Oklahoma vs LSU Gymnastics Preview: No. 1 Sooners Host No. 2 Tigers in Battle of SEC Titans

The 2026 NCAA gymnastics season’s most anticipated rematch arrives Friday night at the Lloyd Noble Center.

No. 2 LSU (6-1-1, 2-0 SEC) travels to Norman, Oklahoma to face the top-ranked and defending national champion Sooners (10-0-1, 4-0 SEC) in a clash that carries championship implications and serious bragging rights. ESPN2 will broadcast the showdown at 7:45 p.m. CT (8:45 p.m. ET), marking the first time Oklahoma and LSU have met in a head-to-head dual this season.

These two programs tied at 197.500 in the season-opening Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on January 10, with Oklahoma claiming the victory on a tiebreaker. Now, seven weeks later, both teams arrive in dramatically different form.

The Oklahoma Juggernaut: Breaking Records and Setting New Standards

The Sooners aren’t just undefeated—they’re redefining excellence.

Oklahoma has posted four consecutive team scores of 198 or higher, a feat no other program has matched this season. Their most recent performance, a 198.075 victory over No. 5 Florida in Gainesville on February 14, marked the first time in program history the Sooners defeated the Gators on their home floor.

“We were feeding off the energy from the crowd and from our team,” sophomore Addison Fatta said after the Florida meet. “Small steps every day. Every practice matters, every meet matters, building off one another and just doing our thing.”

The numbers back up the dominance. Oklahoma ranks No. 1 nationally on vault (49.540 NQS) and beam (49.530 NQS), No. 4 on floor (49.465), and No. 5 on bars (49.370). They’re the only team in the country ranked in the top five on all four events.

Perhaps most impressively, the Sooners are the only school in the nation with a 49.700 or better on any event, posting a staggering 49.725 on vault and 49.750 on floor—both season highs achieved at the Metroplex Challenge.

Six of Oklahoma’s 10 wins this season have come against top-10 opponents, and eight against teams ranked in the top 25. This isn’t a team padding stats against weak opponents—they’re dominating the nation’s elite.

The Perfect 10 Parade: Oklahoma’s Valentine’s Day Weekend

Last weekend, the Sooners delivered two perfect 10s that captured national attention.

Freshman sensation Mackenzie Estep became the first rookie to score a perfect 10 in 2026 when she stuck her Yurchenko 1.5 at the Metroplex Challenge on February 8. The Auburn, Washington native has won three SEC Freshman of the Week awards in five weeks—the most of any gymnast in the conference.

Then, on Valentine’s Day in Gainesville, Addison Fatta earned her first career perfect 10 on vault while anchoring the Sooners’ lineup. The score was particularly sweet coming on Florida’s home floor, where no Oklahoma gymnast had ever scored a perfect 10.

“It was so incredible,” Fatta said. “Just being able to be there with my team was amazing. I was really surprised honestly.”

Fatta also leads the SEC in all-around average (39.580 NQS) and holds the nation’s No. 1 ranking on vault with a 9.945 NQS. She’s scored 39.700 or higher in the all-around twice this season—the only SEC gymnast to reach that mark even once.

LSU’s Fire: Coming Off a Season-High Performance

While Oklahoma grabs headlines with perfect 10s, LSU has been quietly building momentum of its own.

The Tigers posted a season-high 198.325 in their February 13 victory over Auburn, their highest score of the 2026 campaign. Most significantly, LSU hasn’t lost a home meet since January 16, 2023—an 18-meet win streak at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center that stands as one of the nation’s most imposing home-court advantages.

But Friday’s meet is in Norman, not Baton Rouge.

LSU’s star is sophomore Kailin Chio, who earned a perfect 10 on floor against Auburn to go with her beam perfect 10 scored earlier this season against Kentucky. Against Auburn, Chio posted a 39.875 in the all-around—tying the second-highest all-around score by an LSU gymnast in school history, matching marks set by Haleigh Bryant (2023) and April Burkholder (2003).

“How bout them LSU Tigers,” the team’s social media exclaimed after the Auburn win, and rightfully so. The Tigers have championship DNA, coming off back-to-back SEC Championships and reaching three consecutive NCAA Championships under head coach Jay Clark.

This season, LSU’s depth is formidable. Junior Konnor McClain posted a season-high 9.975 on bars against Auburn. Transfer Madison Ulrich has been solid in the all-around. And freshman Nina Ballou made her bars debut with an impressive 9.900.

The Venue: Lloyd Noble Center and the Sooner Faithful

Oklahoma’s home floor has been a launching pad for elite performances all season.

The Sooners opened their home slate with a program-defining 198.425 against No. 5 Georgia on January 23—the first team to break 198 this season and the score that propelled them to the No. 1 ranking for the first time in 2026.

