Today's cross country meet has taken on added meaning with the release yesterday of a poll of New England coaches on the question of who's who in New England running.

The Crimson harriers meet UMass and Providence today at Franklin field, at 4 p.m. The coaches from the six-state area rank the Prices No. 2, behind Northeastern and ahead of Harvard, which is ranked third. To make matters more interesting still, the University of Massachusetts is rated fourth.

The poll was taken by the University of Connecticut Sports Information Bureau before team training camps opened, so it does not reflect Harvard's victory over Northeastern last week.

The Redmen from Amherst shouldn't give Harvard too much of a tussie this year. Last year, they finished behind both Harvard and Providence. Massachusetts has a young team, staffed primarily by sophomores.

Lead Redmen is co-captain Douglas O'Connell, who is in the 9 min.-2 category. Sophomore Bill Glillen is also expected to turn in a strong performance. He was the leader of the freshman group last year which defeated Harvard.

Providence is another story and appears to be the team to best. They lost to Harvard last year, running strongly, and went on to win the New England Intercollegiate Championship at both varsity and J.V. levels. Moreover, the Friars' frosh belted the Harvard freshmen last year.

Providence's top mall. Bill Speck, graduated last year, but number two man Tom Smith is back, as are junior Dennis Swart and sophomore Mike Koster. As additional contender is soph Brian Farley, who gave Harvard's Jim Keefe a lough fight in Keefe's individual win during last year's freshman contest.

Ric Rojas is Harvard's top man, and should take first in the meet. Captain John Quick. Marshall Jones. Andy Campbell and Jim Keefe, the top five against Northeastern are in good shape for the race, unhampered by the rash of colds which usually circulates this time of year.

In the pre-season poll, the Crimson received only three first-place votes. So the name of the game for Harvard, as it is for George McGovern, is to prove the polls wrong.