Week nine marks the final stretch of the regular season, where every tenth matters and postseason positioning begins to crystallize. Conference races are tightening, teams are chasing critical NQS scores, and lineup decisions are increasingly strategic as coaches balance maximizing scoring potential with preserving athlete health. The Big Ten takes center stage with three Big Four sessions featuring contenders like UCLA, Michigan, and Michigan State, while major SEC matchups and upset opportunities across the country add even more intrigue. With the postseason fast approaching, this week’s results could play a pivotal role in shaping conference championship sessions, regional seeding, and the momentum teams carry into March.
Must-Watch Meets
UCLA Big Four with Iowa, Ohio State, and Maryland
Friday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. ET | FS1
Prediction: 99.1% UCLA, 0.5% Ohio State, 0.3% Iowa, 0.1% Maryland
UCLA is firmly atop the Big Ten conference and showing no signs of slowing down. In front of a home crowd, expect another big performance. The showdown between Iowa and Ohio State could be the most compelling storyline of the meet: The teams are ranked No. 18 and No. 19 nationally, respectively, and although Iowa has the higher scoring ceiling, this projects to be a tight race that may come down to the final rotation. Maryland isn’t far behind, either—the Terps have been remarkably consistent this season and are well-positioned to capitalize on mistakes from the teams ahead of them.
Notes about the predictions: UCLA is the clear favorite to win this session of Big Fours, but the battle for second place is wide open. Ohio State holds the slight edge thanks to its advantage on vault and floor, while Iowa’s strength on bars gives it a strong 40% chance of finishing as runner-up. Maryland faces a narrower path but could surge into second by reaching the 49.000 mark on all four events for the first time this season, which would raise its chances to 44%.
Penn State Big Four with Michigan, Nebraska, and Washington
Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. ET | BTN
Prediction: 81.2% Michigan, 17.0% Penn State, 1.2% Nebraska, 0.6% Washington
Michigan enters this meet as the favorite and continues to establish itself as a nationals contender. The Wolverines have scored as high as 197.425 this season, but inconsistent performances and shifting lineups have limited their ability to sustain that level week to week. With the postseason approaching, they’ll be aiming for a complete, steady meet.
Penn State is the only other team in this session to surpass the 197 mark this season and will be looking to make a statement while solidifying its position in the top half of the conference standings. Nebraska has struggled in recent weeks but remains capable of challenging for second place with a complete performance—strong routines from three-event contributor Nya Kraus could prove decisive. Meanwhile, Washington narrowly missed regionals qualification last season and currently sits in a precarious position; a boost to its NQS would provide valuable breathing room.
Notes about the predictions: Michigan holds the advantage on every event, with beam standing out as a particular strength. The Wolverines have reached 49.6 or higher twice this season, and repeating that mark this weekend would make them 94% favorites to win. However, if Penn State can outperform Michigan on beam, it would significantly shift the outlook, increasing Penn State’s chances of pulling off the upset to 44%.
Minnesota Big Four with Illinois, Michigan State, and Rutgers
Sunday, March 1 at 4 p.m. ET | BTN
Prediction: 66.7% Michigan State, 33.1% Minnesota, 0.1% Illinois, 0.1% Rutgers
Michigan State enters this session as the favorite following last week’s statement win over Ohio State. The Spartans have topped 197 in four straight meets, and reaching that mark again would make them difficult to beat. Beam remains the primary area to watch, however, after several uncharacteristically shaky rotations in recent weeks.
The most likely challenger is Minnesota. The Gophers have been excellent at home this season and have recently carried that momentum onto the road. Back in their home arena, they’ll look to replicate the stuck vaults that powered their performance against UCLA while delivering a steady beam rotation. Arianna Ostrum is a key contributor on both events and could deliver pivotal scores.
For Rutgers and Illinois, this meet presents an important opportunity to secure a strong road score ahead of postseason selection. Rutgers is coming off one of its best vault and beam performances of the season and will look to maintain that momentum while improving on bars. Illinois, still in search of its first 196-plus score, will need a rebound on vault and additional scoring support alongside Chloe Cho.
Notes about the predictions: This meet projects as the closest of the Big Four sessions, with Michigan State and Minnesota as the clear frontrunners. Michigan State holds the edge on vault and bars, but if Minnesota wins either event, it becomes a 58% favorite. The Gophers have posted three straight meets without a score below 49.175; extending that streak would increase their win probability to 65%.
