U Sports Top 10 (5): Dinos jump the Rouge et Or

The Montreal Carabins lead the U SPORTS football national rankings for the third straight week but their Quebec conference archrivals, the Laval Rouge et Or, are no longer the team chasing them from the No. 2 spot.

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Montreal (4-0) received 12 of 17 first-place votes and 164 points this week from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, with all other first-place nods going to the Calgary Dinos (4-0) who, thanks to a 147-point tally, move up to second place for the first time this fall after opening at No. 4 in late August and spending the past three weeks in third position.

Rounding out the fifth media poll of the campaign are the No. 3 Rouge et Or (3-1 / 135 points / down one position), No. 4 Western Mustangs (5-0 / 120 / no change), No. 5 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (4-0 / 114 / no change), No. 6 UBC Thunderbirds (3-1 / 81 / up one), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (3-1 / 59 / up one), No. 8 Concordia Stingers (2-2 / 33 / previously unranked), No. 9 Regina Rams (2-2 / 27 / down three) and No. 10 Saint Mary’s Huskies (4-0 / 23 / previously unranked).

Concordia and Saint Mary’s both crack the top 10 for the first time this season. The Stingers were last ranked nationally in the Oct. 21, 2014 poll (at No. 8), while the Huskies’ last appearance dated back to Sept. 10, 2013 (No. 10).

While Montreal and Laval both scored unconvincing wins this past weekend, Calgary continued to roll and looks more and more like a team on a mission to avenge a heartbreaking loss to the Rouge et Or in last year’s Vanier Cup championship final.

The Carabins remained undefeated last Friday thanks to a 16-3 victory over McGill in which they saw their crosstown rivals dominate in total offence (410 yards to 316), first downs (24 to 17) and time of possession (31:10 vs. 28:50). Montreal has some extra time to work out its offensive struggles as the RSEQ leaders head into their second bye week of the season.

Two days later in Quebec City, Laval escaped with a 12-8 decision on home turf against Concordia despite the Stingers holding the ball for over 35 minutes and outgaining the reigning Vanier Cup champions 438 total yards to 293.

Meanwhile, the Dinos crushed (then) nationally-ranked Saskatchewan 51-28 last Saturday in Calgary and, at the midway point of their conference schedule, have defeated their opponents by an average score of 57-24.

Other results from top-10 squads this past weekend included Western 48, Queen’s 10 (at Western); Laurier 71, Waterloo 24 (at Waterloo); UBC 41, Alberta 21 (at Alberta); McMaster 29, Guelph 9 (at Guelph); Manitoba 18, Regina 16 (at Regina); Saint Mary’s 27, Mount Allison 26 (at Mount Allison).

The Week 6 schedule is highlighted by a pair of exciting top-10 battles, including No. 2 Calgary at No. 6 UBC Friday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time (CanadaWest.TV), followed by No. 4 Western at No. 5 Laurier Saturday at 1 p.m. ET (OUA.TV).

Also of note, Carleton (1-3) visits Ottawa (4-1) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET for the 49^th annual Panda Game (CHCH & OUA.TV). Last year’s affair at TD Place Stadium drew 23,329 fans, the highest attendance in over two decades for a U SPORTS football regular season game.

NOTES: Sportsnet and TVA Sports are once again the official broadcasters of the U SPORTS football semifinals and final in 2017… The Mitchell Bowl (RSEQ at Canada West) and Uteck Bowl (OUA at AUS) are set for Saturday, Nov. 18, while the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup follows on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. ET at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton… For all the information on the 53^rd Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

U SPORTS Football Top 10 (#5)

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