CIS PREVIEWS: Playoff Predictions 2015

The 2015 season should be one of the most exciting football seasons in the last decade. There are now multiple teams in each conference that legitimately have a chance at winning their conference championship. Before we examine what teams we believe will make the 2015 playoffs, let’s quickly look at some of the bigger questions in each of the four conferences.

Let’s start with the AUS. Will Mt. A 3 peat? Will Acadia find a quarterback? Can St. FX ever win a conference championship again? And how far can St. Mary’s fall?

Moving on to the RSEQ. Will Montreal repeat? Can they become the best team in this conference for an extended period of time? The other question in Quebec is, is it possible for one of the English institutions to ever win an RSEQ championship again?

In the OUA, things will not change for 2015. It will be a two-tiered league with the three dominant teams at the top with the remainder of the conference scrambling to catch up. The weaker teams will be on the bad end of some very lop sided defeats where the stats look like something out of a video game.

Finally, CWUAA wonders if Calgary will dominate again? How long will it take Blake Nill to get UBC on track? And will the Alberta Golden Bears return to the playoffs?

Playoff Predictions

The predictions in the AUS are simple; three teams make the playoffs, one team doesn’t. St. Mary’s has really dug itself into a hole with its lack of recruiting and, honestly, has no chance of making the playoffs.

1.Mt. A Mounties

The number 1 seed in the AUS will be the two time defending conference champions.

2.Acadia Axemen

Followed by an Acadia Axemen team that will develop a QB and will be the number 2 seed.

3.St. FX X-men

The number 3 seed will be St. FX.

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In the OUA, six teams will make the playoffs out of eleven.

1.Guelph Gryphons

The number 1 seed will be the Guelph Gryphons and here’s why. We believe they have been working towards this for the past few years and are now at a point where they can take down teams like Western and McMaster. This needs to be their season to do that. (NOTE: Western and Guelph do not play in the regular season so both teams may have to score as many points each game to get the  number one seed)

2.Western Mustangs

The second seed will be the Western Mustangs who will be led by a dynamic offense that features Will Finch at QB, 4 or 5 RB’s that could start for any team in the conference and a number of talented REC’s. The reason we put them second is because we think it’s going to take time for their young, inexperienced D-line to gel.  (NOTE: Western and Guelph do not play in the regular season so both teams may have to score as many points each game to get the  number one seed)

3.McMaster Marauders

We believe that this team will be the third ranked because they have a new starter at QB and they lost some quality players in the secondary.  They will be much improved by end of the season.

4.Carleton Ravens

Carleton is getting better each and every year. We realize that they had a step back in their season opener against Queens, but we think they are still primed and are going to improve on last season’s record.  Their schedule helps the cause.

5.Laurier Golden Hawks

This is our sleeper team for 2015. They are one of the more athletic teams in the OUA and they have slowly developed their O and D-lines and we think this is where they will win and lose games. Also, their RB, Dillon Campbell, could potentially win the HEC Creighton and break the single season CIS rushing mark.

6.Queens Golden Gaels

The sixth and final spot goes to Queens. The Gaels will make the playoffs on the backs of REC Doug Corby and RB Jesse Andrews.

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Things will change little in the RSEQ in 2015. Laval, Montreal, and Sherbrooke will finish 1, 2, and 3 and the Concordia Stingers will fill out the fourth spot as only four of the six teams will make the playoffs. But the reality is, this is a two horse race. The only thing the regular season decides in the RSEQ is will Montreal or Laval get home field advantage throughout.

1.Laval Rouge et Or

Yes UBC beat Laval 42-16 and that is a big feat. However Laval had no idea what systems UBC were running on offense or defense and they underestimated a UBC team that went 2 and 6 for 2014. If UBC met Laval in the playoffs the Laval coaching staff will have an outstanding game plan and doubtful they would be caught off guard twice.

2.Montreal Carabins

Lose great players every year but other great players are waiting in the wings to replace them.  Offense will have to perform better as the Defense catches up.

3.Sherbrooke Vert et Or

Jeremi Doyon-Roch’s swan song should be appreciated.  Great quarterback who has had a great impact on his team.

4.Concordia Stingers

Coach Donovan brought in 140 players to camp to compete and help raise the bar at Concordia.

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Canada West will probably be the most fiercely contested four of the six spots in all of Canada. There isn’t one team in the conference that can be considered the lame duck. All of the teams in the CWUAA are coming off a successful 2014 campaign or made significant changes in the off-season, whether it was coaching or outstanding recruiting.

1.Calgary Dinos

The Dinos will be the number 1 seed led by All-Canadians, HEC Creighton winners, and first round draft picks. We think Coach Nill should have waited one more year before he made his trip across the Rockies.

2.Manitoba Bisons

The Bisons always have athletes and will feature some outstanding football players on the defensive side of the ball for 2015. This makes them take the second seeded spot. We believe these athletes and that defense will allow the Manitoba Bisons to have a very successful season.

3.UBC Thunderbirds

How much can one school and one coach do in one off-season? Regardless of the 2-6 record of 2014, the UBC roster still has a number of talented players. Coupled with the Thunderbirds outstanding recruiting class, and the Nill factor, we believe UBC will finish third and go to the playoffs.

4.Saskatchewan Huskies

The Huskies will round out the fourth spot of the playoffs. The big question will be can the team regain some of their former glory. A lot of people believe that this is the year they do that.

We predict Laval will win the RSEQ, Acadia will win the AUS, the Calgary Dinos will come out of the West. The OUA is just too tight for us to call.