In that meet, Oklahoma posted the nation’s highest beam score of the season with a 49.675. Senior Faith Torrez claimed the beam title with a near-perfect 9.975. Fatta won the all-around with a career-high 39.750. The Sooners were firing on all cylinders.

Friday’s crowd will be electric. This is appointment viewing—a top-two matchup with ESPN2 cameras rolling and championship seeding on the line.

Key Matchups to Watch

All-Around Battle: Fatta vs. Chio

The SEC’s two best all-arounders go head-to-head. Fatta leads the conference with her 39.580 NQS and has been a model of consistency. Chio counters with explosive routines and perfect 10 potential on both floor and beam. This could be the difference-maker.

Vault Showdown: Oklahoma’s Perfect 10 Crew vs. LSU’s Power

Oklahoma owns the nation’s No. 1 vault ranking for good reason—Fatta, Estep, and the entire lineup can all go 9.950 or better. LSU counters with Chio’s vault prowess and the program’s tradition of big scores on this event. Expect fireworks.

Beam: Where Championships Are Won

Oklahoma ranks No. 1 nationally on beam with a 49.530 NQS. But Chio earned the first beam perfect 10 of the 2026 season. Both teams have championship-level beam workers. This event could swing the meet.

X-Factors: The Freshmen

Oklahoma’s Estep and fellow freshman Ella Murphy (9.975 on beam at Florida) versus LSU’s Ballou and the Tigers’ veteran depth. Which freshmen step up in the biggest meet of the season so far?

The Season-Opening Tie: Unfinished Business

At the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on January 10, both teams scored 197.500. Oklahoma won on the tiebreaker (all scores counted), but the meet left questions unanswered.

LSU’s Kailin Chio won the all-around title with a dominant performance. Utah’s Avery Neff scored the first perfect 10 of the season on vault. Both Oklahoma and LSU showed championship potential, but neither team was in midseason form.

Now, seven weeks later, both programs have evolved dramatically. Oklahoma has discovered new stars in Estep and Murphy. LSU has fine-tuned rotations and built momentum with consecutive strong performances. This is a completely different matchup.

What’s at Stake

Beyond bragging rights, this meet carries significant implications:

• NQS Rankings: Oklahoma (197.900) and LSU (197.688) are the top two teams in the nation. A strong performance here boosts postseason seeding.
• SEC Positioning: Both teams are perfect in conference play (Oklahoma 4-0, LSU 2-0). This is a statement meet for SEC supremacy.
• Momentum: With NCAA Regionals starting April 1 and Championships on April 16-18, building championship confidence matters.
• Psychological Edge: In a sport where mental toughness is everything, beating the nation’s No. 1 or No. 2 team on their home floor sends a message.

What to Watch For

Can LSU handle the Lloyd Noble Center environment? The Tigers are 18-0 at home since January 2023, but they’re 0-2 in road meets this season (losses at Georgia and Missouri). Can they flip that script in Norman?

Will Oklahoma’s beam hold up under pressure? The Sooners posted a 49.700 season-best on beam at Florida, but LSU’s Chio is a beam master. This could be the meet’s deciding event.

Which team brings more perfect 10 potential? Oklahoma has two fresh perfect 10s from last weekend. LSU has Chio’s proven ability to go perfect on floor and beam. Someone could steal the show.

Does Faith Torrez make her case? Oklahoma’s senior leader has been steady but not spectacular. Against LSU’s firepower, the Sooners may need a vintage Torrez performance.

How will the lineups evolve? Both coaches have been strategic with lineup changes all season. Expect adjustments based on seven weeks of competition data.

The Bottom Line

This is why we watch gymnastics.

Two programs at the peak of their powers. Two teams with legitimate national championship aspirations. Two fanbases that live and breathe every routine. And ESPN2 cameras capturing every moment for a national audience.

Oklahoma enters as the favorite—undefeated, battle-tested against top-five opponents, and riding a wave of perfect 10s and 198-plus team scores. The Sooners are the only team in America ranked in the top five on all four events, and they’re doing it with a blend of veteran leadership (Torrez) and explosive young talent (Estep, Murphy).

But LSU has the talent, experience, and star power to pull the upset. Chio is one of the best gymnasts in the country. The Tigers’ depth chart is stacked with transfers and elite recruits. And they’ve been in this moment before—championship pressure is nothing new to Jay Clark’s program.

Friday night at 7:45 p.m. CT, the Lloyd Noble Center will be rocking. The routines will be elite. The stakes will be high. And one of these two teams will walk away with a statement victory that could define their championship push.

Don’t miss it.

Follow GymnasticsVille for live updates, post-meet analysis, and exclusive content from Oklahoma vs LSU.