FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#1): Defending champion McMaster opens season at No. 1

Nine months after capturing their first-ever Vanier Cup title with a thrilling 41-38 overtime win over the Laval Rouge et Or, the Marauders received 25 of 30 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel to lead the inaugural poll of 2012 with 294 points.

Laval (4) and the Calgary Dinos (1) also merited first-place consideration from FRC voters, and open the campaign at No. 2 and No. 3 with 257 and 246 points, respectively.

Rounding out the first Top 10 are the No. 4 Montreal Carabins (180 points), No. 5 Western Mustangs (142), No. 6 Queen’s Gaels (121), No. 7 UBC Thunderbirds (100), No. 8 Saskatchewan Huskies (81), No. 9 Acadia Axemen (51) and No. 10 Windsor Lancers (50).

McMaster and Laval renewed their rivalry on Sunday in Quebec City, with the Rouge et Or exacting a measure of revenge with a 28-22 pre-season victory in front of 9,991 hometown fans. The two teams had also met in the 2011 pre-season, with Laval prevailing 24-10.

Other exhibition results from the past weekend included Guelph 26, Saskatchewan 21 (at Saskatchewan); Manitoba 29, Regina 13 (at Regina); Montreal 29, Windsor 10 (at Montreal); Concordia 31, Toronto 24 (at Concordia); Bishop’s 35, York 2 (at Bishop’s); Menlo College (NAIA) 28, UBC 13 (at UBC); Queen’s 23, McGill 9 (at Queen’s).

The Marauders officially kick off their Vanier Cup defence with a home tilt against Guelph on Labour Day (Sept. 3), part of an 11-game opening weekend in the OUA, RSEQ and Canada West conferences. The AUS regular schedule starts on Sept. 7.

The No. 2 Rouge et Or, who have claimed a CIS-record nine straight conference banners since 2003, open league play at home against McGill on Sunday. The No. 3 Dinos, looking for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Canada West crown, host Regina on Saturday.

A total of 123 conference and playoff games will be played across the country over the next three months, culminating with the 48^th Vanier Cup final on November 23^rd at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

NOTES: Team previews of all 26 CIS football programs, profiles of 26 star players, as well as CIS football records going into the 2012 season are available at www.cis-sic.ca… Information on the 48^th Vanier Cup (including ticket info) can be found at www.vaniercup.ca… The CIS football players of the week – also selected by a panel of FRC members – will be announced each Wednesday, starting on Sept. 5.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#1)

Pts (1^st place)  Last week
1. McMaster (0-0)    294 (25)    –
2. Laval (0-0)   257 (4)     –
3. Calgary (0-0)   246 (1) –
4. Montreal (0-0)     180   –
5. Western (0-0)    142   –
6. Queen’s (0-0) 121   –
7. UBC (0-0)     100   –
8. Saskatchewan (0-0) 81     –
9. Acadia (0-0)     51     –
10. Windsor (0-0)    50     –

Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (45), Regina (35), Guelph (23), Manitoba (6), Concordia (3), Wilfrid Laurier (2).

No. 1 McMaster: 2011 regular season record: 7-1… 2011 playoff record: 4-0… 2011 playoff finish: 41-38 OT win over Laval in Vanier Cup… 2012 pre-season: 28-22 road loss to Laval… 2012 regular season opener: Host Guelph on Monday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. ET (Cable 14 Hamilton)… 2011 vs. Guelph: 37-13 road win (regular season).

No. 2 Laval: 2011 regular season record: 8-1… 2011 playoff record: 3-1… 2011 playoff finish: 41-38 OT loss to McMaster in Vanier Cup… 2012 pre-season: 28-22 home win over McMaster… 2012 regular season opener: Host McGill on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. ET (Radio-Canada TV)… 2011 vs. McGill: 12-4 home win (regular season).

No. 3 Calgary: 2011 regular season record: 8-0… 2011 playoff record: 2-1… 2011 playoff finish: 41-10 home loss to Laval in Mitchell Bowl… 2012 pre-season: No game scheduled… 2012 regular season opener: Host Regina on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. MT (Shaw TV / CanadaWest.tv)… 2011 vs. Regina: 51-1 road win (regular season) & 16-4 home win (Canada West semifinal).

No. 4 Montreal: 2011 regular season record: 6-3… 2011 playoff record: 1-1… 2011 playoff finish: 30-7 road loss to Laval in RSEQ final… 2012 pre-season: 29-10 home win over Windsor… 2012 regular season opener: Visit Sherbrooke on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. ET… 2011 vs. Sherbrooke: 20-11 road loss (regular season), 32-20 home loss (regular season) & 33-15 road win (RSEQ semifinal).

