EDMONTON – As 2013-14 moves to rearview mirror, Canada West powers ahead with release of the 2014 football schedule, including the 78th Hardy Cup championship slated for Saturday, November 15th.
The ultimate goal is a spot at the 50th Vanier Cup, the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship, on November 29th at a location soon to be announced.
Opening the eight-game schedule a week later than recent years, the conference season commences Friday, September 5th with a trio of football games that sees all six conference teams take the field.
Conference Teams
Alberta Golden Bears
UBC Thunderbirds
Calgary Dinos
Manitoba Bisons
Regina Rams
Saskatchewan Huskies
Each team will play eight regular season games, all on Friday and Saturday, with a “bye” for all schools on the October 10-11 weekend to rest and prepare for the playoff drive.
The top four finishers make the post-season, with first- and second-place teams hosting Canada West semifinals on November 7th and 8th.
Following the Canada West title game on November 15th, the winner advances to represent the conference at the Uteck Bowl, a national semifinal hosted by the RSEQ champion from Quebec on November 22nd. On the same day, the OUA champion (Ontario) will host the AUS winner from Atlantic Canada.
Location and details of the 50th Vanier Cup showcase will soon be announced by Canadian Interuniversity Sport.
Canada West and Shaw Television team up for the eighth straight year, bringing live gridiron action to homes across Canada throughout the season on Shaw TV and Shaw Direct (channel 299), with broadcast details still to be announced.
Opening the season at home will be the defending Hardy Cup champion University of Calgary Dinos as they play their provincial rival, the University of Alberta Golden Bears, on September 5th. Calgary went undefeated in 2013, while Alberta was winless. The Dinos won an unprecedented sixth consecutive Canada West football banner last November, with each title game victory since 2008 coming against a different opponent.
Making it all the way to last year’s conference final, the University of Manitoba Bisons, 5-3 a year ago, look to challenge again as they open the season in Saskatoon against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, who were also 5-3. Manitoba and Saskatchewan played several close contests last season, each winning once in the conference season series, followed by a thrilling semifinal won 37-36 by Manitoba before 2,200 fans in Winnipeg. Manitoba is still the last Canada West team to win the Vanier Cup, back in 2007.
Rounding out Week #1, the UBC Thunderbirds which, at 4-4 made a return to the playoffs in 2013, travel east to play the University of Regina Rams, coming off a tough 2-6 campaign.
Other games of note on the schedule include Manitoba at Calgary on September 26th in a Hardy Cup final rematch and a second head-to-head battle on November 1st in Winnipeg. Provincial foes meet on September 27th as Saskatchewan travels to Regina, while Alberta, which made big strides on offence in 2013, hosts Regina on September 20th and UBC a week later in a pair of games that loom large for a team trying to make playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Detailed radio, television and canadawest.TV webcast schedules will be released in the coming months.
CANADA WEST 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK VISITOR HOME TIME
1 Friday Sept. 5 Alberta Calgary 5:30 PM
1 Friday Sept. 5 Manitoba Saskatchewan 7:00 PM
1 Friday Sept. 5 UBC Regina 7:00 PM
2 Friday Sept. 12 Regina Manitoba 7:00 PM
2 Saturday Sept. 13 Calgary UBC 2:00 PM
2 Saturday Sept. 13 Saskatchewan Alberta 5:00 PM
3 Friday Sept. 19 Calgary Saskatchewan 7:00 PM
3 Saturday Sept. 20 UBC Manitoba 2:00 PM
3 Saturday Sept. 20 Regina Alberta 5:00 PM
4 Friday Sept. 26 Manitoba Calgary 6:00 PM
4 Saturday Sept. 27 Alberta UBC 2:00 PM
4 Saturday Sept. 27 Saskatchewan Regina 2:00 PM
5 Saturday Oct. 4 Regina Calgary 2:00 PM
5 Saturday Oct. 4 Manitoba Alberta 5:00 PM
5 Saturday Oct. 4 UBC Saskatchewan 7:00 PM
6 Saturday Oct. 11 BYE
7 Friday Oct. 17 Saskatchewan Manitoba 7:00 PM
7 Saturday Oct. 18 Regina UBC 2:00 PM
7 Saturday Oct. 18 Calgary Alberta 2:00 PM
8 Saturday Oct. 25 Alberta Saskatchewan 1:30 PM
8 Saturday Oct. 25 UBC Calgary 2:00 PM
8 Saturday Oct. 25 Manitoba Regina 2:00 PM
9 Saturday Nov. 1 Saskatchewan UBC 2:00 PM
9 Saturday Nov. 1 Alberta Regina 2:00 PM
9 Saturday Nov. 1 Calgary Manitoba 2:00 PM
PLAYOFFS
10 Friday Nov. 7 CW Semifinal 4 @ 1
10 Saturday Nov. 8 CW Semifinal 3 @ 2
11 Saturday Nov. 15 78th Hardy Cup Winners @ Highest Finisher
12 Saturday Nov. 22 CIS Semifinal Mitchell Bowl: AUS @ OUA
12 Saturday Nov. 22 CIS Semifinal Uteck Bowl: CWUAA @ RSEQ
13 Saturday Nov. 29 50th Vanier Cup CIS championship (location TBA)
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