OTTAWA (CIS) – Nine months after reaching the Vanier Cup final for the first time since 1995, the Calgary Dinos lead the first Football Reporters of Canada – CIS national poll of the new season.
The reigning two-time Canada West champion Dinos received 21 first-place nods and 261 points from the 32 FRC voters to earn their first No. 1 ranking in 17 years, dating back to consecutive weeks at the top on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21, 1993.
Calgary, which lost 33-31 to the Queen’s Gaels in last year’s national title match in Quebec City, barely edged the seven-time defending Quebec champion Laval Rouge et Or in the inaugural Top 10 of 2010.
The Rouge et Or, who had opened the last five campaigns at No. 1, received 10 first-place votes and 258 points from FRC members. Prior to Calgary, the last team other than Laval to open at No. 1 was Saint Mary’s in 2004.
The Saskatchewan Huskies earned the remaining first-place nod and go into the season at No. 3 thanks to 111 points. Rounding out the first Top 10 of the fall are Saint Mary’s (66), Ottawa (58), Wilfrid Laurier (50), Montreal (45), Vanier Cup champion Queen’s (37), Western (33) and McMaster (32).
Queen’s lost many star players following its 2009 triumph including quarterback Danny Brannagan, the reigning Vanier Cup MVP, defensive lineman Shomari Williams, the first overall pick in the 2010 CFL Canadian Draft, as well as receiver Scott Valberg and cornerback and kick returner Jimmy Allin, both first-team all-Canadians a year ago.
The CIS season kicks off Tuesday night with Queen’s opening its Vanier Cup title defence at McMaster and Ottawa visiting Windsor.
No. 1 Calgary: 7-1 regular season record and 10-2 overall record in 2009… Lost 33-31 to Queen’s in 2009 Vanier Cup final… Beat Alberta 20-16 in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 28)… Open 2010 regular season at home vs. No. 3 Saskatchewan on Sept. 4 (7 p.m. Mountain Time, Shaw TV)…
No. 2 Laval: 7-1 regular season record and 9-2 overall record in 2009… Lost 33-30 to Queen’s in 2009 Mitchell Bowl… Beat York 76-0 in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 29)… Open 2010 regular season at home vs. McGill on Sept. 5 (2 p.m., SRC)…
No. 3 Saskatchewan: 7-1 regular season record and 8-2 overall record in 2009… Lost 39-38 to Calgary in 2009 Canada West final… Beat No. 9 Western 40-12 in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 27)… Open 2010 regular season at No. 1 Calgary on Sept. 4 (7 p.m. Mountain Time, Shaw TV)…
No. 4 Saint Mary’s: 7-1 regular season record and 8-2 overall record in 2009… Lost 38-14 to Calgary in 2009 Uteck Bowl… Open 2010 regular season at Acadia on Sept. 11 (2 p.m. Atlantic Time, EastLink)…
No. 5 Ottawa: 6-2 regular season record and 6-3 overall record in 2009… Lost 27-15 to McMaster in 2009 OUA quarter-finals… Lost 41-0 to Sherbrooke in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 26)… Open 2010 regular season at Windsor on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., Windsor: TVCogeco Local 11 live / Ottawa: Rogers TV Cable 22 tape delayed to 8 p.m.)…
No. 6 Laurier: 6-2 regular season record and 6-3 overall record in 2009… Lost 26-16 to Western in 2009 OUA semifinals… Open 2010 regular season at No. 9 Western on Sept. 1 (7 p.m., Rogers TV Cable 13)…
No. 7 Montreal: 5-3 regular season record and 6-4 overall record in 2009… Lost 31-7 to Laval in 2009 QUFL final… Open 2010 regular season at home vs. Sherbrooke on Sept. 2…
No. 8 Queen’s: 7-1 regular season record and 11-1 overall record in 2009… Beat Calgary 33-31 in 2009 Vanier Cup final… Open 2010 regular season at No. 10 McMaster on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., Cable 14)…
No. 9 Western: 6-2 regular season record and 8-3 overall record in 2009… Lost 43-39 to Queen’s in 2009 OUA final… Lost 40-12 to No. 3 Saskatchewan in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 27)… Open 2010 regular season at home vs. No. 6 Laurier on Sept. 1 (7 p.m., Rogers TV Cable 13)…
No. 10 McMaster: 6-2 regular season record and 7-3 overall record in 2009… Lost 32-6 to Queen’s in 2009 OUA semifinals… Open 2010 regular season at home vs. No. 8 Queen’s on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., Cable 14)…
FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#1)
Pts (1st place) / Last week
1. Calgary (0-0) 261 (21) –
2. Laval (0-0) 258 (10) –
3. Saskatchewan (0-0) 111 (1) –
4. Saint Mary’s (0-0) 66 –
5. Ottawa (0-0) 58 –
6. Wilfrid Laurier (0-0) 50 –
7. Montreal (0-0) 45 –
8. Queen’s (0-0) 37 –
9. Western (0-0) 33 –
10. McMaster (0-0) 32 –
Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (28), Regina (26), Concordia (10), McGill (5), Bishop’s (4), Alberta (4), StFX (2), Manitoba (2).
CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)
Note 1: Complete webcast and radio schedules at http://english.cis-sic.ca/sports/fball/2010-11/schedule
Note 2: Season previews of all CIS football teams at http://english.cis-sic.ca/sports/fball
August 31
19:00 Ottawa at Windsor (Windsor: TVCogeco Local 11 / Ottawa: Rogers TV Cable 22 – tape delayed to 20:00)
19:00 Queen’s at McMaster (Cable 14)
September 1
15:00 Toronto at Guelph
19:00 Laurier at Western (Rogers TV Cable 13)
September 2
19:00 Sherbrooke at Montreal
September 3
19:00 Manitoba at Regina
September 4
13:00 Alberta at UBC
19:00 Concordia at Bishop’s
19:00 Saskatchewan at Calgary (Shaw)
September 5
14:00 McGill at Laval (SRC)
September 6
13:00 Guelph at York
13:00 Western at Ottawa (Ottawa: Rogers TV Cable 22 / London: Rogers TV Cable 13)
13:00 Laurier at McMaster (Cable 14)
19:00 Windsor at Toronto
About Football Reporters of Canada – University Division
The Football Reporters of Canada – University Division represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. The FRC-U’s primary objective is to work with CIS, its institutions and football programs to build resources and exposure for Canadian University Football from coast to coast through the contribution of the media.
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