The LSU gymnastics squad has fallen short in its past two meets after stringing together two consecutive victories. The first was a second-place finish to Oklahoma in the Metroplex Challenge two weeks ago followed by Friday night’s loss to defending national champion Florida.
Yet the Tigers (7-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) will likely find themselves standing alone as the No. 1 team in the nation, vaulting past the two teams who have given them fits in recent weeks, as NCAA gymnastics makes its annual shift to the postseason rankings system today.
Each season, the ranking system of collegiate gymnastics transitions from season averages to regional qualifying scores, which determine postseason seeding.
A team’s RQS ranking is determined by six of its scores. It combines a squad’s three highest road scores with its next three highest scores, home or away. After the six scores are collected, the team’s highest score is dropped from the equation, and the remaining five are averaged.
By taking out each team’s highest and lowest scores, the RQS system provides a clearer image of a team’s status during the season. In a subjective sport where judges determine a team’s overall score, removing the outliers rewards a team’s consistency.
The RQS system also benefits teams with better road performances because there is no home-crowd advantage that may sway the judges’ final tally.
So even though the Tigers’ season average is below those of Florida and Oklahoma, the RQS system should rank them ahead of the two juggernauts because of the consistency they’ve displayed throughout the season, much to the pleasure of LSU coach D-D Breaux.
“What the RQS will do is represent our body of work,” Breaux said after Friday’s loss to Florida. “Of all the teams, we have been the most consistent and the best road-performing team in the country.”
Of the top three teams in the inaugural RQS rankings, the Tigers have the highest road scores counted toward their ranking, with scores of 197.650 and 197.625 out of a possible 200. Both are higher than any road scores that counted for either No. 2 Oklahoma or No. 3 Florida.
Though LSU cannot count its highest road score of the season, which was a school-record 197.875 in the Metroplex Challenge, for its current RQS ranking, the squad’s season-low road score against Georgia isn’t counted against them. Meanwhile, all three road scores for the Gators, including their lowest output of the season, were counted in the first RQS rankings.
“If you look at everything we’ve done [this season], we’re that team,” Breaux said. “We’re scoring as well as anyone in the country as far as regularity of performance. We have been very, very consistent, and consistency wins.”
The Tigers now have a chance to add to their impressive résumé when they return home this Friday against Missouri in the first of three consecutive meets in the PMAC.
Meanwhile, Florida and Oklahoma will take to the road after enjoying their own home arenas for much of the season. Between the two squads, six of their next nine meets will be on the road as both try to assemble road scores that can factor into their RQS rankings.
Fortunately for the Tigers, their major road test is comfortably behind them, and they can now focus on fine-tuning their performances inside of a familiar arena in front of a welcoming home crowd.
“We need to put this loss [to Florida] behind us,” Breaux said. “We have three meets at home now, and let’s see if we can get better. We need to improve our performances to be a championship team. We’ve been on the floor with champions, and now it’s our turn.”
No. 1 LSU:
Top three road scores
1. 197.875 in Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas 2/15
2. 197.650 at Oklahoma 2/9
3. 197.625 at Florida 2/21
Next three highest scores (home or road)
1. 197.650 vs Alabama 1/31
2. 197.225 at Arkansas 2/7
3. 197.200 vs Centenary 1/10
Dropped Score: 197.875 in Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas 2/15
RQS Average for remaining five scores: 197.470
No. 2 Oklahoma:
Top three road scores
1. 198.175 in Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas 2/15
2. 197.575 at Arizona 1/25
3. 197.225 at Florida 1/31
Next three highest scores (home or road)
1. 197.700 vs Georgia 1/10
2. 197.325 vs LSU 2/9
3. 197.200 in Perfect 10 Challenge 2/21
Dropped Score: 198.175 in Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas 2/15
RQS average for remaining five scores: 197.405
No. 3 Florida:
Top three road scores
1. 197.175 at Kentucky 2/7
2. 197.075 at Auburn 1/17
3. 196.650 at UCLA 1/11
Next three highest scores
1. 198.125 vs LSU 2/21
2. 198.050 vs Georgia 1/24
3. 197. 875 vs Oklahoma 1/31
Dropped Score: 198.125 vs LSU 2/21
RQS average for remaining five scores: 197.365