LIVE BLOG: Big 4 Meet with No. 44 Rutgers, No. 21 Nebraska, and No. 2 UCLA at No. 22 Ohio State

If UCLA’s dominant season hasn’t already solidified its place at the top of the Big Ten, today’s marquee midseason conference showdown is the perfect chance to do so. The Bruins have established themselves as true title contenders, and after surviving last week’s road test at Michigan, they remain in control of both the regular-season race and the conference championship conversation.

Ohio State has fallen slightly short of expectations in 2025 but has a prime opportunity to make a statement in this high-stakes home quad. The Buckeyes kept it close against Penn State last week, but struggles on bars ultimately cost them the meet. If they want a top-half finish today, they can’t afford another misstep. Nebraska, sitting just one spot ahead of Ohio State in the rankings, has already proven it can challenge top teams—it nearly knocked off Michigan State at home a few weeks ago—so expect a tight battle for second place in this session. Meanwhile, Rutgers will look to stay in the mix. The Scarlet Knights posted a season-high 196.275 at Michigan State last week, nearly a full point higher than their previous best, and even outscored the Spartans on floor.

In the new-look Big Ten, all four teams have something to prove, setting the stage for one of the conference’s most exciting matchups yet this season.

Rotation 1: Rutgers VT, Nebraska UB, Ohio State BB, UCLA FX

McClelland (Nebraska) UB: Catches Jaeger with solid amplitude, last handstand very crisp, DLO a little pikey but stuck. 9.825

Chevaire (Rutgers) VT: Yfull not the most height, pike, and hop back. Double full dismount small hop back. 9.625

Guevara (Ohio State) BB: BHS LOSO some leg form and leg goes up, wobbles, stays on the beam. Switch leap not quite 180. 9.725

Lee (UCLA) FX: Double tuck controlled. Front lay front full same. Double pike chest way down and has to stumble forward after under rotation. 9.800

Adrian (Rutgers) VT: Hops forward on yhalf. 9.700

Hollifield (Nebraska) UB: Her first time in the bars lineup. Jaeger a bit close. DLO step back. 9.775

Smith (Ohio State) BB: Front toss to BHS small check. Nice 180 straddle positions. Hop back on gainer full dismount. 9.825

McGowan (UCLA) FX: Open full-in shows some lack of control. Gets it together on back 1.5 to front full, controlled step forward. 9.875

Pagliaro (Rutgers) VT: Yfull small hop back, some leg separation, a bit piked. 9.800

Walker (Ohio State) BB: No issues on the BHS LOSO, front aerial to beat clean as well, straddle leap combo with great positions. Gainer pike sticks at first but has to take some steps back. 9.825

Sikon (Nebraska) UB: Huge piked Jaeger some flexed feet, sticks double back chest up, really nice landing. 9.775

Malabuyo (UCLA) FX: Switch ring switch half to wolf full, nice rotation. Back 1.5 to front lay clean and dances out. 9.875

Aird (Rutgers) VT: Chest way down and has to take a few steps. 9.625

Vetter (Ohio State) BB: Crisp series no hesitation. Switch to straddle extended as usual. Gainer full the tiniest step back. 9.875

Simpton (Nebraska) UB: Arm bend on bail, last handstand controlled, big hop back on DLO and some pike in the air.

Campbell (UCLA) FX: Full-in beautifully landed. Double back giant in the air, controlled step, not much to deduct on the passes. 9.850

Riley (Rutgers) VT: Y1.5 legs bent in the final twist and a hop forward. 9.775

Jencks (Nebraska) UB: Really nice form on Tkatchev well clears the bar. Hit last handstand, DLO decidedly not piked and stuck, great routine for the Huskers. 9.875

Rader (Ohio State) BB: BHS LOSO floaty no hesitation. BHS Gainer full off the side very small hop back. 9.875

Moors (UCLA) FX: Front double full punch front small shuffle back. LOSO decided. Tour jete half Popa, clean rotation and clean landing. Front lay front full, looked like a tiny slide with the front foot. 9.950 first 9.9+ score of the day.

