LSU Men's Track Favored to Win NCAA Title Based on Projected Scoring

LINK

Form chart ranks and scores the top 8 best performing athletes in each event. Meant to predict what the scoring would be if the NCAA meet in a month goes as expected.

However, this is a bit misleading. It's basically a 3 way tie with Texas A&M and Oregon. However LSU has more downward mobility from what's expected while Oregon and TAM have upward mobility or "sure-thing" points. Texas A&M has great field(outside of PV where they are conservatively ranked, field points are easier to predict than track) and Oregon has a distance runner who is head and shoulders above the field and a lock to score big in the 2 long distance events.

LSU is all sprints(including a 110 hurdler). Likely the best NCAA sprinting team ever. They have a legitimate chance of breaking both the 4x100 and 4x400 record. With 8 separate guys. No overlap. And in neither event(100 or 400) are they near as good as they are in the 200.

However, relays(particularly the 4x1) run the risk of a botched handoff somewhere amongst qualifications. Also, Texas A&M is ranked very conservatively in almost every event while LSU is pretty spot on. I think it will take at least 60 to win the meet. Possibly upper 60s which LSU doesn't really have the capability of doing.

Either way, it will be a fun championship season to watch. Next weekend is the first round of qualifying which is not really relevant outside of not dropping batons, falling over a hurdle, etc. Really interested fans can hope LSU get's a 800 or hammer throw guy through, but expecting any points there is a long-shot. Getting as many 100, 200, 400 guys in increases the chances, I guess. But anybody who can't qualify in this meet probably isn't scoring at nationals anyway. So its more about hoping there is no major screw up and hoping for one from A&M and Oregon to a lesser extent.