BLOG: How could the either Carabins and Maunders hoist the Vanier Cup

Today history will be made as the Vanier Cup will play its first game ever in La belle province at Molson Percival Stadium. The Vanier cup organizers were very lucky that a local team made it to the Vanier cup because it means that Montreal Carabins will bring one of the best fans in the CIS to Molson. The game is likely going to be near sellout which is great for the CIS and spreading of the game across this nation. Also this being the fifty Vanier Cup expect many celebrations honouring the past. Now to the two teams, The McMaster Marauders spent most of the season in the top five of the top ten every week and in the playoffs they beat Ottawa in the OUA semi-finals by a score of 42-31. The Marauders exact revenge in the OUA semis after the week before Ottawa knocked off the Mac goal of getting a perfect regular season the week before in the last game of the regular season hand them their first loss of the year. Mac next in the playoffs played the high flying Guelph Gryphons in the OUA championship game. In the end Mac beating them in a close game, 20-14. Last week, the underdogs of the Mount Allison traveled to Hamilton to play the Marauders in the Mitchell Bowl. The game represented, MTA first big test of the year after they had an easy road to get to the Mitchell Bowl, They had a perfect 8-0 regular season in the AUS but Mac in the game demonstrated MTA weakness in their offensive game. In the end, McMaster beat MTA by twelve points, 24-12 to advance to the fifty Vanier Cup.

On the other sidelines will be the home team, Montreal Carabins who come into this game stronger than ever. The Carabins have not lost a game since they lost to Laval Rouge et Or in the first week of the RSEQ season in early September. The Carabins in the playoffs played Sherbrooke in the RSEQ semi-finals in which they creamed the Vert et Or, 40-13. The next game saw them play the Laval Rouge et Or at PEPS in Quebec City. The Carabins pulled the upset by beat Laval in the last regular season game. The Carabins with their strong defense lead by CIS defensive player of the year, Byron Archambault stopped Laval from scoring any touchdowns in the two games as in both games, Laval only scored nine points in each. The Carabins defeated Laval in the RSEQ championship game and captured the Dunsmore cup for the first time in school history and it only took six times to get it. The Laval lost was the first lost in Quebec City since 2004, 70 straight home games. Last week, The Montreal Carabins played the Canada west champions, Manitoba Bisons in the Uteck Bowl. The Uteck bowl was one of the best games of the year as it was a very close game and Carabins needed a last second fumble by Bisons pivot, Jordan Yantz. The Carabins won the game 29-26.

Why McMaster will win the Vanier Cup.
The Marauders are the underdogs in the game as very few people are saying that will win. There are many factors which might lead to a Mac victory in the Vanier cup. The first factor is their offense under Marshall Ferguson who has not played his best of his abilities will look to the Crabins making mistakes on defensives. Ferguson during the regular season threw for 2058 yards along with 15 touchdowns and passing completions percentage of 63.2%. In the playoffs, Ferguson had threw for 632 yards for two touchdowns and passing completion percentage of 63.2%. For McMaster to succeed vs. Carabins, Ferguson must go back to last season play when he broke many McMaster passing records in the QUA and school history. This will be Ferguson last game in the Mac colours. Ferguson must avoided being sacked by the Carabins who led the CIS in that category. The Marauders will be out the services of the key rusher, Chris Pezzatta in this year Vanier cup. Chris who in the regular season rushed for 488 yards and had 3 touchdowns.Mac was prepared for this day when Pezzatta could not be an impactful anymore with the development of Wayne Moore who rushed for 492 yards and added six touchdowns in the regular season. In the postseason, Pezzetta rushed for 292 yards and 1 touchdowns in three games. The Marauders on defense will have to finds ways of sacking Gabriel Cousineau in the game and also make sure to pressure Cousineau into make bad throws. The last factor will be how good is Tyler Crapigna is? He has scored 32 points so far and has been 7/11 FG in the playoffs season and has been perfect on the PAT. To recap our factors, Marshall Ferguson needs to prove that he is still a good CIS QB. The next factor will be how good Mac running back is, Wayne Moore must be solid to help led McMaster to a Vanier Cup win. The last factor is their defense and special team must be solid. Tyler Crapigna, Mac kicker has been great all playoffs long and during the season he became the OUA greatest kicker has kicked the most FG ever by an OUA player. On the defense side of the ball, Mac has to continue their successful defense as in their game against Guelph they had five picks and then last week against MTA, they had nine sacks. I believe that Mac defenses cannot win them game but the passing of Marshall Ferguson can.

Why will Montreal win the Vanier Cup?
The Carabins come into the Vanier cup ridding high. They have done have proven to a lot of people this year that they are great teams and have been for a while. They are the most complete team in the CIS next to Laval. They have a great offense under pivot, Gabriel Cousineau who has been solid all year long. On the defensive side of the ball is where they win games under the care of RSEQ defender of the year, Byron Archambault. They will be many factors for the Carabins in the game for them to win it.The first factor will be Gabriel Cousineau and the Carabins greatest offense on the turf. Cousineau last week in the Uteck Bowl pass for unheard of 421 passing yards and pass for two touchdowns however he did threw 3 interceptions in the game. The Carabins offense last week had 455 yards, including two of their wide outs went over 100 yards and another one was close with 90 yards. The two wide outs were Mikael Davidson and Philip Enchill. Davidson, the CIS first time all Canadian as usually had great day has he had five catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Philip Enchill had four catches for 108 yards. The Carabins third wide out RSEQ Offensive rookie of the year, Regis Cibasu had eight catches for 90 yards. If the Carabins want to get the win on Saturday they will have to continue what they have been doing all year passing the ball down the field also they need to make a big play at the start of the game on the offensive side like last week, It was 89 yards passing td on the Carabins first play of the game by Davidson. The Carabins defence is the reason they have made it this far, they lead the CIS in sacks and also were second in least amount of yards allowed per a game with 301 yards. The Carabins on defense have allowed 12.5 points per a game which is simply remarkable. The Carabins front seven of Anthony Coady, Byron Archambault and Alex Cromer-Emond just to name some are great. Last week, Byron Archambault had a great game as he had 7.5 tackles and also two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Coady had 4.5 tackles, one sack and then he also had a forced fumble and its recovery. Alex Cromer-Emond had 5.5 tackles in the win. The last factor is special teams has both their kicker, L-P. Simoneau has the leg to kick long field goals as last week he kicked a 40 yarder. Felix Menard, Carabins punter also like the place kicker has long leg as last week he punted 60 yarder. If the Carabins do win this game it will be because of their defence and their punting skills.
I believe Montreal will win this game,30-21.

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