A busy Valentine's Day weekend caused quite a bit of chaos from top to bottom in the second round of FloTrack's College Indoor T&F Rankings Presented by Saucony, with the Arkansas men skyrocketing to the top and the Oregon women closing the gap on the frontrunners.

With conference championships less than a week away and one final round of tune-ups taking place as we speak, here are a few questions that we'll have answered over the next couple of weeks.

• Watch The BU Valentine Invitational REPLAY on FloTrack
• College Indoor T&F Rankings Presented By Saucony, Arkansas Enters The Chat
• Riley Chamberlain Sets NCAA Mile Record At BU
• Full College Indoor Ranking Sets

Will The Arkansas Men Add Another National Title To Their Legacy?

Since the first NCAA Men's Indoor Championship in 1965, the Razorbacks have claimed 21 of the 60 possible titles, accounting for over a third of the sport's national championships. Now, in what has turned into Chris Bucknam's swan song after he announced his retirement in December 2025, one of the most decorated programs in collegiate history is hoping to send him off on a high note.

After not being ranked in the first edition of the College Indoor T&F Rankings Presented by Saucony, Arkansas moved all the way up to No. 1 following a dominant showing at the Tyson Invitational last weekend. 

Across the board, the hosts were far and away the most dominant team in attendance, winning multiple events throughout both the University and Championship sections while showcasing their trademark depth simultaneously. 

• 60m – No. 3
  • Jelani Watkins – 6.52 (#3)
  • Jamarion Stubbs – 6.58 (#14)
• 60mH – No. 1
  • Jerome Campbell – 7.48 (#2)
  • Vashaun Vascianna – 7.53 (#6)
  • Abdoul Sy-Savane – 7.55 (#7)
  • Karamoko Sacko – 7.59 (#15)
• 200m – No. 1
  • Jelani Watkins – 20.43 (#3)
  • Tevijon Williams – 20.56 (#7)
• 400m – No. 5
  • Devyn Wright – 45.38 (#4)
• 800m – No. 3
  • Tyrice Taylor – 1:46.11 (#7)
  • Rivaldo Marshall – 1:46.30 (#10)
• 3000m – No. 4
  • Ernest Cheruiyot – 7:43.66 (#17)
  • Brian Masai – 7:43.96 (#20)

The way Arkansas is built will make for an interesting battle for the team title next month, since a few other contenders match up well in events where the Razorbacks don't have as much depth. Regardless, as always, Arkansas is one of the favorites to win another national title in a couple of weeks. 

Can The Oregon Women Get The Job Done With Their Distance Squad?

Since joining Jerry Schumacher in Eugene, Oregon, in 2022, Shalane Flanagan has been integral in building the women's program into what it is today: one of the best in the country. In November, the Ducks finished third overall at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, earning their first podium finish since 2018 and their 14th podium finish in program history. 

The Ducks wasted no time shifting gears to the indoor circuit, and the distance squad has been lethal through nearly three months of racing. 

In both the mile and the 3000m, the Ducks are ranked No. 4 in the country, led by their historically quick duo of Wilma Nielsen and Silan Ayyildiz. 

In the mile, Nielsen and Alyyildiz have slated themselves at the top of the record books, currently the No. 2 and No. 4 fastest women in collegiate history, with unprecedented times of 4:21.04 and 4:23.46. 

Stepping up to the 3000m hasn't caused any issues for Ayyildiz either, with the senior ranked No. 4 nationwide after running 8:42.29 in Boston a week ago. While they sit outside of the top 16 spots right now, a trio of women who have run 8:55 or faster could move up before the big dance. 

Unsurprisingly, these women also combine for one heck of a Distance PMedley Relay, posting a 10:45.97 that ranks them sixth this season. 

In addition to their distance firepower, the Ducks have Aaliyah McCormick (No. 2) in the 60mH, Liisa-Maria Lusti (No. 4) in the pentathlon, along with a few more athletes on the cusp of the qualifying cutoff. 

Since 2010, Oregon has won eight national titles, and are the current defending national champion. Is this the year the Ducks begin another dynasty?

Are The Nittany Lions The Real Deal?

In case you've been living under a rock, John Gondak and his staff have quietly been transitioning the Nittany Lion program into one of the most underrated yet talented teams in the country. After finishing 12th in the Big Ten a year ago, they've stormed out of the gates this winter and have assembled quite the roster.

In the sprints, high school phenom Ajani Dwyer has adjusted nicely in his second year, already sitting No. 3 and No. 6 in the 60m (6.52) and 200m (20.52). Fellow sophomore Jake Palermo rounds out a small but potent duo, owning a 45.33 PB that makes him the third-fastest quarter miler in the NCAA.

Their best event by far is obviously the 800m, one that they've been well-known for since the days of Isaiah Harris and Brandon Kidder. This year, Handal Roban has been the leading man in a quartet that could very well all earn spots at NCAAs in a few weeks. 

Roban, Allon Clay, Yukichi Ishii, and Niko Schultz sit No. 2, No. 4, No. 13, and No. 17 this season, sporting SBs of 1:44.73, 1:45.17, 1:46.37, and 1:46.53, comfortably making them the best half-mile program in the country. 

They've also got Nick Sloff, who sits No. 16 in the 3000m, and a Distance Medley Relay quartet that is ranked fifth.

Behind their 800m, the third-ranked program in this week's rankings has a loaded shot put group, with Ryan Henry and Dylan Lambrecht both inside the top-15, ranked No. 7 and No.12.

The men's side is loaded this year, but just like their competition, Penn State has depth and a well-balanced team that could end their season on the podium.

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