CIS Football Top 10 (#2): Laval downs Vanier Cup champs in opener, moves up to No. 1

Source: CIS

OTTAWA (CIS) – Thanks to a season-opening win over the reigning Vanier Cup champions, the Laval Rouge et Or are back in a familiar place: atop the CIS football national rankings.

Laval (1-0) received 20 of 30 first-place votes and 285 points in the second Football Reporters of Canada poll of the campaign. The Rouge et Or opened at No. 2 a week ago when they merited a pair of first-place nods.

Rounding out the new Top 10 are the second-ranked Calgary Dinos (1-0 / 241 points / up two positions), No. 3 Western Mustangs (1-0 / 239 / no change), No. 4 Montreal Carabins (0-1 / 235 / down three), No. 5 Guelph Gryphons (2-0 / 156 / up one), No. 6 Manitoba Bisons (1-0 / 144 / up four), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (1-0 / 144 / down two), No. 8 Mount Allison Mounties (0-0 / 52 / up one), No. 9 Saskatchewan Huskies (0-1 / 43 / down one) and No. 10 UBC Thunderbirds (0-1 / 41 / down three).

Calgary (6), Western (3) and Guelph (1) also earned first-place consideration this week. Manitoba and McMaster ended up with 144 points apiece but the Bisons edged the Marauders for the No. 6 spot based on number of higher-placed votes.

In the marquee matchup of Labour Day weekend, Saturday night in Quebec City, freshman Dominic Lévesque kicked a 39-yard field goal on the final play of the game as Laval beat archrival Montreal 12-9 in front of a sellout crowd of just under 15,000 at TELUS-Université Laval Stadium. The Carabins and Rouge et Or entered the contest ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country, marking the first time two RSEQ teams opened the season atop the national rankings.

Last fall, Montreal upset Laval by an identical 12-9 score in the Dunsmore Cup final at TELUS-UL Stadium on its way to capturing the first Vanier Cup title in program history. The result also put an end to Laval’s CIS record streaks of 70 consecutive overall victories on home turf and 11 straight conference banners.

In the other Top-10 confrontations of Week 2, both played last Friday, Calgary dominated visiting UBC and former Dino head coach Blake Nill 49-16, while Manitoba outscored Saskatchewan 34-28 in Saskatoon.

Other Week 2 results from Top-10 teams included Western 74, York 10 (at Western); Guelph 30, Laurier 19 (at Guelph); StFX 29, Mount Allison 14 (preseason at StFX).

The lone Top-10 battle of the coming weekend is set for Friday night in Winnipeg, where No. 2 Calgary takes on No. 6 Manitoba in a rematch of last year’s Hardy Cup championship game won by the Bisons. The duel starts at 7 p.m. CT on Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV.

Top-ranked Laval will try to make it two in a row at Sherbrooke (1-0) Saturday at 2 p.m., live on TVA Sports.

Week 3 also marks the start of the start of league play in the AUS, including reigning conference champion Mount Allison visiting Saint Mary’s Friday at 7 p.m. AT, live on Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca.

NOTES: Sportsnet and Radio-Canada are once again the official broadcasters of the CIS football semifinals and final in 2015… The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl (RSEQ at OUA) and Uteck Bowl (Canada West at AUS) are set for Nov. 21 at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern Time, respectively… The Vanier Cup follows on Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. ET in Quebec City… For all the information on the 51st Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#2)

Pts (1st place) Last week
1. Laval (1-0) 285 (20) 2
2. Calgary (1-0) 241 (6) 4
3. Western (2-0) 239 (3) 3
4. Montreal (0-1) 235 1
5. Guelph (2-0) 156 (1) 6
6. Manitoba (1-0) 144 * 10
7. McMaster (1-0) 144 5
8. Mount Allison (0-0) 52 9
9. Saskatchewan (0-1) 43 8
10. UBC (0-1) 41 7

* Manitoba edges McMaster for sixth place based on number of higher-place votes.

Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (35), Ottawa (26), Laurier (4), Alberta (3), Acadia (3), StFX (2).

WEEK 2 RESULTS

September 4
Sherbrooke 37, Concordia 0 (at Concordia)
McGill 10, Bishop’s 3 (at McGill)
Calgary 49, UBC 16 (at Calgary)
Alberta 29, Regina 22 (at Regina)
Manitoba 34, Saskatchewan 28 (at Saskatchewan)
StFX 29, Mount Allison 14 (PRESEASON at StFX)

September 5
Laval 12, Montreal 9 (at Laval)
Saint Mary’s 14, Acadia 3 (PRESEASON at Acadia)

September 6
Carleton 57, Waterloo 0 (at Carleton)
Ottawa 41, Queen’s 17 (at Ottawa)

September 7
Guelph 30, Laurier 19 (at Guelph)
Western 74, York 10 (at Western)
Toronto 8, Windsor 7 (at Toronto)

WEEK 3 SCHEDULE (all times local)

September 11
19:00 No. 8 Mount Allison (0-0) at Saint Mary’s (0-0) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
19:00 McGill (1-0) at No. 4 Montreal (0-1)
19:00 No. 2 Calgary (1-0) at No. 6 Manitoba (1-0) (Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV)
19:00 No. 9 Saskatchewan (0-1) at Alberta (1-0) (CanadaWest.TV)

September 12
13:00 Ottawa (1-0) at No. 7 McMaster (1-0) (OUA.TV)
13:00 Waterloo (0-2) at Queen’s (1-1) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)
13:00 Carleton (1-1) at Windsor (0-2) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)
13:00 No. 5 Guelph (2-0) at York (0-2) (OUA.TV)
13:00 Concordia (0-1) at Bishop’s (0-1) (Gaiters TV)
14:00 StFX (0-0) at Acadia (0-0) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00 No. 1 Laval (1-0) at Sherbrooke (1-0) (TVA Sports)
18:00 Regina (0-1) at No. 10 UBC (0-1) (CanadaWest.TV)
19:30 No. 3 Western (2-0) at Laurier (1-1) (OUA.TV)

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.

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