Livvy Dunne & LSU Gymnastics Look to Advance to National Championship
On Thursday afternoon, the Tigers will face off against the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans, No. 5 Utah Utes and No. 4 UCLA Bruins. The top-two teams from the meet will advance to the National Championship while the other two will be sent home just one step short of their ultimate goal.
Livvy Dunne - Instagram
This will easily be the hardest meet of the season for the Tigers. They've duked it out with No. 1 Oklahoma in the PMAC (and won) and won one of the toughest SEC Championships to date, but there's nothing like facing three top-10 teams with a trip to the National Championship on the line. Luckily, they've been there before. Quite a few times, actually.
Advertisement
The LSU Tigers are looking to make their third consecutive National Championship. In 2023, they were plagued with injuries, but somehow managed to sneak in. They were only able to manage fourth place, but it was a great result considering the circumstances. However, a year later, they stayed pretty healthy and were able to make it back to Fort Worth, where they dominated, winning the program's first championship by nearly four tenths. Experience goes a long way, but there will still be plenty of nerves when the Tigers take the floor on Thursday.
Of their three opponents, the Utah Utes are going to be their biggest challenge. They're the No. 4 team in the country and have an NQS average of 197.780, which is .335 lower than the Tigers' average. UCLA is right on Utah's tail with an NQS average of 197.680. Both of these squads advanced from their section of the bracket with a 197.825 and 197.625 respectively in the Regional Final.
Michigan State is a team the Tigers are pretty familiar with now. They faced off with each other in the Penn State Regional Final, with LSU coming out on top, but not by much. The Spartans put together one of their best meets of the season, earning a 198.000 to finish just .050 behind the Tigers. If they can replicate that performance, things will get very interesting in Fort Worth.
This should be a very entertaining meet that could very well come down to the last routine. We don't know which event the Tigers will start on yet, but ending on floor or vault would be ideal. Really just anything but beam.
Related: Details Surrounding Kyren Lacy's Death Revealed By Authorities
Related: Jayden Daniels Mourns Kyren Lacy in Emotional Tribute After LSU Receiver Found Dead
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
8 SEC football freshmen defenders who can make an instant impact
The SEC recruits better than any other conference in college football. With this much high-level talent, it's hard to keep some recruits off the field. A handful of true freshmen make immediate impacts every fall. Some players force their way on the field. Others have to play out of necessity. Either way, any team looking to contend needs a few first-year players to make an impact. Today, we'll look at eight true freshman defenders across the SEC that have a chance to be difference makers in 2025. This list ranges from five-stars who could play anywhere to four-star players making strong first impressions. It's hard to predict which true freshman will see playing time, which is typically volatile for true freshmen. It's not rare to see a guy play 35 snaps one week, only to ride the bench the next. But these are the guys likely to get an opportunity in 2025. Let's jump right in, starting with LSU's five-star cornerback. LSU CB DJ Pickett Pickett signed with LSU as the No. 2-ranked cornerback in the class, per the Rivals' Industry Rankings. He enrolled last December and began practicing with LSU ahead of the Tigers' bowl game. Pickett is uber talented and joins an LSU secondary looking to take a big step. Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Blake Baker had to rebuild the unit after a rough 2023. Progress was shown last year, but an influx of talent has led to higher expectations in 2025. There's playing time to be won and Pickett is good enough to demand it. The five-star may not start right away, but Pickett will be in LSU's rotation in Week 1. Tennessee DT Isaiah Campbell Tennessee has recruited at a high level in recent years under head coach Josh Heupel. Defensive tackle Isaiah Campbell is one of the highest-ranked signees in Huepel's tenure. According to the Rivals' Industry Rankings, Campbell was a five-star and the No. 4-ranked defensive tackle in the class. The buzz on Rocky Top suggests Campbell is ready to make an immediate impact. Tennessee lost a couple of contributing defensive tackles from the 2024 squad. Campbell is one of the most talented players on the roster. Look for Campbell to work into the rotation as Tennessee looks to continue its high level of play on the defensive side of the ball. Texas S Jonah Williams Williams, a five-star, was one of the best safeties in the class. He's a dual-sport star who played with Texas Baseball in the spring. That gave Williams a late start prepping for football season, but he's talented enough to overcome that. Texas' secondary has been one of the best in the country in recent years, but the Longhorns lost star safety Andrew Mukuba. The Longhorns have no shortage of blue-chip options at the position, so playing time won't come easily for Williams, but he's too much of a playmaker not to factor in at all. Look for Williams to be in the rotation by late October. Georgia DL Elijah Griffin Georgia recruited and developed some good defensive tackles in recent years. