Friday Live Blog – Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU

Friday, February 20

7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Alabama @ Georgia (Scores) (ESPN3)
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Oklahoma @ Michigan (Scores) (BTN2GO)

7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Arkansas @ Kentucky (Scores) (ESPN3)

7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Boise State @ Ohio State (Scores) (CSL)

7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Eastern Michigan @ Western Michigan
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Kent State, North Carolina, Rutgers @ NC State (Scores) (CSL - free)
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – George Washington, Towson,  William & Mary @ Maryland (Scores) (BTNPlus)

7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Minnesota @ Iowa State
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Northern Illinois @ SEMO (Scores)
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Michigan State @ Illinois (Scores) (CSL) 

8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Air Force @ Illinois State
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Florida @ LSU (Scores) (ESPN3)
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Auburn @ Missouri (Scores) (ESPN3)
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Oregon State @ Arizona State (Scores) (Stream)

9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Southern Utah @ Utah State (Scores) (Stream)

10:00 ET/7:00 PT – UC Davis @ San Jose State (Scores) (Stream)

Week 6 rankings.

It's a big day in the SEC. Place your bets now on the high score of the day. I'm going with 207.650. Kytra Hunter is definitely getting a 13 on floor tonight.

I'll be here live blogging starting at 7:00 ET/4:00 PT.

Some significant lineup developments for both Georgia and Alabama. In the bad column, no Katie Bailey tonight for Alabama, which means we'll be seeing a little more Mackenzie Brannan than we have been, as well as the long-lost Dominique Pegg on vault. In the better column, Nickie Guerrero is finally back and ready to beam. My pre-Alabama impression of her was that she was rock solid on beam, so let's see how that plays out.

For Georgia, Chelsea Davis is finally back on vault. They've needed this vault. Interestingly, GiGi Marino has come out of the lineup. Kiera Brown is also getting another chance on beam in place of Reynolds/Persinger. Good. She's had her skill issues and consistency issues, but it's important that they work her back into the lineup because they'll need her quality in the postseason.

How times have changed. It's Alabama/Georgia, and that's not the most important SEC meet of the day.

And just as I mention Guerrero, Carley Sims has been subbed in for her on beam. You teases! Another interesting lineup choice, though. There's suddenly a little bit of impromptu depth spelunking for Alabama tonight.

I feel like baldy baldington who's always on the SEC Network before gymnastics is a significant figure in my life now given how much time I spend staring at his gob every Friday. This is depressing.

Dana is giving a team speech. "WE ARE." BREATHE. "RELENTLESS." This is why I could never be on an NCAA gymnastics team. I would be constantly giggling in the corner.

Oh hey, B and K. They don't need names. They're B and K. The athletes can taste the atmosphere, is the revelation of the day. That sounds sweaty.

Oooh, someone broke out the "Special Occasion" temp tattoos tonight!

Flashback videos. Sarah and Suzanne...fading away to Dana and Danna. OMG YOU GUYS THEIR NAMES ARE ALMOST THE SAME.

Other Amanda lets us know that Katie Bailey has back spasms and didn't travel. Everyone cry a single tear. I swear some of these Georgia cheerleaders are 38.

Rotation 1 - Georgia on vault, Alabama on bars
Vaculik - VT - UGA - yfull - solid, clean yfull, small hop back, leg separation on the block, but fine. 9.875. So the judges are feeling good so far.

McNeer - UB - Bama - good first hs, strong tkatchev, legs together throughout - crooked on bail handstand - OK DLO - a little flat and a hop. 9.825

Roberts - VT - UGA - yfull - pretty far off to the side - not a great amount of distance either, but fine enough form. 9.800.

Jetter - UB - Bama - solid opening hs - solid ray - a little close? - also looked a little short on her bail - short final hs - stumble back on double front dismount again, a couple steps. That has been a problem this year. 9.750. 

Davis - VT - UGA - We're obsessed with her mom for some reason - GREAT - the usual vault we've seen from her for four years - right down the middle, great leg form - small hop a little chest down. They've needed this. 9.900

Brannan - UB - Bama - toe half to jaeger - nice toe point - very slow but precise handstands - bail a slightly awkward catch with an arch - DLO was pretty good with a small hop. 9.900

Broussard - VT - UGA - Good power  on the yfull - stuck the landing - good form in the air - bends a little to hang onto the stick and a small amount of gotta-pee legs. 9.975. Oh heavens. It's a Georgia/Alabama meet.

