by Alex Moore (10/22/03)

To some sports fans, late October means the first look at the coveted BCS rankings that rule college football. For us, it means championship season is upon us in the world of NCAA Cross Country. After the conference meets come the Regionals, where teams vie for 18 automatic entries to the NCAA meet, after which 13 at-large bids are handed out to reward teams who have run well throughout the season. This is an attempt to provide you with an outlook of what the current qualifying situation appears to be.

By taking the regional coaches polls and assuming that the Regional meets have the same results, this will show the expected 18 automatic entries, as well as show the possible number of at large points for teams looking to qualify, shown by teams they have beaten this season. The points are divided into A points, awarded for defeating a team that is picked to qualify automatically (denoted by a $), and B points, for defeating teams that are ranked or receiving votes (note: a few exceptions). Please email us with any corrections or omissions.

List of Wins over Teams:

Meet Key:

(GA)=Great American
(IMOC)=Iona Meet of Champions
(MKI)=Murray Keating Invitational
(OSUJ)=OSU Jamboree
(RGI)=Roy Griak Invitational
(NDI)=Notre Dame Invitational
(ASI)=Arizona State Invitational
(LI)=Lehigh Invitational
(PREN)=Pre-Nationals

1 $ Stanford: Butler(MKI), Indiana(MKI), Cal Poly(Stan), Iona(PREN), Michigan(PREN), Air Force(PREN), Villanova(PREN), BYU(PREN), Cal Poly(PREN), Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

2 $ Wisconsin: BYU(RGI), Colorado State(RGI), Oregon(RGI), Arizona State(RGI), Arizona(RGI), Providence(RGI), Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI)

3 $ Iona College: LaSalle(IMOC), Michigan(PREN), Air Force(PREN), Villanova(PREN), BYU(PREN), Cal Poly(PREN), Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

4 $ Colorado: Northern Arizona(PREN), Ohio State(PREN), Georgetown(PREN), Arizona(PREN), NC State(PREN), Oregon(PREN), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

5 $ Northern Arizona: Central Michigan (GA), Ohio State(GA), Michigan(GA), Virginia(GA), Villanova(GA), Texas A&M(GA), NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), Ohio State(PREN), Georgetown(PREN), Arizona(PREN), NC State(PREN), Oregon(PREN), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

6 $ Michigan: Virginia(GA), Villanova(GA), Texas A&M(GA), NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), Duke(NDI), Air Force(PREN), Villanova(PREN), BYU(PREN), Cal Poly(PREN), Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

7 Ohio State: Michigan(GA), Virginia(GA), Villanova(GA), Texas A&M(GA), NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), Georgetown(PREN), Arizona(PREN), NC State(PREN), Oregon(PREN), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

8 $ Arkansas: Kansas(OSUJ), Oklahoma State(OSUJ)

9 Air Force: Villanova(PREN), BYU(PREN), Cal Poly(PREN), Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

10 Colorado State: Oregon(RGI), Arizona State(RGI), Arizona(RGI), Providence(RGI), Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI)

11 $ Villanova: Texas A&M(GA), NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), BYU(PREN), Cal Poly(PREN), Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

12 BYU: Colorado State(RGI), Oregon(RGI), Arizona State(RGI), Arizona(RGI), Providence(RGI), Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI), Cal Poly(PREN), Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

13 $ Georgetown: Princeton(LI), Arizona(PREN), NC State(PREN), Oregon(PREN), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

14 Arizona: Providence(RGI), Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI), NC State(PREN), Oregon(PREN), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

15 Arizona State: Arizona(RGI), Providence(RGI), Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI), Arizona (ASI)

16 $ Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: Indiana(PREN), Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

17 $ North Carolina State: Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), Oregon(PREN), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

18 Oregon: Arizona State(RGI), Arizona(RGI), Providence(RGI), Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI), Georgia(PREN), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

19 Indiana: Florida State(PREN), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

20 $ Providence: Portland(RGI), Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI)

21 $ Georgia: Arkansas(OSUJ), Kansas(OSUJ), Oklahoma State(OSUJ), Notre Dame(PREN), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