No. 5 Western: 2011 regular season record: 7-1… 2011 playoff record: 1-1… 2011 playoff finish: 41-19 home loss to McMaster in OUA final… 2012 pre-season: No game scheduled… 2012 regular season opener: Visit Waterloo on Monday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. ET (SSNCanada.ca)… 2011 vs. Waterloo: 86-22 home win (regular season).

No. 6 Queen’s: 2011 regular season record: 6-2… 2011 playoff record: 1-1… 2011 playoff finish: 40-13 road loss to McMaster in OUA semifinal… 2012 pre-season: 23-9 home win over McGill… 2012 regular season opener: Host York on Monday, Sept. 3 at 2 p.m. ET (TVCogeco – tape delayed)… 2011 vs. York: 63-3 road win (regular season).

No. 7 UBC: 2011 regular season record: 0-8 (originally 6-2 but later forfeited all 6 wins)… 2011 playoff record: 0-2 (originally 1-1 but later forfeited win)… 2011 playoff finish: 62-13 road loss to Calgary in Canada West final… 2012 pre-season: 28-13 home loss to Menlo College (NAIA)… 2012 regular season opener: Host Manitoba on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. PT (CanadaWest.tv)… 2011 vs. Manitoba: Forfeited 29-23 home win (regular season).

No. 8 Saskatchewan: 2011 regular season record: 5-3… 2011 playoff record: 0-1… 2011 playoff finish: 27-22 road loss to UBC in Canada West semifinal… 2012 pre-season: 26-21 home loss to Guelph… 2012 regular season opener: Host Alberta on Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. CT… 2011 vs. Alberta: 38-7 home win (regular season) & 67-3 road win (regular season).

No. 9 Acadia: 2011 regular season record: 7-1… 2011 playoff record: 1-1… 2011 playoff finish: 45-21 home loss to McMaster in Uteck Bowl… 2012 pre-season: Host StFX on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. AT (EastLink TV)… 2012 regular season opener: Host Saint Mary’s on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. AT (EastLink TV / eastlink.ca)… 2011 vs. Saint Mary’s: 8-3 road loss (regular season), 41-28 home win (regular season) & 39-20 home win (AUS final).

No. 10 Windsor: 2011 regular season record: 5-3… 2011 playoff record: 1-1… 2011 playoff finish: 33-27 road loss to Western in OUA semifinal… 2012 pre-season: 29-10 road loss to Montreal… 2012 regular season opener: Host Ottawa on Monday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. ET (TVCogeco)… 2011 vs. Ottawa: 32-30 road loss (regular season) & 50-33 road win (OUA quarter-final).

PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times local)

August 24  
Guelph 26, Saskatchewan 21 (at Saskatchewan)
Manitoba 29, Regina 13 (at Regina)
Montreal 29, Windsor 10 (at Montreal)
Concordia 31, Toronto 24 (at Concordia)

August 25
Bishop’s 35, York 2 (at Bishop’s)
Menlo College (NAIA) 28, UBC 13 (at UBC)

August 26
Laval 28, McMaster 22 (at Laval)
Queen’s 23, McGill 9 (at Queen’s)

September 1
14:00   Saint Mary’s at Mount Allison
17:00   StFX at Acadia (EastLink TV)

REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE: WEEK 1 (all times local)

Click HERE for the complete 2012 CIS football regular season schedule, including all broadcast info (television, webcast, radio).

August 31  
19:00   Alberta at Saskatchewan

September 1  
13:00   Bishop’s at Concordia (SSNCanada.ca)
14:00   Manitoba at UBC (CanadaWest.tv)     
17:00   Regina at Calgary (Shaw TV/ CanadaWest.tv)
19:00   Montreal at Sherbrooke

September 2  
14:00   McGill at Laval (Radio-Canada)

September 3  
13:00   Ottawa at Windsor (TVCogeco)
13:00   Laurier at Toronto (SSNCanada.ca)
13:00   Western at Waterloo (SSNCanada.ca)
13:00   Guelph at McMaster (Cable 14)
14:00   York at Queen’s (TVCogeco – tape delayed)

About Football Reporters of Canada

Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has been an organization of media members who have covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the league’s outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC) to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with amateur and college football. FRC also works with the CFL and CIS to establish guidelines and working conditions for the men and women who report on the game. Selected members of FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.