Clark - UB - Bama - Great height on tkatchev - toe on - clean on the bail but all of their bails could be more vertical - solid final handstands - very floaty DLO with a stick. Strong routine. 9.900 

Rogers - VT - UGA - Her best 1.5 of the year so far - excellent stick - I would say that vault was better than Broussard's (?) but there are things to take if the judges feel like doing their job - some knee bend, off to the side, etc. 9.950.

Sims - UB - Bama - Comaneci is very nice - leg break on the weiler and the bail as well - and every skill - DLO with a medium step back. Solid hit but the usual form breaks - 9.800.

Jay - VT - UGA - they already have an epic vault score, so let's see what happens here. she really tries for the stick on that 1.5. She had major 10 dreams there. Short landing and a hop back - the usual foot cross on the block. 9.850.

Beers - UB - Bama - strong first hs - into shaposh to pak transition (legs on the shaposh but not too bad) - OK on the half turn on the low bar - most precise routine of the rotation so far - sticks the double front. 9.950.

After 1: Georgia 49.550, Alabama 49.375.
Welcome to Alabama/Georgia with some of these scores. Still, Georgia had a strong vault rotation that could have been a huge vault rotation had Jay hit with her usual ability. Great work from Broussard and Rogers in there, and an important comeback vault from Davis. She makes that rotation much more competitive. 

Alabama was OK on bars. They also got a couple friendly scores in the middle of that lineup, but they gave away too much - Sims with the form breaks, Jetter with the dismount etc. Beers has become a sturdy German for their bars lineup this season, and that was another example. It's a composed routine, not rushed.

It was essential that Georgia start with a lead, and they did. Now they need to have one of their good bars days.

Oklahoma has opened up a lead on Michigan after nailing bars while Michigan was a little 9.800 on vault. Sheppard got a 9.850 this week, but more of those troublesome 9.775s that we've been worried about crept in.

Rotation 2 - Alabama on vault, Georgia on bars
McNeer - VT - Bama - clean in the air on the yfull - pikes a little, lands low, and tries to bend to hold onto the stick with a step forward - 9.750

Jay - UB - UGA - clear hip - did a humongous ray but slipped off the bars on the catch. Uh oh Georgia - resumes with a solid bail, short final hs, sticks a strong DLO. Oh Brandie.

C Sims - VT - Bama - very clean yfull - one of her better vaults - good direction, maintained her form, stuck landing. Nice. 9.900.  

Vaculik - UB - UGA - short first hs - half turn to very nice jaeger - lovely toe point etc - leg break on bail - full twisting double back - step back - solid.

Pegg - VT - Bama - ah, the missing woman is back - good power on her yfull - maintained her stick well, some direction issue - didn't have much height but pulled it around -

Persinger - UB - UGA - good first hs, strong half turn - pretty jaeger - clean on the bail as well - she's going very well in this routine - short on her giant full into double tuck - small hop. Started great, finished OK, but clean. 9.900.

Williams - VT - Bama - Nailed it - excellent y1.5 - her reaction is that she just won all the lotteries - very nice stick - brought her legs together on the stick - great direction. Very, very strong. 9.950.

Brown - UB - UGA - perfection tkatchev, but short on the next handstand - pretty pak - half turn on low bar - borderline final hs - flung her DLO out - pretty big hop forward - that's a shame, should have been a big score. 9.825.

Clark - VT - Bama - Excellent yfull as she usually does - but overdoes it a little with a medium step back - good form and landing position, though, but she'll be disappointed in the landing.  9/825.

Davis - UB - UGA - strong first hs - great tkatchev with the counter rotation - hitting all her handstands - clean bail - way close on the shoot back and has to muscle up - small hop on tuck full dismount. A few errors there, but OK. 9.850 

Beers - VT - Bama - Goes for the 1.5 - another strong one - but hops to the side - so won't get a huge score. 9.900.

Rogers - UB - UGA - pretty stalders as always - Ricna is great - almost arched her next handstand but held it - pretty clean throughout - small hop on DLO - they're not sticking these dismounts the way they need to be. 9.875.

After 2: Georgia 98.850, Alabama 98.800
Question: If you're giving Broussard a 10 for her vault, how are you not giving Williams one for her vault? This is why gymnastics fans are so crazy. Pretty good vault rotation for Alabama, though like Georgia, it could have been better. Williams was excellent, and Sims did perhaps the best vault I've seen from her, but both Clark and Beers gave away scores with their landings. Georgia was the stronger vault team today.