22 Central Michigan: Ohio State(GA), Michigan(GA), Virginia(GA), Villanova(GA), Texas A&M(GA), NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

23 $ Florida State: Butler(GA), Central Michigan(PREN), Texas A&M(PREN), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

24 Notre Dame: Michigan(NDI), Duke(NDI), Kansas(PREN), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

25 $ Texas A&M: NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA), Miami (Ohio)(PREN), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

26 Miami (Ohio): Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI), Washington(PREN), Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

27 Washington: Princeton(PREN), Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

28 $ Kansas: Oklahoma State(OSUJ), Iowa(PREN), William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

29 William & Mary: Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

30 Iowa: William and Mary(PREN), Texas(PREN), Butler(PREN)

-- Princeton: Portland(PREN), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

-- Oklahoma State: ---

-- Portland: Washington State(RGI), Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI), Minnesota(PREN), Duke(PREN)

-- $ Minnesota: Texas(RGI), Duke(PREN)

-- Texas: Butler(PREN)

-- Butler: Indiana (MKI)

-- Washington State: Miami (Ohio)(RGI), Minnesota(RGI), Texas(RGI)

-- $ Duke: Florida State(GA), Butler(GA)

-- Navy: Florida State(GA), Butler (GA)

-- UCLA: Duke(PREN)

-- Eastern Michigan: Minnesota (RGI)

-- Virginia: Villanova(GA), Texas A&M(GA), NC State(GA), Duke(GA), Florida State(GA), Butler(GA)

Current Projected NCAA Field based on Coaches Regional Polls:

Autos:
1. Wisconsin
2. Michigan
3. Villanova
4. Georgetown
5. Kansas
6. Minnesota
7. Colorado
8. NAU
9. Iona
10. Providence
11. Georgia
12. FSU
13. Arkansas
14. Texas A&M
15. NC State
16. Duke
17. Stanford
18. Cal Poly

At Large explanation:

The 3rd and 4th place finishers in each region are looked at first, then the rest of the teams and their at large points are examined. So, let's start with the 3rd and 4th place ranked teams in each region.

Great Lakes: Ohio State 10
Indiana 4

Mid-Atlantic: Princeton 2
American 0

Midwest: Oklahoma 0
Iowa 0

Mountain: Air Force 6
Colorado State 2

Northeast: Brown 0
Columbia 0

South: Florida 0
Alabama 0

South Central: Texas 0
Baylor 0
South East: W&M 0
Virginia 5

West: Arizona 5
Arizona State 2

Ohio State, with 10 wins over automatic teams, gets the first At-Large bid, followed by Air Force with 6 wins, Arizona with 5, then by Virginia, who also has 5, and at the same time pushes William and Mary in for the 5th spot. Indiana is next on the list with 4, which makes it time to expand the list of possible qualifiers to the next fastest finishers in the regions.

Central Michigan, with 9 wins over auto qualifiers, gets in. BYU, with 7 auto wins, must wait for Colorado State, with only 2 auto wins, to receive a bid before it can go, just as Oregon must wait for Arizona State. However, since Arizona State beat Arizona twice in the regular season, they get 2 extra points, making them the 8th qualifier, with Oregon coming in next. Once Arizona State and Oregon qualify, Colorado State has 5 points, 2 over autos and 1 each from Arizona, ASU, and Oregon, which means they qualify 10th, thus clearing the way for BYU, with 7 auto wins to come in 11th. Next, Notre Dame, with 3 auto wins, plus 1 for a victory over William and Mary, is the 12th qualifier, making Miami(Ohio) the winner of the lucky 13 spot, the last At-Large bid.

At Large:
19. Ohio State
20. Air Force
21. Arizona
22. Virginia
23. William and Mary
24. Indiana
25. Central Michigan
26. Arizona State
27. Oregon
28. Colorado State
29. BYU
30. Notre Dame
31. Miami(Ohio)

Any corrections/errors or omissions, please email us.