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis were both All-Americans at UGA before going on to be first-round picks. Now, five-star Elijah Griffin looks to be keeping that tradition going. Per 247Sports, Griffin was the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 defensive tackle in the class. It's hard to find the field as a freshman at Georgia, but Griffin has the tools. Here's what 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Irvins had to say about Griffin: "Disruptive interior force that fuses together exceptional physical traits with an advanced feel for the game. Has proven to be no match for the competition that he has faced and followed up an uber-productive prep career with a dominant showing during practices for the Under Armour All-America Game." Texas A&M DL DJ Sanders We'll stick with the theme of defensive tackles and highlight Texas A&M's DJ Sanders. Sanders wasn't a five-star like the first few guys on this list. Per the Rivals' Industry Rankings, Sanders was the No. 98 overall recruit and No. 11-ranked defensive tackle. But Texas A&M has a lot to replace on the defensive line and there's room for a true freshman to make an impact. "One of the stronger defensive linemen at the point of attack in the 2025 recruiting cycle, routinely stacks and sheds opposing offensive linemen with ease," wrote 247Sports analyst Hudson Standish. Georgia LB Zayden Walker Again, it's not easy to find playing time as a true freshman at Georgia, especially as a linebacker. Kirby Smart needs his linebackers to be operating at a high level mentally and not every freshman is up to the task. However, Walker has the athletic tools to mitigate the mental learning curve. Per 247Sports, Walker was the No. 1-ranked linebacker in the class. At 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, he's physically ready for SEC football. With CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson, Georgia likes its starting linebackers but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Walker get run as a depth piece or in special packages. Alabama S Ivan Taylor Alabama's secondary is loaded, but there's room for young guys to find the field, especially at safety. Taylor was a top-100 recruit and ranked No. 5 at his position. According to Andrew Bone, Taylor is in the mix to play as a true freshman. "He drew a lot of praise from the upperclassmen during the spring. There's a great chance he'll start on special teams and also make the regular rotation at safety. He'll have some great players ahead of him to learn from this fall." Ole Miss S Cortez Thomas Ole Miss's secondary was one of the SEC's best in 2024 but the group is starting from scratch in 2025 with most of the top contributors gone. That leaves true freshman Cortez Thomas with a chance to make an instant impact. Thomas wasn't a top recruit, ranking No. 322 nationally and No. 30 at his position. He was a blue-chip, but he's not the same caliber of prospect as some others on this list. With playing time wide open and position battles across the board, Thomas can wiggle into the rotation. Texas DE Lance Jackson Jackson won't claim a starting role for Texas with all the talent returning at pass rusher, but EDGE is a position where depth matters. The more competent pass rushers, the better a defensive coordinator can keep the unit fresh. Texas defensive end Colin Simmons is expected to be one of the top defenders in the country. If Jackson is good enough to spell Simmons for 10 snaps a game, Simmons' impact is maximized. Texas isn't shy about playing true freshmen, especially those of Jackson's caliber. The defensive end from Texas ranked as the No. 19 overall recruit and No. 2 at his position. Look to see Jackson on the field early for the Longhorns.


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Former LSU baseball pitcher transfers to Tigers' familiar postseason foe
Former LSU baseball pitcher Nic Bronzini is on the move to his third school. He committed to Little Rock, per a social media post from the team account. The left-hander spent the 2025 season at Washington after two years in Baton Rouge. He redshirted in 2023, then played six games as a reliever during his redshirt freshman year in 2024. Bronzini pitched just one-third of an inning in 2025. He surrendered two walks and a hit during the March appearance against Portland. He was a part of Washington's first season in the Big Ten. The Huskies posted a 17-13 conference record. Little Rock should be familiar to LSU fans. The Trojans were a part of the Baton Rouge Regional of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and they knocked off the Tigers 10-4 to force a championship game in Alex Box Stadium. LSU clinched a berth in the super regionals the following day with a 10-6 win.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
ESPN Computer Names Country's 10 Realistic National Champions
ESPN Computer Names Country's 10 Realistic National Champions originally appeared on The Spun. Every college football team heads into the season hoping to win the national championship. But how many programs are actually capable of doing it? Everyone wants to do what Ohio State did last year. The Buckeyes went 10-2 in the regular season but made the College Football Playoff and got hot at the right time. The Buckeyes topped Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame on the way to a national championship. Who is actually capable of doing that this year? According to ESPN's computer model, the Football Power Index, the number is set at about 10 teams. Here is, according to ESPN's computer model, the list of 10 "realistic" national champions for the 2025 college football season. All 10 of these teams have at least a 2.3 percent chance of winning the national title this year, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. Texas Georgia Ohio State Alabama Penn State Oregon Clemson Notre Dame Miami Texas A&M The Aggies are the lowest-odds team on the list, with a 2.3 percent chance of winning the national championship. Texas, meanwhile, is the overwhelming favorite. Steve Sarkisian's team has a 24.1 percent chance of winning the national championship. According to ESPN's computer model, the Longhorns win it all one out of every four simulations. Who do you have winning the College Football Playoff during the 2025-26 college football season? Sound off in the comments below. ESPN Computer Names Country's 10 Realistic National Champions first appeared on The Spun on Jul 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.