Georgia needed to land those dismounts much better than they did. They should be thrilled to escape that rotation with a 49.300. They recovered well from the Jay fall, and I thought Persinger was quite pretty in the first half of her routine, but Brown gave away a ton on that dismount, Davis had to muscle a handstand, and Rogers didn't stick either. I thought Rogers' score still should have been pretty high compared to the other scores we've seen, but the small errors were there. Georgia still with a slight lead, but now they're going to the trouble events.

Michigan was able to keep pace with Oklahoma in the second rotation after a series of 9.9s on bars. That's more what we expect. Oklahoma had some lowish scores early on vault, but recovered for 9.875-9.900. Though not the 9.950s that have been earning them those massive team scores so far. Peaking out a 9.900. But because of the huge bars score, Oklahoma remains just under 198 pace after 2, while Michigan is hovering around 197 pace.

Rotation 3 - Georgia on beam, Alabama on floor
We're hearing about Brown's confidence issues.

Vaculik - BB - UGA - strong switch to split 1/4 - the leaps are always her best part - great height on loso series just a small small check/correction - clean and solid aerial - full turn - side aerial to full with small hop - one of her more secure beam routines this year. Good progress. 9.825.

Dennis - FX - Bama - big double pike with a bounce back - split leap full to split jump full not a 180 situation but around - arched layout to front full - double back with a slide, more control than the first but still needed to hold onto it a bit more. 9.825.

Brown - BB - UGA - this is a big routine for her - fluid full turn, big break on her loso loso series and comes off the beam after a stumble. That's a shame. She needed a hit, but you could see that coming. She paused for 1500 minutes before that series. Another big break on side aerial - gainer pike with a hop forward.

Jetter - FX - Bama - sticks the opening double arabian, some cowboy, leaps look solid enough - 1.5 to front full - slight stumble on the landing but tiny - side aerial - 1.5 to a somewhat arched layout. OK, but some small awkwardness on those last two passes. 9.900.

Babalis - BB - UGA - high loso series (flexed feet but a solid acro series) - hit switch to pike jump - full turn - piked kickover front with a step forward - long pause before aerial to front full - OK - some errors but should be a solid score. 9.850. 

Brannan - FX - Bama - double arabian lacks a litlte control with a step forward - short on her switch ring and her split full - def not 180 - I love that Kathy points this out - secure double pike middle pass - 1.5 to layout dismount. They're just looking a little 9.8 so far, but hitting. 9.825.

Rogers - BB - UGA - she has been iffy in the back leg on her switch lately, which is weird coming from her - pulled it back on the loso series with a tiny check - great cover on her bhs 3/4 - she was way off but corrected into a sit on the beam that should be legitimately OK, shouldn't it? - solid bhs 1/1 into layout full - interested to see what they do with the correction on the bhs 3/4. Judges conferring, she hit it but she slumped almost immediately out of the stag position down onto the beam. 9.800.

C Sims - FX - Bama - big DLO as always - squatted the landing a little but secure - a little too much of a lunge out of that middle pass - good switch side and split jump full - strong double pike to finish - good chest position - Bart's word of the day is "Whohahhhhh." 9.900.

Broussard - BB - UGA - one-armed bhs to a very strong layout but steps back - solid switch and a very nice straddle 1/4 - pretty full turn - another step back on her side aerial - she's hitting these elements and then giving away bits correcting her landings - sticks gainer full. Good routine except for those two steps. 9.825. 

Clark - FX - Bama - high double pike, slide back - 1.5 to layout is clean in the air - a little bouncy as she dances out of it - Kathy is good with it but I think it shows some lack of control - sticks a very good double tuck - nice routine. She has become a floor worker.9.950

Box - BB - UGA - must come back from her fall last week, they're on the verge of surviving this rotation with 9.8s. tuck jump full -a bit of a swim correction on that loso series - switch to straddle 3/4 is fine - pretty full turn - moonwalk - Georgia is allowed but no one else - confident on the aerial (one of the few really CONFIDENT skills in this rotation so far) - sticks 1.5 - some squat but a good and necessary hit. 9.950. Well now. But it was their best routine, and a good one, but they hadn't had a chance to give some big crazy Georgia scores yet, so we're bursting for it.