Dildy (Rutgers) VT: Hops back yfull. 9.750

Spence (Nebraska) UB: Maloney was clean, some leg separation on the Pak, blind full a bit over into double back stuck with chest up. 9.925

Warga (Ohio State) BB: Front aerial to BHS the tiniest bit too long in between. Cannot make the switch leap and falls. Sticks the dismount to end and I don’t believe she redid the leaps. Will take a second to get that score. 9.125

Chiles (UCLA) FX: DLO her usual, finding the camera on choreo. Love her front roll. Last double tuck controlled. 9.950

After 1: UCLA 49.500, Nebraska 49.200, Ohio State 49.125, Rutgers 48.650

UCLA’s 49.500 bests any event score from last evening’s Maryland session, and of course any today. Really nice bars rotation for Nebraska, some beautiful form especially in the second half of the lineup. Ohio State showed some nerves but scored well overall, and kudos to Rutgers for opening in Olympic order with six hit vaults.

Rotation 2: UCLA VT, Rutgers UB, Nebraska BB, Ohio State FX

Lee (UCLA) VT: Yfull bobbles slightly in place and has to go backwards just a tad. 9.825

Uhlenberg (Rutgers) UB: Big Jaeger, love her fluidity on this event, some pike in second flip and steps back. 9.775

Jencks (Nebraska) BB: BHS LOSO tiny check to the side. Front toss big lean arm circle to the side but stays on the beam. Tour jete half, wolf full, fine, double tuck most controlled landing of the three passes, and always glad to see a three pass routine. 9.750

Washington (Ohio State) FX: Big double pike and steps back. Back 1.5 front lay bit chaotic and has to step a bit forward. Sticks back 1.5. 9.700

Moors (UCLA) Front pike half looks stuck but arm swing and has to hop. 9.825 maybe a bit low.

Richards (Rutgers) UB: Piked Jaeger to bail, sticks Rudi dismount. 9.750

Hall (Nebraska) BB: BHS LOSO some leg form but no checks. Slight lean on leaps. Back 1.5 pretty low amplitude but sticks. 9.900 wow!

Grimes (Ohio State) FX: Controlled double pike. Double back. 9.900

Webster-Longin (UCLA) VT: Just a slight hop to the side on y1.5, continues to show improvement on the event. 9.875

Smith (Rutgers) UB: Maloney to Pak Pak slight leg separation, comes off the bar on the way back up. I think I saw a second there. 8.625

Simpton (Nebraska) BB: Tripe series well-executed and no checks. Gainer full chest down but sticks. 9.900

Guevara (Ohio State) FX: Front double full to front tuck is really clean. Straddle leap combination is 180 and well hit. Rudi LOSO big air. 9.850

McGowan (UCLA) VT: Good leg form in the air, step forward on dismount but controlled. 9.875

Schenkel: (Rutgers) UB: Last handstand hit, hit routine after last fall. 9.775

Sikon (Nebraska) BB: Candle mount, BHS LOSO clean very tiny check. Tucked 1.5 dismount stuck. 9.925 scores definitely building.

Vetter (Ohio State) FX: Double tuck her usual control. Leaps extended and 180. Clean double pike to end. 9.900

Campbell (UCLA) VT: Stuck yurchenko full like usual. 9.900 but score changes to 9.875.

Adrian (Rutgers) UB: Maloney to Pak slight leg separation on Pak, double tuck super high and hops with chest down. 9.775

Spence (Nebraska) BB: Saves wolf turn after some lack of controll, BHS has to check to stay on beam. Sticks back 1.5 to save. 9.725

Gregory (Ohio State) FX: Straddle wolf to open was 180, Rudi pass solid, front lay to front full slides front foot. 9.825

Balser (Rutgers) UB: DLO hop back. 9.750

Chiles (UCLA) VT: Half on half off tucked, some form on the table, chest down and hop back. 9.825

