Florida at LSU

Recap

The Big Storyline: LSU proved that Florida is beatable—breaking the Gators’ in-conference dual meet winning streak that dated back to 2019. LSU also eclipsed its season high by five tenths, proving that even without Kiya Johnson, the Tigers are still a force to be reckoned with. 

Implications: LSU moved ahead of Alabama in the conference rankings, moving the Tigers ever closer to Auburn for the second spot in the SEC. Florida will keep the second spot in the national rankings, but this week didn’t help the Gators get any closer to first-ranked Oklahoma. 

Records: This meet marked the third time in a row where Aleah Finnegan scored a 10.0 on a different event. She is now one bars 10.0 away from completing the Gym Slam.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 2 Florida at No. 8 LSU

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: Few meets compare in hype to the annual matchup between Florida and LSU, and for good reason. From outlandish scores to those of the seasoned rivalry, this meet is sure to be one of the most intriguing matchups of the season. 

What We’re Watching: This meet will feature perhaps one of the strongest all-around fields in any dual meet this season. Going in, the favorite will be 2022 NCAA all-around champion Trinity Thomas, but it would be remiss to discount stars like Aleah Finnegan and Haleigh Bryant for the Tigers and Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello for the Gators. 

What Else to Know Before Tuning in: Get ready for some big scores from both teams—the last time these two met up, more routines went 9.9-plus than not! Speaking of big scores, Thomas is just a few perfect 10s away from breaking the all-time record.