncharacteristic for her. Really nice 2.5 to end this routine.
Torrez (OU): Anchoring this huge beam lineup for the Sooners, Torrez sets up with a side aerial to LOSO, perfect. Switch leap to straddle jump, really nice. BHS Gainer full, stuck, perfect wow. 9.950! What a day for her!
Gladieux (Alabama): Coming after a low score of a 8.975, Gladieux starts off with a huge full out STUCK. Audible WOW. Torjete half to straddle full, really nice. Second pass front layout to front rudi to split jump. Truly no notes, that was amazing. 9.95 to cap this rotation!
FINAL: Oklahoma 197.550, Alabama 196.300
This was a pretty close meet until the final rotation, but Oklahoma ended up running away with another 197.5 + score with a huge 49.575 on its final rotation on beam. Alabama had some uncharacteristic mistakes in this last rotation that would have kept this meet tight all the way through, but ended floor with a huge routine from Gladieux with a near perfect 9.950! The highlight for Alabama tonight would be its comeback beam rotation with all counting scores over a 9.800, but, after dealing with illness this week, will be looking to build on this team score even more so in the coming week. This team score will keep Oklahoma in one of the top, if not number one spot for this week after the Sooners continued to build its lowest event total to start the night on bars. Oklahoma’s Jordan Bowers will take the all-around title tonight with a huge 39.625 right in front of teammate Faith Torrez with a 39.600 who notched three scores of a 9.950 tonight! Even with some mistakes and the tighter judging, this was definitely a meet with a lot of improvements for both teams, but still some ways to get back tenths moving into the middle of season!
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Live Blog by Julianna Roland