 Beers - FX - Bama - strong DLO but also slides back a little - not as secure as it could be - layout to front full is solid, could be bigger, but it's solid - split full was good, switch ring had a low front leg - very comfortable double tuck. A strong routine. I'm pointing out a few things I see that surely won't get taken, but that was a strong hit. 9.950. Also these scores, though. 

After 3: Alabama 148.325, Georgia 148.100
Alabama pulled away in that rotation with some big tumbling and overall powerful, relatively controlled (though they can cut out some of those slides) work. The first few routines were a little iffy, but the final three were significant routines hit without major issue. Also note that we're a little 9.950 happy today, so we'll see how that plays out on Georgia's floor.

It's a February miracle that Georgia escaped that rotation with a 49.250, and now it's going to look like one of their better beam rotations of the year. Box had a strong, necessary hit at the end, but everyone else had mistakes that they shouldn't have. They escaped. Note that Babalis's score was raised from a 9.800 to a 9.850. I approve of that change because there wasn't much wrong there at all. 9.800 seemed unexpectedly contained for these judges tonight. Georgia gave away the lead there, but managed to keep themselves in it going to the last event, hoping to get some nice, warm, home floor scoring while Alabama goes to the stress of beam.

This is close enough that I think I'm going to keep watching this one until its conclusion and then switch over to Florida/LSU. Just as a programming note.

Michigan did well on beam to continue to keep pace with Oklahoma after giving up a bit too much in the opening rotation. Each team had a mistake to overcome, and each got a major 9.950 from an important player. Oklahoma has a four-tenth lead going into the last event. With a hit floor, Michigan should be able to get back into the 197s.

Rotation 4 - Georgia on floor, Alabama on beam
Williams - BB - Bama - excellent and huge switch side as always - a little squatty on punch front but pulled it out - very clean loso series in the air, but tentative working out of it with a step back and a check - good straddle full - full turn - strong stick on 1.5. Very nice routine, just the one error on the series. 9.850.

Persinger - FX - UGA - "If they listen closely, they can hear opportunity knocking." OH KATHY. tuck to double back, secure with knee-chest, solid switch ring to split full, hits double pike - hop back, rudi is OK. Fine, regular. So 26.250? 9.875. Yeah, basically.

McNeer - BB - Bama - pretty aerial and a fluid connection to bhs - strong full turn - loso series has good leg form, just a small check - this is a pretty routine - switch to split - 1.5 dismount is a little short with a small step back. 9.925. Why not?

Broussard - FX - UGA - Oh Ashlyn, large large lunge out of double tuck - the dance elements are good but I'm still too broken but that double tuck landing - front layout to a slightly piked rudi - way way short on her double pike and falls. Buh. That was a 1.125 pike. No hope of getting it around.

Beers - BB - Bama - hits side somi with good control - large wobble on loso series, leg goes way up - the bad is catching a little bit suddenly - full turn - straddled sheep jump but OK - 1.5 dismount with small step.

Marino - FX - UGA - double tuck with a small slide - nice split full to straddle jump full - clean 1.5 to layout - good leg form - lacking some amp on it perhaps but hit securely - GOOD LORD GEORGIA. Falls on her double pike - carbon copy of Broussard.

C Sims - BB - Bama - full turn a little tentative but no check - love her gigantic leaps - eight miles high - kickover front, perhaps a small check as she holds her landing - wobble on loso series with some serious flexed feet - what is with the loso problems today? sticks gainer full legs apart. "Such an easy dismount." I love you, Kathy. "The arms kind of went spastic." Kathy is on fire tonight.

Babalis - FX - bounces 100,000 miles out of her double tuck - because of course - her splits are lovely and fully 180, at least - 1.5 to front layout with a little too much slide. Strong double pike at least, stuck that one. It's a comparative hit, but that first pass...

Clark - BB - Bama - strong switch to split - solid on loso series - sort of a non-check correction but nothing real - hits her sheep with legs together - full turn - kickover front with not a twitch - 1.5 is stuck. Should be a big score, based on what we've seen. Nice routine.

Box - FX - UGA - Now that's how you do a mount - strong double pike, not her best stickiest, but a nice recovery - high 1.5 to layout - switch side to straddle full - stumble on her dismount - UGH - bounces back - everyone is having problems -

Sorry, I had a panic attack that I might miss Bridget Sloan's bars so I'm switching over and trying to keep an eye on both. Missed a
Jay finishing up for Georgia with one of her better landings on her mount. Good chest position. They've needed this hit, but they got some charity on the last two floor routines anyway after the falls. Everyone's dismount is an issue. Everyone. Georgia, what's your deal?

