U Sports Top 10: Vanier Cup champs return to No. 1

Laval’s Hugo Richard (Credit: Yan Doublet)

The reigning Vanier Cup champions are back in a familiar position heading into the 2017 playoffs: atop the U SPORTS football national rankings.

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The Laval Rouge et Or (7-1), who opened the campaign at No. 1 back in late August, return to the top this week after receiving 11 of 16 first-place votes and 154 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel.

The second-ranked Western Mustangs (8-0) and No. 3 Montreal Carabins (6-1) also move up one spot in the new media poll thanks to 145 and 124-point tallies, respectively. The only undefeated team in the country in league play, Western earned all remaining first-place nods.

Following a lopsided loss in their regular season finale, the Calgary Dinos (7-1) fall all the way from No. 1 to No. 4 with 120 points.

Rounding out the penultimate top 10 of 2017 are the No. 5 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (6-2 / 92 points / no change), No. 6 UBC Thunderbirds (6-2 / 83 / no change), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (7-2 / 55 / no change), No. 8 Guelph Gryphons (6-3 / 47 / up one position), No. 9 Regina Rams (4-4 / 27 / down one) and No. 10 Acadia Axemen (6-2 / 24 / no change).

The post-season kicked off last weekend in the OUA, with Western and Laurier enjoying first-round byes. In quarter-final action from Hamilton and the nation’s capital, McMaster built a 12-0 halftime lead and then hung on for a narrow 12-9 win over visiting Queen’s, while Guelph outscored Ottawa 20-0 in the opening quarter en route to a comfortable 30-8 victory.

Meanwhile, the regular schedule came to an end in the three other conferences.

In the RSEQ, Laval clinched first place for the 12th time in 13 years thanks to a convincing 46-14 win at Concordia, while Montreal beat McGill 27-17.

In Canada West, Calgary, which had already secured first place in the standings, rested a number of veterans and the visiting Alberta Golden Bears took full advantage, ending a decade-long losing streak against the Dinos with a stunning 53-3 domination. In Vancouver, where UBC and Regina were battling for second position, the Thunderbirds soundly defeated the Rams 44-15.

In the AUS, Acadia had already clinched top spot and enjoyed a bye on the final weekend of league play. Saint Mary’s finished second despite a 26-25 home loss to Mount Allison, while StFX merited the third and final playoff berth with a 27-14 defeat of Bishop’s.

The table is now set for the conference semifinals this Saturday, including:

  • AUS (2 p.m. AT): StFX (4-4) at Saint Mary’s (5-3) (Bell Aliant Fibe TV1 & AUStv.ca) 
  • RSEQ (1 p.m. ET): Sherbrooke (2-6) at No. 1 Laval (7-1)
  • RSEQ (2 p.m. ET): Concordia (3-4) at No. 3 Montreal (6-1) (TVA Sports) 
  • OUA (1 p.m. ET): No. 8 Guelph (6-3) at No. 2 Western (8-0) (Rogers TV & OUA.TV)
  • OUA (1 p.m. ET): No. 7 McMaster (7-2) at No. 5 Laurier (6-2) (OUA.TV) 
  • CW (1 p.m. MT): Alberta (3-5) at No. 4 Calgary (7-1) (Sasktel maxTV, TELUS Optik TV, Bell MTS & CanadaWest.TV)
  • CW (3 p.m. PT): No. 9 Regina (4-4) at No. 6 UBC (6-2) (Sasktel maxTV, TELUS Optik TV, Bell MTS & CanadaWest.TV)

FRC – U SPORTS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#10)

Rank School Season Playoff Votes (pts) Previous
1 Laval 7-1 0-0 154 (11) 2
2 Western 8-0 0-0 145 (5) 3
3 Montreal 6-1 0-0 124 4
4 Calgary 7-1 0-0 120 1
5 Laurier 6-2 0-0 92 5
6 UBC 6-2 0-0 83 6
7 McMaster 6-2 1-0 55 7
8 Guelph 5-3 1-0 47 9
9 Regina 4-4 0-0 27 8
10 Acadia 6-2 0-0 24 10
Other teams receiving votes: Alberta (5), Saint Mary’s (2), Queen’s (1), Mount Allison (1)

Week 10 results

October 27 (regular season)

  • Laval 46, Concordia 14 (at Concordia) 

October 28 (regular season)

  • Mount Allison 26, Saint Mary’s 25 (at Saint Mary’s)
  • StFX 27, Bishop’s 14 (at StFX)
  • Montreal 27, McGill 17 (at Montreal)
  • Alberta 53, Calgary 3 (at Calgary)
  • UBC 44, Regina 15 (at UBC)
  • Manitoba 36, Saskatchewan 32 (at Saskatchewan)

October 28 (OUA quarter-finals)

  • McMaster 12, Queen’s 9 (at McMaster)
  • Guelph 30, Ottawa 8 (at Ottawa)

Week 11 schedule

November 4 (conference semifinals)

  • AUS: StFX (4-4) at Saint Mary’s (5-3), 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT (Bell Aliant Fibe TV1 &AUStv.ca)
  • OUA: No. 8 Guelph (6-3) at No. 2 Western (8-0), 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT (Rogers TV & OUA.TV)
  • OUA: No. 7 McMaster (7-2) at No. 5 Laurier (6-2), 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT (OUA.TV)
  • RSEQ: Sherbrooke (2-6) at No. 1 Laval (7-1), 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
  • RSEQ: Concordia (3-4) at No. 3 Montreal (6-1), 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT (TVA Sports)
  • CW: Alberta (3-5) at No. 4 Calgary (7-1), 3 p.m. ET/noon PT (Sasktel maxTV, TELUS Optik TV, Bell MTS & CanadaWest.TV)
  • CW: No. 9 Regina (4-4) at No. 6 UBC (6-2), 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT (Sasktel maxTV, TELUS Optik TV, Bell MTS & CanadaWest.TV)

Source: U Sports

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