CIS: Canada West announces schedule

EDMONTON – In anticipation of the upcoming fall season, Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) announces the 2012 football schedule as six schools will square off for a place at the 76th Hardy Cup final and a chance to represent the conference at the CIS 48th Vanier Cup championship in Toronto.

The 24-game schedule, comprised of teams from across the Prairies and Western Canada, features eight weekends of three games each, with a bye week allowing all teams to heal and rest just as the playoff drive hits high gear.

The season begins on August 31, with Alberta at Saskatchewan as the Golden Bears try to rebound from a tough season. Week 1 is highlighted by a match-up between the four-time defending Hardy Cup champion Calgary Dinos and the Regina Rams at McMahon Stadium. Despite a year-long injury to star quarterback Marc Mueller, last season the Rams rebounded in the second half of the schedule to qualify for the post-season, where they ultimately fell to Calgary in the semfinals.

On September 15, the UBC Thunderbirds and Saskatchewan Huskies go head-to-head in Vancouver for a rematch of their classic 2011 semifinal game, won 27-22 on the field by the T-Birds.

Also last November, Calgary handed UBC a 62-13 defeat in the 75th Hardy Cup, but UBC looks for a measure of redemption when the two tangle in Vancouver on Sept. 22. Among the most heated rivalries in recent years, the Dinos and Huskies renew acquaintances in Calgary on September 29 in a game that could determine homefield advantage should they meet again in the playoffs and, to close out the regular season, the Manitoba Bisons are at Calgary on the evening of October 27. Last year the Bisons came up short in a late-season game versus Regina and just missed qualifying for the playoffs.

Four of the six schools will qualify for the 2012 playoffs, meaning every contest on the eight-game schedule becomes important. The lone “bye” week occurs on October 5-6, followed by three more games for each team ahead before the post-season begins the weekend of November 2-3.

The 76th Hardy Cup game takes place on Saturday, November 10 and the western champion will travel to Ontario and face the OUA champion in the Mitchell Bowl the weekend of November 16-17. The Uteck and Mitchell Bowl victors play in the 48th Vanier Cup final in Toronto on November 23.

– AUS (to be released mid-May)
– RSEQ
– OUA
– Canada West

2012 Canada West Football Schedule
(All times are local)
WK	DAY	DATE	VISITOR		HOME		TIME
1	Fri.	Aug. 31	Alberta		Saskatchewan		7:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 1	Manitoba		UBC		2:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 1	Regina		Calgary		5:00 PM
2	Fri.	Sep. 7	Alberta		Calgary		5:30 PM
	Fri.	Sep. 7	UBC		Regina		7:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 8	Saskatchewan		Manitoba		2:00 PM
3	Fri.	Sept. 14	Regina		Alberta		7:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 15	Calgary		Manitoba		1:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 15	Saskatchewan		UBC		2:00 PM
4	Fri.	Sept. 21	Regina		Saskatchewan		7:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 22	Alberta		Manitoba		1:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 22	Calgary		UBC		2:00 PM
5	Fri.	Sept. 28	Manitoba		Regina		7:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 29	UBC		Alberta		1:00 PM
	Sat.	Sep. 29	Saskatchewan		Calgary		5:00 PM
	Sat	Oct. 6	BYE
6	Fri.	Oct. 12	Calgary		Alberta		7:00 PM
	Fri.	Oct. 12	Manitoba		Saskatchewan		7:00 PM
	Sat.	Oct. 13	Regina		UBC		2:00 PM
7	Fri.	Oct. 19	Calgary		Regina		7:00 PM
	Sat	Oct. 20	UBC		Manitoba		1:00 PM
	Sat	Oct. 20	Saskatchewan		Alberta		1:00 PM
8	Fri.	Oct. 26	Alberta		Regina		7:00 PM
	Fri.	Oct. 26	UBC		Saskatchewan		7:00 PM
	Sat	Oct. 27	Manitoba		Calgary		5:00 PM
		PLAYOFFS
9	Sat	Nov. 3	CW semifinals		4@1 / 3@2
10	Sat.	Nov. 10	76[SUP]th[/SUP] Hardy Cup		Winners @ High Seed
11	Fri./Sat.	Nov. 16/17	CIS semifinal		Mitchell Bowl	CW @ OUA
					Uteck Bowl	AUS @ RSEQ
12	Fri.	Nov. 23	CIS championship	48[SUP]th[/SUP] Vanier Cup at Toronto