Strong hit bars for McMurtry. Not her cleanest on the bars, but a great dismount.

Jordan on vault, lovely in the air, large bounce back though - great to see her in the rotation again, but didn't go for the stick there.

BDG - UB - UF - strong shaposh - clean bail - hit handstand before dismount - high DLO - step back and the usual leg separation.

Final for Alabama is 197.675 to Georgia 196.825.  

Hambrick - VT - LSU - didn't get quite the block and height that she has gotten some weeks, hop back. Missing a few of these landings early on today.

Hunter - UB - close on hindorff with bent elbows, clean bail, borderline final handstand, great stick on tuck full dismount.

Scores are going way high.

Gnat - VT - LSU - Does the DTY this week - small hop back, but great. Love that we're seeing it - and the form and direction are good - leg cross on the block but otherwise -

Caquatto - UB - UF - Strong ray with good form - misses handstand afterward - leg break on bail - step back on pretty DLO - OK but not her best.

Courville - LSU - VT - the usual FTY from her - but a medium hop back this time, she hasn't had the stick yet this year. "Her body in the air, twists all together." OK.

Sloan - UB - UF - Heere we go - strong first hs - the usual ray - a little iffy on the following handstand - slightly crooked on the bail - sticks DLO and bends to hold onto it - Great work from her - some errors in there, but they're her usual errors, just perhaps bigger versions of them. She's back. 11? 9.900.

Florida leads 49.450 to 49.425 after 1.
Fine first rotations from both teams, but they can be better. LSU gave away some serious landings there in those middle routines and could have recorded some huge scores. Good vaults, but a bit of a missed opportunity. Florida was pretty on bars from what I saw, but everyone had some small issues. The scores are definitely enthusiastic here (as well) and ready to give out big ones if they're remotely close to being earned.

Wrapping some other things up, Oklahoma only ended up beating Michigan by slightly over a tenth. Big result for Michigan, closing the gap on floor while Oklahoma continued to be a little un-Oklahoma on beam. It's something to watch. Another week of just an OK score in the lower half of the 197s, but Michigan will take that result any day even if it's a loss.

As for Georgia, that was just a poor floor rotation, and they gave it away. They even got some gifts with some of those scores for hit routines after the falls, but that floor rotation is a real problem.

In other news, Arkansas had a beam disaster to fall to Kentucky.

Suri is screaming at us. Over 10,000 in attendance.

Rotation 2- Florida on vault, LSU on bars
Caquatto - VT - solid vault - small hop back - could be a little bigger, but no issue. "The game we call...THE STICKING GAME." My god. This life.

Savona - UB -solid shaposh into bail - a little arched - finish on giant full is pretty good - tkatchev is still flat but eh not a problem I suppose - hop in place on DLO. Good.

Spicer - VT - lands just somewhat short on her full with a hop forward -

Gnat - UB - solid first hs - giant ful - strong gienger with slightly better legs - nice handstand - twitch in the legs on the bail - small hop on DLO. These aren't sticks, commentators. They're not. One of her better routines, though.

Wang - VT - she has struggled to control this vault - gigantic bounce back followed by a couple more bounce-around steps to salute. Did she ever gain control of that vault?

Zamardi - UB - shaposh to pak - half turn on low bar - small issues in leg breaks but she doesn't give away anything major - strong markelov and then sticks the double arabian - strong.

Baker - VT - She also still needs to get that vault under control - it's hugely huge, great forma nd direction, but she's bouncing back every time.

Wyrick - UB - I do love her handstands when she hits them - tkatchev isn't the strongest part of the routine - could be bigger - just the feet issues here and there - pretty bail - final hs is solid - step-salute on the DLO. 

Hunter - VT - They need some big scores from the last two to keep pace - Very strong 1.5 as always - hop forward, but everything else was great. God, I hate the front-on view for vault. Why would anyone think that's a good angle?

Jordan - UB - good hs on high bar - great half turn - hits jaeger - very clean on bail - close on her shoot and muscles up handstand - short on DLO with a step forward - lost it at the end a little but the beginning was strong.

McMurtry - VT - BRILLIANT - lovely - sticks - legs together - pretty much identical to the vault that got a 10. Not really anything to critique there. 9.975.

