Six of top seven teams headed to Pre-Nationals

By Adam Schneider of DyeStat 

Two weeks ago many of the top teams competed at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe cross country invitational. Some that didn't will be at the same course this weekend at the NCAA Division 1 Pre-Nationals Invitational on the national championship course.

Oregon has faced a limited number of top teams this year but it is favored to battle for the team title. As in many of the big races of the last few years, top-ranked Colorado will be challenged by fourth-ranked Oregon and eighth-ranked BYU in the Cardinal race. Fifth-ranked Stanford will challenge No. 3 New Mexico in the White race. 

Big meets this weekend include: 

Oct. 12 Villanova and Princeton at Princeton 

Oct. 12 Arkansas. Penn State, Michigan State, Columbia, Eastern Kentucky, Georgetown at Penn State National 

Oct. 12 Notre Dame, Iowa State and Indiana at Bradley Pink 

Oct. 13 Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Stanford, BYU, Portland, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, North Carolina State, Indiana, Furman, Colorado State, Southern Utah, Washington, Air Force, Mississippi, and Michigan at NCAA D1 Pre-Nationals 

Oct. 13 Colorado State and Air Force at FHSU Tiger Open

Top 20 (September 26 ranking)

1. Colorado (2) at Pre-Nationals

2. Boise State (7) at Inland Empire

3. New Mexico (1) at Pre-Nationals

4. Oregon (4) at Pre-Nationals

5. Stanford (3) at Pre-Nationals

6. Villanova (NR) at Princeton

7. BYU (8) at Pre-Nationals

8. Arkansas (6) at Penn State

9. Wisconsin (12) at Pre-Nationals

10. Michigan (10) at Pre-Nationals

11. Notre Dame (13) at Pre-Nationals and Bradley

12. North Carolina State (5) at Pre-Nationals and Pirate

13. Penn State (11) at home meet

14. Indiana at Pre-Nationals and Bradley

15. Michigan State (14) at Penn State and Jay Hawk

16. Iowa State (20) at Bradley

17. Furman (19) at Pre-Nationals and Queen City

18. Columbia (NR) at Princeton and Metropolitan Champs

19. Portland (NR) at Pre-Nationals and Warner Pacific

20. Washington (16) at Pre-Nationals 

Watch List - Southern Utah, Yale, California, Princeton, Mississippi, Georgia (15), Utah State (17),  Providence (18), Georgetown, Eastern Kentucky