RQS Progress

RQS will take over for season average in the rankings on February 25th, so it's time to begin looking at where teams stand and what they still need to do to achieve the ideal RQS.

But first, a brief introduction or refresher: RQS (Regional Qualifying Score) is the score used to determine the top 36 teams that will qualify to one of six Regional Championships as well as their respective seedings. It is calculated by taking a team's top six scores (at least three of which must be on the road), dropping the highest score, and averaging the remaining five scores.

1. Florida (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 197.575
Road Score 2: 196.575
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 198.100
Road Home Score 2: 197.650
Road/Home Score 3: 197.300

Next week at Georgia, Florida will get its third road score. For the Gators to score up to their potential, they will also need to record something in the 197s either at Utah or at SECs to replace that 196.575. In the post-2004 era, the highest RQS recorded is 197.445, achieved by Florida last year. Expect that to be surpassed easily.

2. Oklahoma (Current RQS: 197.025)
Road Score 1: 197.625
Road Score 2: 197.375
Road Score 3: 197.275
Road/Home Score 1: 197.325
Road/Home Score 2: 196.700
Road/Home Score 3: 196.450

I expect Oklahoma to bump down those 196s with 197s over the next two weeks, which will also highlight the problem with RQS. The Sooners have seven meets left before Regionals, so the last month or so of competition will likely have little influence on their ranking. Since the wins don't matter either, it will be just a month of posturing for the postseason with no weekly stakes.


3. Michigan (Current RQS: 196.770)
Road Score 1: 196.925
Road Score 2: 196.775
Road Score 3: 196.575
Road/Home Score 1: 197.350
Road/Home Score 2: 196.900
Road/Home Score 3: 196.675

As these numbers bear out, while the Wolverines are relatively close to Oklahoma in RQS, they have many scores to replace to hope to catch them. Likely, Michigan will go no higher than #3 in the rankings and will hope to focus on staying in the top six and getting a #1 Regionals seed.

4. UCLA (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 196.925
Road Score 2: 196.375
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 197.425
Road/Home Score 2: 196.950
Road/Home Score 3: 196.150

For UCLA, these RQS numbers get a little sloppy toward the bottom. Over the next three weeks on the road, the Bruins will need two scores of at least 196.750 to make those road numbers a little healthier. Then, there will be three more weeks to get rid of that final road/home score.

5. Alabama (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 196.950
Road Score 2: 196.850
Road Score 3: 196.450
Road/Home Score 1: 196.575
Road/Home Score 2: 196.575
Road/Home Score 3: None

Alabama still hasn't broken 197 and needs a couple of them (one to drop and one to count). A team like Alabama shouldn't be forced to count anything under 196.750, so each of the final six meets before Regionals will be valuable for ranking positioning.

6. Utah (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 196.600
Road Score 2: 195.300
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 197.050
Road/Home Score 2: 196.950
Road/Home Score 3: 196.425

Obviously, road scores are currently in a rough place. Fortunately for the Utes, they still have four opportunities to fix it. Expect Utah to fall in the rankings when RQS debuts because that 195.300 will still be in the picture. They won't have a chance to erase that until March 1 at BYU.

7. LSU (Current RQS: 196.290)
Road Score 1: 197.275
Road Score 2: 197.100
Road Score 3: 195.875
Road/Home Score 1: 196.875
Road/Home Score 2: 196.075
Road/Home Score 3: 195.525

Next week at home against Arkansas, the Tigers should be able to get rid of that 195.525, and overall the RQS picture looks quite healthy with sure-to-be-dropped low scores and already one counter over 197.

8. Nebraska (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 196.300
Road Score 2: 196.150
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 197.175
Road/Home Score 2: 196.700
Road/Home Score 3: 195.750

Nebraska has four meets remaining on the road and needs to record three usable scores over those four meets to have any hope of becoming a #1 seed at a Regional since a 196.300 is too low to be a counting score for one of the top teams.

