This is the big one.
The No. 2 consecutive SEC champion LSU gymnastics team is back in action for the biggest meet of the 2026 regular season. The Tigers are coming off a huge 198,325-196,825 win over Auburn. Now they have to hit the road to face, by far, the best team in the country: the number one Oklahoma Sooners. The match begins at 8:00 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN2. John Roethlisberger and Bridget Sloan will be on play-by-play, and Taylor Davis will report on the court. Live statistics can be found here.
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LSU’s matchup history with Oklahoma
LSU is 13-25-1 all-time against Oklahoma and 1-1 against them in Norman. The last time the two met was at the season-opening Sprouts Collegiate Quad in West Valley City, Utah, where the two tied 197.500-197.500. LSU hasn’t been to Norman since 2014, when the then-#3 Tigers beat the then-#2 Sooners 197,650-197,325. That was the last time Oklahoma suffered a loss at home. Oklahoma has a 63-game home winning streak when you include the 12 Big 12 championships they hosted and the regional meets they hosted.
This is the second straight time these two teams have met in a 1-on-2 dual meet. LSU won last year’s contest in the PMAC 198,050-197,675 thanks to the Sooners buckling under pressure.
About #1 Oklahoma
The reigning national champion Oklahoma Sooners finished third in the SEC last year. The Sooners lost nine NQS routines from the 2025 team, but they came from three program legends: Danielle Sievers, Audrey Davis AA and Jordan Bowers AA bars. It’s impossible to overstate the impact of losing the two all-rounders, but Oklahoma was built to withstand it. The Sooners brought in the most complete recruiting class of all time, highlighted by Mackenzie Estep and Kamila Pawlak, the top two recruits in the country. They also landed Ella Murphy, the No. 8-ranked recruit.
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The Sooners are 10-0-1 overall and 5-0 in the SEC. Their most recent match was a 198.075-197.575 victory in Florida. Oklahoma looks like the show we’re all used to seeing: a juggernaut. OU owns the highest score of the season, a definitively undisputed 198.425 set on January 23.thirdand has as many 198 as the rest of the country combined. His last three matches have all been 198s. On top of that, they have a 63-game home winning streak, including regional and conference championships, dating back to LSU’s win in 2014. They are the standard. If you are looking for a star, this team is a galaxy. The real studs of this team are AAers Addison Fatta, Lily Pederson and Mackenzie Estep and everything-but-floor specialist Faith Torrez.
Oklahoma is led by the legendary KJ Kindler in her 20sth Season with the program. She is assisted by associate head coaches Lou Ball and Tom Haley, each in their 20s.th season and assistant coach Ashley Kerr in her ninth year. They are the dynasty, the gold standard, the queens of the castle and the team that everyone wants to beat. However, only one team has failed to lose against them in their last three meetings, and that is LSU.
About #2 LSU
After a phenomenal performance against Auburn, Kailin Chio earned SEC Gymnast of the Week honors for the third time this season. His AA score of 39.875 is tied for second in LSU history and tied for the 2026 national high.
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LSU ranks second on vault (49.369), second on bars (49.463), fifth on beam (49.388) and first on floor (49.494).
LSU needs to have a good showing. It’s highly unlikely they’ll win because Oklahoma is an absolute beast at home, but this sport isn’t about wins and losses until the tournament. If LSU somehow gets close to 198 in this matchup, it will be more than enough to make everyone feel confident. The lineups will be what they are, what matters is the ability to take advantage of the momentum they can get.
In terms of the NQS, LSU will peak if they perform as well as they did last week. LSU’s program record for a true road meet is 198.200, so keep expectations reasonable. LSU needs just 197.125 to maintain its No. 2 spot in the standings. Oklahoma is locked into the number one spot no matter how they do tonight. It should be a fun meeting, so enjoy the excitement.