Upset Alert
Alabama at LSU
Friday, Feb. 27 at 9:30 p.m. ET | SECN
Prediction: 72.9% LSU, 27.4% Alabama
It may be surprising to see a top-three matchup on upset watch, but Alabama is surging at the right time. The Crimson Tide has yet to crack the elusive 198, but its scores have climbed steadily week to week, highlighted by back-to-back 197.900-plus performances.
LSU enters after a hard-fought road battle with No. 1 Oklahoma. Though it fell short of the win, LSU secured a crucial road score for NQS. Both teams rank in the top 10 nationally on every event, with bars and floor shaping up to be especially tight—separated by less than a tenth nationally and both sitting inside the top three. Alabama boasts two of the country’s top bar workers in Chloe LaCoursiere and Azaraya Ra-Akbar, while LSU’s Kailin Chio leads the nation on vault and beam and trails only Jordan Chiles in the all-around rankings. This is the first of two meetings this weekend, and expect championship-caliber lineups as each team looks to secure a pivotal conference win with the postseason looming.
Notes about the predictions: LSU holds a narrow edge on every event entering this matchup, and Chio is the most influential gymnast in the field. If LSU opts to rest her in the first meet of its double-meet weekend, its win probability drops to 53%. For Alabama, there isn’t a single must-win event—but maintaining scores of 49.300 or better across all four, as it has the past two weeks, would create a strong path to an upset.
Arkansas at Missouri
Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m. ET | SECN+
Prediction: 57.2% Missouri, 42.8% Arkansas
Arkansas is riding high after a historic weekend and will look to secure its first win in Columbia in two seasons against a surging Missouri squad. Morgan Price added her name to another set of record books, becoming the first Razorback to earn a perfect 10 and delivering a season-high 49.600 floor total to clinch the tie against Kentucky. Missouri matched that momentum with a season-high floor score of its own to win its home quad meet and remains on track for an unbeaten February.
Both teams are pushing to strengthen their case for a night session spot at SECs, and both have shown 198 potential but have yet to break through. Arkansas will aim to capitalize on its recent momentum, while Missouri’s chances hinge on minimizing mistakes. With comparable scoring ceilings, this matchup has all the ingredients for a tight finish.
Notes about the predictions: The teams are evenly matched on bars and beam, but Missouri’s advantage on floor slightly outweighs Arkansas’s edge on vault, giving the Tigers the overall nod. However, if Arkansas repeats its season-best 49.600 on floor, its win probability jumps to 75%.
Utah at Denver
Sunday, March 1 at 4 p.m. ET | Paid stream
Prediction: 81.2% Utah, 18.8% Denver
Utah is working to climb out of its early-season hole, finally stringing together complete meets after uncharacteristic mistakes suppressed its scoring potential. A loud reminder of its contender status came two weeks ago, when Utah broke the coveted 198 barrier at home. Now, the focus shifts to replicating that level on the road. Leading the charge is Avery Neff, who has emerged as one of the nation’s breakout stars with multiple perfect 10.0s on vault and bars. Fresh off her second perfect vault, Neff will look to deliver another momentum-building performance this weekend.
Denver has yet to surpass 197 but has come within striking distance several times. Breaking through that threshold will be the primary goal at home, where a strong performance could provide a confidence boost even if it does not factor into NQS. A complete meet—particularly one with four scores above 49.000—would signal the Pioneers are ready to elevate their postseason positioning.
Notes about the predictions: Utah holds the edge on paper but has been vulnerable to falls, with simulations showing roughly a one-in-three chance of counting one. If that happens, the meet becomes essentially a toss-up. Denver has recorded only two meets this season with all four event scores above 49.000, but matching that mark here would raise its win probability to 30%.
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.
- Auburn had its best meet of the season on Friday in the Iron Bowl of gymnastics and will seek to replicate that energy at Oklahoma this weekend. Bars, the Tigers’ weakest event by a lot, will be the tone setter in what’s sure to be a loud LNC during the vault rotation.
- We’re sad to report that there’s another big meet, the Purple & Gold Invitational in Baton Rouge, with likely no streaming this weekend, but for better or for worse, the scoring at such meets can be utterly out of control. LSU, Alabama, and North Carolina are all starting to get better and better, and Arizona was recently added to the meet after Iowa State canceled its season. The best news? We’ll have SEC editor Savanna on-site to provide coverage.
- Fisk and Florida travel to Texas Woman’s for a fun quad meet. Texas Woman’s actually beat three DI teams in Denton last week, so while that’s unlikely to happen again against Florida, fans in attendance will be in for quite the show. The Gators will also be looking to make a statement on the road in what can be a sneakily friendly scoring environment.
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
