CIS TOP 10 (5): Dinos remain No. 1, dominant weekend for Big Three

OTTAWA (CIS) – The high-scoring University of Calgary Dinos are the top-ranked team in CIS football for the third consecutive week.

For the second straight week, the Dinos (4-0) were a near unanimous choice for No. 1 in the national media poll as they received 28 out of a possible 30 first-place votes and 295 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel. Calgary had earned 26 first-place nods last Tuesday.

The rest of the Big Five once again remains unchanged in the fifth poll of the campaign with the Laval Rouge et Or (4-0 / 260 points), Western Mustangs (5-0 / 244), Montreal Carabins (3-1 / 208) and Guelph Gryphons (5-0 / 190) following in order. Laval and Western split the remaining first-place votes, meriting one apiece.

Rounding out the new Top 10 are the No. 6 Manitoba Bisons (2-2 / 114 / up two positions), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (3-1 / 113 / no change), No. 8 Saskatchewan Huskies (2-2 / 82 / previously unranked), No. 9 Sherbrooke Vert & Or (2-2 / 69 / previously unranked) and No. 10 UBC Thunderbirds (2-2 / 46 / down four).

After setting a single-game Canada West scoring record two weeks ago in an 80-18 rout of Alberta, top-ranked Calgary travelled to Regina on Saturday and crushed the Rams 72-8 thanks in large part to the stellar play of fifth-year quarterback Andrew Buckley, who had 478 yards and four touchdowns through the air. At the midway point of the regular schedule, the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner is averaging a conference-best 369 passing yards per outing – good for second in the nation – and has yet to throw an interception.

Meanwhile in Quebec City, No. 2 Laval and its top-ranked defence (8.8 points per game) had their most convincing performance of the season in a 64-0 interlock success against StFX. For its part, No. 3 Western dominated visiting Carleton 70-14 to keep its status as the highest-scoring team in the country (65.4 ppg vs. 61.8 for Calgary).

Other Week 5 results from Top-10 teams included Montreal 41, Concordia 29 (at Concordia); Guelph 48, Ottawa 26 (at Guelph); Manitoba 42, Alberta 32 (at Alberta); McMaster 67, York 10 (at McMaster); Saskatchewan 45, UBC 29 (at UBC); Sherbrooke 31, Mount Allison 7 (at Mount Allison).

The Week 6 schedule is highlighted by a pair of Top-10 matchups as well as the much-anticipated Panda Game, all on Saturday.

The top-seeded Dinos host No. 8 Saskatchewan at 1 p.m. MT, live on CanadaWest.TV. The Huskies opened league play with losses to Manitoba and Alberta but have since rebounded with back-to-back wins to even their record at 2-2, including an impressive road victory over UBC last Friday.

In the RSEQ conference, No. 4 Montreal visits No. 9 Sherbrooke for the second duel in three weeks between the two rivals. The Carabins took the series opener 32-13 on Sept. 19 in Montreal but the Vert & Or hope for a different outcome on their home turf, where they took powerhouse Laval to overtime on Sept. 12 before falling 27-24.

Meanwhile in the nation’s capital, Ottawa hosts Carleton at TD Place Stadium for the annual Panda Game at 1 p.m. (OUA.TV). In its return to Lansdowne Park a year ago, the event drew over 12,000 fans and saw the Ravens prevail 33-31 on a dramatic touchdown off a Hail Mary on the final play of the contest.

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 51^st Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#5)

Pts (1^st place)  Last week

1. Calgary (4-0)           295 (28)           1
2. Laval (4-0)               260 (1)             2
3. Western (5-0)           244 (1)             3
4. Montreal (3-1)         208                  4
5. Guelph (5-0)            190                  5
6. Manitoba (2-2)         114                  8
7. McMaster (3-1)        113                  7
8. Saskatchewan (2-2) 82                    NR
9. Sherbrooke (2-2)     69                    NR
10. UBC (2-2)              46                    6

Other teams receiving votes: Ottawa (17), Acadia (8), Queen’s (5), Concordia (1).

WEEK 5 RESULTS

September 25 

Saskatchewan 45, UBC 29 (at UBC)

Manitoba 42, Alberta 32 (at Alberta)

 

September 26 

Bishop’s 23, Saint Mary’s 17 (at Saint Mary’s)

Sherbrooke 31, Mount Allison 7 (at Mount Allison)

Western 70, Carleton 14 (at Western)

Windsor 22, Laurier 18 (at Laurier)

McMaster 67, York 10 (at McMaster)

Queen’s 37, Toronto 18 (at Toronto)

Guelph 48, Ottawa 26 (at Guelph)

McGill 45, Acadia 15 (at McGill)

Montreal 41, Concordia 29 (at Concordia)

Calgary 72, Regina 8 (at Regina)

Laval 64, StFX 0 (at Laval)

 

WEEK 6 SCHEDULE (all times local)

 

NOTE: Click HERE for the complete 2015 regular season schedule & results

 

October 2

19:00   Toronto (1-3) at York (1-4) (OUA.TV)

19:00   Regina (0-4) at No. 6 Manitoba (2-2) (CanadaWest.TV)

 

October 3

13:00   No. 7 McMaster (3-1) at Windsor (1-4) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)

13:00   Laurier (1-3) at Waterloo (0-4) (OUA.TV)

13:00   No. 5 Guelph (5-0) at Queen’s (3-2) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)

13:00   Carleton (3-2) at Ottawa (2-2) (OUA.TV)

13:00   No. 8 Saskatchewan (2-2) at No. 1 Calgary (4-0) (CanadaWest.TV)

13:00   No. 10 UBC (2-2) at Alberta (2-2) (Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV)

14:00   Saint Mary’s (0-3) at StFX (1-2) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)

14:00   Mount Allison (1-2) at Acadia (2-1) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)

15:00   McGill (2-2) at Bishop’s (1-3) (TVA Sports & Gaiters TV)

16:00   No. 4 Montreal (3-1) at No. 9 Sherbrooke (2-2)

 

October 4

13:00   Concordia (2-2) at No. 2 Laval (4-0) (TVA Sports)

 

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.