RSEQ season starts this weekend

Montréal – Another season is about to begin for the RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) university football league as the six teams begins regular season this weekend. After more than two weeks of strenuous training camp, the season kicks-off on Saturday when the University of Montreal Carabins visit the Concordia Stingers at 1 p.m. at Concordia University’s Loyola Campus.

Three of the six RSEQ football teams begin the season in the nation’s Top 10. The Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) ranking is led by the uncontested champions of the Dunsmore Cup for the  past decade, and reigning Vanier Cup (national final) champions, Laval Rouge et Or. Laval, which returns a whopping 11 starters on offence from the squad that dominated McMaster 37-14 in last year’s national final, was impressive last Saturday in a pre-season test against Calgary, defeating the five-time defending Canada West champions 32-3 in front of over 11,000 fans in Quebec City. The Rouge et Or remain on home turf this Saturday to open their RSEQ season against McGill.

As for the Montreal Carabins, they begin their season as the fifth ranked team in the nation. The Sherbrooke Vert et Or, who play their first regular season game this Sunday in Lennoxville against the Bishop’s Gaiters, were awarded the ninth spot in the CIS national rankings.

The RSEQ on TV

For the fifth consecutive year, the entire nation will have its eyes on Quebec footballers as Radio-Canada (French CBC) returns as the official television partner of RSEQ football. The network will broadcast 9 regular season games beginning this Saturday, August 31st, as the Carabins will visit the Stingers at 1pm. Additionally, Radio-Canada will broadcast all post-season games including the Vanier Cup.

With files from Charles-Antoine Sinotte