Courville - UB - Very nice jaeger - hits hs - good legs on the bail - fluid on the shoot back - hs look good - and hop back on the tuck full dismount - strong routine, best of the rotation.

After 2: LSU 98.925, Florida 98.875
This is going to be a good one people. Rhonda is telling us how awesome the team is. Florida didn't vault as well as they needed to until McMurtry. Those landings have to be more controlled to beat LSU. I thought LSU was very solid on bars but got some charity. They needed to stick more of those dismounts (actual sticks, not commentator sticks) to get that kind of score, though pretty on the bars. There were some errors in those 9.875 routines.

Rotation 3 - LSU on beam, Florida on floor
Both teams going to an even that should be an asset. Florida will need a lead after this rotation, but this LSU beam lineup has the capacity to make sure that doesn't happen, especially at home,

Ewing - BB - secure on layout 2ft - no check - switch side is hit -  clean full turn - leg form on bhs is an issue - straddle 1/4 is nice - sticks 1.5. Good start.

Boyce - FX - front 2/1 with some coptering - 1.5 to front pike is pretty, with step-dance out but looked controlled - split full to straddle full - a bit more laid out on her rudi dismount than earlier in the season. Improvement.

Hambrick - BB - drops on the L turn a little at the end, which is a shame because it's usually lovely - side aerial is solid - tentative on the switch to straddle 1/4 - break on the loso series with a bend at the hips - lovely flexibility, but this is one of her issue routines - small hop on 2/1 dismount.

Spicer - FX - very secure on the piked full in, still staggered but not too extreme this time and one of her better landings on that skill that I've seen from her - 1.5 to front pike - got to stick that front pike though it looked like she would come in short - the split and wolf are not as horizontal as they needed to be. Double pike with a step - looked like she went out but no flag? Because why not?

Macadaeg - BB - full turn - excellent switch and did well not to wobble after her switch half into the beat jump - just slightly off - another minor bend after her aerial - nothing big at all, but small checks here - just tentative a bit - same on loso series - sticks gainer pike, but small blips on everything. I love when DD Breaux dresses like she should be playing the slots. Still a 9.900.

Wang - FX - One of her stronger DLOs - layout to front 1/2 to split looks good - I've noticed a lot of "close-up on gymnasts face during dance elements" today and it's a bit squint-worthy - short on the double pike as usual -  large lunge forward. Bridget's face agrees with me. 9.875 anyway.

Gnat - BB - aerial is fine - nice full turn - switch to straddle 1/4 are hit - Courtney just gave us the works beam like she's on the floor comment - high switch side - she's on today - secure loso series with some floppy legs - strong 2/1 with a shuffle. 

Baker - FX - Please tell me you're watching this floor judge. WHAT ARE THESE FACES?! ARE YOU A SILENT FILM ACTRESS IN 1919? Step to the side on the piked double arabian this time - not her best control - short on duble pike with a smaller lunge forward - switch and split full were good - great 1.5 to half to straddle final passes. Finished with excellence but some issues on the first two passes. But 9.950 because sure.

Courville - BB - solid L turn - maybe dropped a little early but not an issue, Arabian - great one, strong and clean loso series - solid sheep - great switch and split - aerial small pause to sissone to gainer full with a slide. 9.900

Hunter - FX - Strong DLO as always and good control this time it appeared - Botched her middle pass - overdid her front layout and couldn't finish it as she usually does - and then just sort of slid around at the end - when you're Kytra Hunter, you can just slide around as your middle pass and it's OK - some bounce on double tuck. They needed a big hit from her and didn't get it.

Jordan - BB - check on side somi but pulls it back - pretty loso series - switch to straddle 1/4 - just a couple tentative moments and pauses but nice on the aerial - step on the 1.5. Good routine.

Caquatto - FX - CRAZY front double full to a fall on the punch front - she was crooked on her landing of the 2/1 and had no business going for that front tuck - seat drops it. Florida was getting some fancy scores (as both teams have been) in this floor rotation to allow them to keep pace with just iffy performances, but they gave it away with these last two routines. Hits the rest of the routine.

