Week four delivered plenty of drama. The reigning national champions fell victim to the season’s biggest upset so far, Florida reached the sport’s elite 198 milestone, and scores across the nation began rising as judges moved away from the lower scores of the opening weeks. With all the excitement, the rankings saw major movement this week, including a change near the top for the first time this season and the SEC teams continuing to shuffle for No. 8.
1. Oklahoma
Last Week: No. 1
Even when tying its season-low, Oklahoma’s 197.550 is still better than the season-highs of all but five other teams. It’s solid win over Alabama marked its first SEC road victory, despite some deductions on handstands and vault and floor landings in the early rotations. The Sooners cleaned up on beam with a 49.575 and had no major concerns throughout the night. While KJ Kindler is confidently putting forward her strongest lineups, with only eight Sooners competing in every routine so far, depth remains a lingering question mark.
2. Florida
Last Week: No. 3
The Gators won the race to the first 198, dominating rival Georgia in a statement rebound from their close loss in week three. While some of the gymternet debate swirled around the judging, Florida’s performance was strong, particularly on bars, where Skye Blakely and Riley McCusker posted 9.850-plus for the first time this season. Anya Pilgrim’s return to the floor lineup and her stellar all-around debut with a 39.550 further boosted the Gators’ outlook as the season progresses.
3. LSU
Last Week: No. 2
After gaining momentum with a big SEC win the previous week, LSU stumbled at Arkansas, with mistakes on floor and beam leading to a loss. It was the Tigers’ first rough meet of the season, so there’s no need to panic just yet, but their margin for error is gone if they hope to claim the regular-season SEC title. LSU’s inability to perform under pressure after doing so successfully a week earlier raises questions about how it’ll fare on the road moving forward.
4. Michigan State
Last Week: No. 3
The Spartans were on track for another 197 before a shaky beam rotation dashed their hopes, but they still secured a convincing road win during the toughest part of their schedule. Michigan State, currently the top-ranked Big Ten team, is in the midst of facing the four next-highest-ranked teams in the conference, with victories over Michigan and Ohio State already in the books and matchups against UCLA and Minnesota up next. Vault continues to be the Spartans’ strongest event, with last week’s four-stick lineup showing they’re among the best in the NCAA.
5. Utah
Last Week: No. 5
Despite losing star freshman Avery Neff to injury, Utah continues to show its depth, climbing the rankings with consistent performances. However, Neff’s absence is felt most on vault, where the lineup lacks the power of her Yurchenko one and a half. While Makenna Smith’s Omelianchik stands out, Utah’s overall vault scores are lagging. With Grace McCallum still struggling with landings, there’s little room for error, but adding amplitude on vault alone could drastically raise Utah’s ceiling.
6. UCLA
Last Week: No. 7
The Bruins have been remarkably consistent since their opening weekend, posting event totals within tenths of each other across the board, except for beam, which saw a slight drop this week. UCLA’s string of three straight 197s has catapulted it back into the top 10 and firmly into the nationals conversation. While Jordan Chiles’ 10.0 on bars earlier this season was a highlight, UCLA’s bars totals remain a weak spot, with only two gymnasts joining Chiles in scoring above 9.9. Developing one more standout routine there could elevate UCLA to nationals favorite.
7. California
Last Week: No. 6
Despite a season-best floor performance, California fell short of 197 again, though it clinched its first-ever ACC dual win in its home opener. Beam mistakes hindered the Golden Bears, but vault remains their weakest event, with four 10.0 start values not producing enough 9.9s to stay competitive with the nation’s top teams. The talent is there, but they need to start hitting soon if they want to secure a top-eight national seed and repeat their 2024 runner-up finish.
8. Missouri
Last Week: Not Ranked
Swapping places with Kentucky, Missouri’s win over the Wildcats earned them a spot in the top 10. In a matchup of two teams fighting for nationals spots and top-half SEC finishes, Missouri’s veterans, who powered the Tigers to a fifth-place finish at 2022 nationals, came through again. When Jocelyn Moore and Amari Celestine are at their best, scoring multiple 9.9s, Missouri can be a dangerous spoiler in the SEC.
Next Up: Kentucky, Auburn, Oregon State, Arkansas
READ THIS NEXT: Questions, Comments, Concerns: Week 3
Article by Brandis Heffner
Georgia is ranked ahead of Arkansas.
I don’t understand where you get these standings. They don’t mesh with the Road to Nationals official rankings at all. Is this just where you would like them to be? Seems arbitrary.
Power rankings are our internal rankings, taking into account more than scores. They ARE based on our writer’s opinion, as well as how the teams performed only the previous week. It is a look at where the teams stand at this specific moment in time, which is how power rankings are done in other sports.