McClelland (Nebraska) BB: Wolf turn to open controlled. Nails BHS LOSO. Straddle to beat to stag love that combination and great form. BHS tuck 1.5 and has to step, but super crisp on the beam. 9.850

Rader (Ohio State) FX: Double pike chest down and steps back. Big lunge on double pike huge air as well. 9.825

After 2: UCLA 98.775, Nebraska 98.525, Ohio State 98.425, Rutgers 97.475

As expected, it’s a tight battle for second place. UCLA did not get any sticks on vault but did enough to maintain a sizable lead. Ohio State turned it around with a crisper performance on floor after beam and Washington’s tentative leadoff routine, but Nebraska’s beam showed overall crisper and more confident vibes. Rutgers avoided counting a fall on bars and is doing what it needs to do to maintain confidence.

Rotation 3: Ohio State VT, UCLA UB, Rutgers BB, Nebraska FX

Washington (Ohio State) VT: Big yfull step back. 9.800

Campbell (UCLA) UB: Leg separation on Maloney but bail better. Double front cowboyed but sticks. 9.875

Manifold (Rutgers) BB: BHS LOSO crisp and no checks. 9.800 to side aerial big wobble, though. Leaps a bit below 180 and check there as well. Back 1.5 big step, tentative to start out the lineup. 9.725

Jencks (Nebraska) FX: The stream did not show her first pass, goes back and we see a front lay to Rudi chest up. double back was controlled and chest up. 9.850

Guevara (Ohio State) VT: Piked yfull and hops back. 9.775

Webster-Longin (UCLA) UB: Legs together and great form on Pak, full-in chest slightly down and hop back. 9.850

Adrian: BHS LOSO some leg form but no hesitation. Switch to switch half good 180 positions. Back full bobble in place. 9.750

Baechle (Nebraska) FX: Back 1.5 to front full the full was a bit low but stays up. Rudi slight lean on the landing. Long wait for score. 9.775

Reutzel handspring front pike vault for Ohio State, step forward. 9.650

Malabuyo: Maloney to Pak Pak legs come apart a bit, full-in looks like early release goes way forward and stumbles. 9.725

Pagliaro (Rutgers) BB: Leaps not quite fully extended. BHS LOSO hit no checks. Front Gainer full stuck. 9.875!

Grimes vaults a full for Ohio State, arm circle to try and maintain stuck but steps. 9.825

McGowan (UCLA) UB: Tkatchev some feet flexing, DLO big step forward, underrotated similar to Malabuyo’s. 9.800

Rains (Rutgers) BB: BHS LOSO slight lean. Front aerial more confident. I actually agree with Karas’s Nastia Liukin comp. Stuck gainer full. 9.850

Homecillo (Nebraska) FX: Double pike slight bob in place. Back 1.5 front lay slight lack of punch but controlled. Less control on double tuck and step back. 9.850

Smith (Ohio State) VT: Chest down and fair-sized hop forward. 9.875

Esparza (UCLA) UB: Beautiful Maloney to Bhardwaj to handstand back up, DLO tight but chest down and has to hop forward. 9.825

Riley (Rutgers) BB: Leaps not fully rotated and big lean, side aerial crisp and more confident. Back 1.5 stuck. 9.950 OMG…

Rourke (Nebraska) FX: Big double back and has to hop back, lot of air on it. She has to stop her routine midway and is hopping on her right foot, man. Looks like it was after her second leap. 7.925

Vetter (Ohio State) VT: Small left foot movement but beautfiul vault in the air. 9.850

Dildy: Straddle half not fully 180. Stuck back full off the side. 9.900

Chiles: Piked Tkatchev to Pak caught few issues, nice last handstand, chest slightly down and arm circle but holds stick. 9.950

McClelland (Nebraska) FX: Punch front double full to scale, dances out, love her extended choreo, middle straddle of leap pass a bit short of 180, Rudi loso looked a bit low. 9.825

Spence (Nebraska) FX: Big double pike to open chest up, similar amplitude on double back and controlled. 9.850

After 3: UCLA 148.075, Ohio State 147.550, Rutgers 146.800

Some uncharacteristic bars landings for UCLA but the lead will be maintained. The battle for second presses on.

