Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top ten cross country teams and individuals in the NCAA this season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 2 men's spot goes to UW-Eau Claire, and here's why:

Probable Top Seven:

SR Darin Lau (14:13 5K; 29:15 10K; 2nd/3rd at '17 NCAA 10K/5K; 6th at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Patrick Treacy (34th at '16 NCAA XC)
SO Kyler Lueck (10th at '17 NCAA 1500)
JR Sam Kuhlmann (146th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Riley Huffman (116th at '16 NCAA XC)
SR Brandon Paucek (15:14 5K; 200th at '15 NCAA XC)
SO Adam Phillips (9:27 3200; 44th at '16 NCAA Midwest XC)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Adam Phillips via UW-Parkside (9:27 3200; 44th at '16 NCAA Midwest XC)
Dylan Lueck via UW-Parkside

Analysis:

The Blugolds have the best returning top two, top three, and top four in the country outside of North Central. And to those four they add a stud miler and two solid transfers; if that whole group stays healthy, they can sandwich last year's third-place finish and 2015's national title with a runner-up finish this fall. (Barring something outrageous, no one is beating North Central this year.)

Darin Lau and Patrick Treacy are returners No. 2 and 15 from last year's national meet, though Treacy was sick during much of track and didn't produce any 2017 results that matched 2016's 34th-place finish. Lau is more than solid -- after taking sixth in cross, he was fourth in the indoor 5K, second in the outdoor 10K, and third in the outdoor 5K. We're ranking him at No. 2. Along with Isaac Garcia-Cassani, he's one of the two strongest contenders for the individual title. Head coach Dan Schwamberger reports that Lau had a good summer of training and is simply "on another level" right now.

Kyler Lueck had an excellent season, going from a 4:13 high school 1600 meter runner to a 3:50 1500 and a spot in the finals at outdoor nationals. If that success can translate to cross -- and Schwamberger thinks it's possible -- then Lueck could get among the returners for a spot in the top five.

Lueck's brother Dylan transferred in from Division II Wisconsin-Parkside, and so did Adam Phillips, who was 44th in the DII Midwest Region last November. Phillips didn't run track, but that result indicates that he's capable of being in the top 100 or so in Division III -- or better.

The most serious challenger to Eau Claire's shot at a runner-up finish is their conference and western Wisconsin rival UW-La Crosse. After two straight conference titles, Schwamberger says, "Right now, I think La Crosse is the favorite, and that might take a little bit of the pressure off."

Even if he says La Crosse is the favorite, Schwamberger knows he has a good group, and his biggest problem is a good one to have. 

"My biggest worry is to not let the guys train too hard," he says.

If the Blugolds stay healthy, they're as good as anyone else in the country -- except for one team.

FULL MEN'S RANKINGS HERE