The men's individual race of the 2008 NCAA Cross-Country Championships became one of the most anticipated races not seen in recent memory. Unlike a lot of years when there were a handful of favorites for the title, this year there was two clear favorites, a rivalry reminiscent to the one that played out between Salazar vs Rono.

Samuel Chelanga (Liberty), a third-year sophomore from Kenya. He was 16th at the NCAAs as a freshman in 2006, is unbeaten in five races this year, including the pre-national meet (above) in Terre Haute in October that did not include Oregon. After a  4:18 opening mile his lead would continue to 44.2 seconds.

He broke last year's NCAA champion Josh McDougal's course record of 22:56.4 by running 22:51.3!!

Similarly, the senior from Portland, Ore., Rupp ripped through the West Regional - Scorching a sub-28:00 for 10,000 meters.

Rupp's 27:41 on a course that was 85 meters short of 10k - is still worth sub-28:00. His margin of victory was: 51.07 seconds!

By 3K, Rupp, had closed to within three seconds.

2007 NCAA XC Championships

Rupp, who came out on the losing side of a duel to the closing metres with Liberty University's Josh McDougal.

They battled the entire final 400m straight, but in the end, McDougal held on for the 1 second victory.

Chelanga & Rupp ran shoulder-to-shoulder the last half of the race until Rupp made his move with 200 meters remaining.

Rupp learned from last year and kicked away from Chelanga, another Liberty runner, but this time with a smile on his face!

After near misses, Rupp captures his first NCAA title by shadowing Chelenga for 9,600m and then outkicking him on the straight to lead Oregon to the team win.

Rupp’s winning time of 29 minutes, 3.2 seconds was nearly two seconds better than the course record (29:04.7) set by Colorado’s Jorge Torres @ 2002 NCAA XC Champs (Above).

(Torres placed 47th as a frosh for Colorado in 1999).

Rupp becomes the third Oregon runner to win an NCAA men's cross country title race,

He joins Oregon legends Steve Prefontaine, a three-time winner in 1970-71 and 1973, and Alberto Salazar, who was the Ducks’ last individual champion in 1978 (Link to video -52 sec. in).

The chase pack, racing for 3rd place.

In the mix: Luke Puskedra (Oregon, 466), German Fernandez (Oklahoma State, 435) and Chris Derrick (Stanford, 575).

Near 4½ miles.

Unfortunately the moment Fernandez goes down with a calf injury.

How they finished:

1) 467 Galen Rupp SR Oregon .....................29:03.2
2) 277 Samuel Chelanga SO Liberty .............29:08.0
--Pictured above--
3) 226 Andrew Ledwith SR Iona ...................29:25.4
4) 493 David Kinsella SR Portland ................29:26.5
5) 466 Luke Puskedra FR Oregon ................29:27.8
6) 225 Mohamed Khadraoui SR Iona ............29:29.3
7) 575 Chris Derrick FR Stanford .................29:29.4
8) 438 John Kosgei JR Oklahoma State .........29:32.4
9) 461 Shadrac Kiptoo-Biwott SR Oregon ....29:43.4
10) 102 Kyle Perry SR BYU .........................29:46.1

A total of 252 runners.

The unassuming Utah native went from 5th in Foot Locker

to 5th in NCAAs in one year!