Rotation 4: Nebraska VT, Ohio State UB, UCLA BB, Rutgers FX

Kuenemann (Nebraska) VT: YFull big step back. 9.750

Washington (Nebraska) UB: Nice last handstand, double back step backward. 9.775

Lee (UCLA) BB: Series was clean, lovely full turn. Gainer full stuck. 9.875

Chevaire (Rutgers) FX: Double pike slight slide but overall controlled. Front lay to front full. Double tuck, love an opening three pass routine for the Knights. 9.725

McClelland (Nebraska) VT: Not the most air on yfull and a step back. 9.700

Walker (Ohio State) UB: Jaeger to Pak clean, good last handstand, double back high has to step to the side. 9.825

Chiles (UCLA) BB: Big check on series like last week but stays on. Back double full small step. Slight check on side aerial. 9.825

Jones (Rutgers) FX: Big double pike overrotates and has to step back a few, but stays in bounds. Fun! 9.675

Jencks (Nebraska) VT: Yfull good form in the air and small step back. 9.775

Reutzel (Ohio State) UB: Jaeger caught a bit close to bail, last handstand a little short, DLO also very close to the bar slight hop. 9.850

Campbell (UCLA) BB: BHS LOSO checks, dynamic switch to switch half, full twist sticks dismount with chest down. 9.825

Adrian (Rutgers) FX: Back 1.5 to front lay step forward controlled, straddle to wolf full nice positions, punch Rudi chest up. 9.875

Hall (Nebraska) VT: Full similar to Jencks’s just a bit lower with chest and another hop. 9.775

Vetter (Ohio State) UB: Big Tkatchev toes stay pointed, nearly goes over last handstand, full-in chest slightly down and sticks. 9.875, a 9.925 would have tied her with Chiles for the AA win.

Moors (UCLA): BHS Series no hesitation, small check on side aerial. Punch front tuck big arm circle and stumbles back with a big lean, stays on her feet. 9.700 landing hammered.

Aird (Rutgers) FX: Big double pike some front foot movement. Straddle to wolf leap combo is controlled. Middle pass front landing was controlled, Double tuck step back controlled routine got tighter as it went on. 9.775

Sikon (Nebraska) VT: Yfull low amplitude and step forward. 9.750

Rader (Ohio State) UB: First handstand a bit short into Maloney to Pak, side so can’t see if legs are together but good amplitude, squatty DLO with a step. 9.750

Alipio (UCLA) BB: Side aerial quick and controlled. Leaps are fluid. Tucked Gainer with a step back. 9.800

Goldsmith (Rutgers) FX: Punch front double full. Front full to front lay not the most punch but gets it around. Her music is kind of giving NYC club, perfect for Rutgers. 9.850

Spence (Nebraska) VT: Left foot outside the lines but holds stick on Y1.5. 9.900

Malabuyo UCLA) BB: BHS LOSO slight check to the side, on sissone big check, arm circle but stays on. Nerves from the Bruins in this rotation, Gainer full small step. 9.800

Parks (Ohio State) UB: Pak sort of weird form but legs together, DLO a little pikey step to the side. 9.775

Dildy (Rutgers) FX: Front tuck through to double back very controlled, double pike same, she had a good day as did her team overall. 9.800

FINAL: UCLA 197.200, Nebraska 196.675, Ohio State 196.650, Rutgers 195.875

Truly came down to tenths for the second place battle here, but the biggest story may have been UCLA’s nerves finally showing after a few extremely solid weeks. The Bruins still got a comfortable win but will look to clean up landings and confidence on beam with postseason rapidly approaching, but they will certainly take the Big Ten regular season crown as a consolation prize.

VT: Spence (Nebraska) 9.900
UB: Chiles (UCLA) 9.950
BB: Riley (Rutgers) 9.950
FX: Chiles (UCLA) and Moors (UCLA) 9.950
AA: Chiles (UCLA) 39.550

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Live blog by Katherine Weaver