9. Georgia (Current RQS: 196.370)
Road Score 1: 196.775
Road Score 2: 196.200
Road Score 3: 195.825 
Road/Home Score 1: 197.500
Road/Home Score 2: 197.000
Road/Home Score 3: 196.050

Season average currently undervalues Georgia slightly because of the early 195.425 that has already been dropped from RQS. With four more road meets, I don't expect those lower scores to be a problem, and the top end scores look fine. Georgia doesn't necessarily need a slew of great results to ascend.

10. Stanford (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 196.450
Road Score 2: 196.025
Road Score 3: 195.425
Road/Home Score 1: 196.200
Road/Home Score 2: 195.425
Road/Home Score 3: None

Stanford's numbers look a little dire, and with just five meets remaining, it will be difficult or impossible for the Cardinal to contend with the multi-197 teams. The 10-15 section is rough this year because most of those teams will end up paired in the Florida and Oklahoma Regionals with no margin for error to advance.

11. Minnesota (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 195.525
Road Score 2: 194.325
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 196.800
Road/Home Score 2: 196.775
Road/Home Score 3: 195.550

12. Denver (Current RQS: 195.625)
Road Score 1: 196.400
Road Score 2: 195.850
Road Score 3: 195.125
Road/Home Score 1: 196.600
Road/Home Score 2: 196.050
Road/Home Score 3: 194.700

13. Oregon State (Current RQS: 195.455)
Road Score 1: 196.825
Road Score 2: 196.300
Road Score 3: 196.050
Road/Home Score 1: 195.950
Road/Home Score 2: 195.375
Road/Home Score 3: 193.600

14. Arizona (Current RQS: 195.525)
Road Score 1: 195.950
Road Score 2: 195.800
Road Score 3: 195.200
Road/Home Score 1: 196.075
Road/Home Score 2: 195.850
Road/Home Score 3: 194.825

15. Auburn (Current RQS: 195.385)
Road Score 1: 196.725
Road Score 2: 196.025
Road Score 3: 195.700
Road/Home Score 1: 196.325
Road/Home Score 2: 194.625
Road/Home Score 3: 194.250

16. Boise State (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 194.700
Road Score 2: None
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 196.325
Road/Home Score 2: 196.300
Road/Home Score 3: 194.875

17. Kentucky (Current RQS: 195.240)
Road Score 1: 195.525
Road Score 2: 195.125
Road Score 3: 194.800
Road/Home Score 1: 195.825
Road/Home Score 2: 195.500
Road/Home Score 3: 195.250

18. Maryland (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 195.975
Road Score 2: 195.000
Road Score 3: 194.825
Road/Home Score 1: 195.300
Road/Home Score 2: 195.150
Road/Home Score 3: None

19. Ohio State (Current RQS: 195.035)
Road Score 1: 195.000
Road Score 2: 194.675
Road Score 3: 194.600
Road/Home Score 1: 196.250
Road/Home Score 2: 195.975
Road/Home Score 3: 194.925

20. Arkansas (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 195.650
Road Score 2: 193.075
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 196.175
Road/Home Score 2: 195.775
Road/Home Score 3: 195.475

21. Illinois (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 196.350
Road Score 2: 195.100
Road Score 3: 194.750
Road/Home Score 1: 196.125
Road/Home Score 2: 193.750
Road/Home Score 3: None

22. Kent State (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 195.800
Road Score 2: 195.450
Road Score 3: 193.575
Road/Home Score 1: 195.675
Road/Home Score 2: 194.675
Road/Home Score 3: None

23. Washington (Current RQS: X)
Road Score 1: 195.950
Road Score 2: 194.875
Road Score 3: 193.500
Road/Home Score 1: 196.025
Road/Home Score 2: 194.800
Road/Home Score 3: None

24. Central Michigan (Current RQS: 194.730)
Road Score 1: 195.875
Road Score 2: 194.650
Road Score 3: 194.175
Road/Home Score 1: 195.050
Road/Home Score 2: 194.975
Road/Home Score 3: 194.800

25. Arizona State (Current RQS: X) 
Road Score 1: 195.450
Road Score 2: 194.350
Road Score 3: None
Road/Home Score 1: 195.600
Road/Home Score 2: 195.450
Road/Home Score 3: 193.625