Saturday afternoon brings us what should be a tightly contested Big Ten dual between Penn State and Ohio State. After both teams reached regional finals last year, their 2025 seasons have been off to a slower start. Ohio State peaked in its first two meets but has struggled since, partly due to Payton Harris’s absence from the lineups. Bars and beam have been particularly problematic, with the Buckeyes forced to count falls in each of the last two weeks. Finding consistency on those events will be crucial if Ohio State hopes to edge out Penn State.
Penn State enters as a slight underdog and is aiming to break the 196 mark after hovering in the mid-195s the past two weeks. The Nittany Lions haven’t had a glaring weak event, but early-lineup routines have frequently stalled in the 9.7 range. To push into higher scores, the team will need to sharpen details—think stuck landings and crisp handstands on bars. The highly touted freshman class has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, but more 9.8+ scores from Elizabeth Leary and Allison Kaempfer could be the key to taking the next step.
With both teams looking to turn the tide in their seasons, this one has all the makings of a nail-biter!