After 3: LSU 148.375, Florida 148.200 
Frankly Florida is lucky to still be within two tenths going to the final event. It's going to be very tough for Florida now after those floor issues, with LSU going to floor now. LSU didn't have a great beam either, at least not as strong as it can be or has been, but they got the scores and did enough to stay ahead of Florida's issues. Neither team had an ideal rotation there. Florida needs one of those "Claire Boyce suddenly gets a 9.950" kinds of beam rotations right now, and hope that LSU has one of those "Rheagan, what was that pass" kinds of floor rotations.

I love that DD told us that Ashleigh Gnat isn't a great bars worker in her interview. This is why people like DD.

Rotation 4 - Florida on beam, LSU on floor
Baker - BB - OK, don't mess up your wolf turn this week. Just a single turn this time and falls again. That's three mistakes on that skill now this season. Kupets thinks it needs to go. I do too. The rest of the routine is secure, regular, short on the double tuck with a large lunge. PROBLEMS.

Savona - FX - solid on the 1.5 to double duck - shuffles forward a little but secure - tuck full is great, just a controlled step there - this is better than last week so far. Strong double pike as well. Secure. Powerful. Good.

Spicer - BB - wobble on loso series with a medium bend - gainer loso is good - short on her switch split - looks tentative after the fall - round off gainer full is a stick-salute. Fine, but some issues.

Wyrick - FX - big full in - but a large step back - her foot was completely parallel to the line but really and surprisingly didn't look like it went over - her straddle elements are very strong - squatty on the double tuck with a lunge back on this one as well.

How many people are wearing gold jackets for LSU tonight.

Fassbender - BB - good and comfortable aerial to bhs - full turn - sheep that is pretty NCAA - side aerial to full with a hop back. She does negative 1 skills in that routine, but it's a good hit. One of her better beam routines.

Jordan - FX - This is my favorite LSU floor routine this year 0 I just like watching Jordan move - Very strong double pike - high, good form, secure - front full to layout is strong as well - good straddles - 1.5 to front full and bounces forward out of it - only real issue in this routine is the bounce though.

Boyce - BB - aerial to bhs is slow in connection but solid - nice loso series - comfortable full turn - switch looked iffy into a fine split jump - sticks gainer full - one of her good ones - Are they giving this 10-HANDS out of spite because the crowd wants every LSU routine to be a 10? I only approve of 10-HANDS when they're out of spite.

Gnat - FX - strong DLO in the air, bounces back out of it - 2.5 to front tuck is nice - switch ring was short on the front leg but the following split looked good - nice high double pike with a secure landing.

McMurtry - BB - check on her front tuck, but secure on her loso series - she's a little rushed and all over the place at the beginning of this routine, but she hit it - full turn - very strong 2.5 dismount and does very well to hang onto the stick.

Courville - FX - bounces on the double arabian this time - does stay in but a clear lunge - another big bounce on her double pike - Oh, Rheagan - where are these passes still? - splits are nice obviously - tuck into double back is good, though. Still got a 9.875 because whatever at this point.

Hunter - BB - wobble on loso series this time - good full turn - another small check on switch side, also crooked - small hop on double tuck - good routine but a few small errors.

Florida finishes with a 197.425, which they'll take given how many half-mistakes they had in this meet, especially on floor.

Hall - FX - DLO was fine but a little farther back on the landing than usual - straddles looked good - full to layout is hit - very strong double back to finish. THE JUDGE is over the moon about this. 9.975. It was a good performance but not one of her 10s in my book. Hmm, I wonder which judge gave her a 10.

The problem with a reacty judge is that I don't trust them. I only trust stoicism.

FINAL: LSU 197.950, Florida 197.425 
OMG DD. "We're going to come in on Sunday, do some yoga, and then I'm going to watch The Walking Dead." Never be away from us.

That meet was very evenly matched for the first two rotations, but then LSU was just better on the final two. Because there's so little between these teams, it was never going to come down to built-in things/general quality. It was going to come down to who hit better. Florida gave away too much on floor in those last two routines, and was just that little bit more wobbly on beam. But the major issue was floor. They can't afford a botched pass and a fall in those last two routines. On the happy side, Sloan is back. It's just one event, but she's back.

Advantage LSU this weekend with Oklahoma also having a relatively meh-ish meet for a lower 197. Because that's the way scores are now.

Auburn is going against Missouri on solid enough high 196 pace. Oregon State is underperforming a little (Erika Aufiero getting an 8 on bars?!?) but is still on 196 pace with beam to come. Arizona State had a disaster on beam, as usual.

Boise State came back from that performance against Alabama to break 196 again this week.