Photo credit Yan Dublet, Laval

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Laval Rouge et Or top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the fifth time in as many polls this season.

The reigning Vanier Cup champions received 22 of 29 first-place nods – their lowest total this fall – and 285 points from FRC voters to remain in front of the No. 2 Western Ontario Mustangs (266 points), No. 3 Calgary Dinos (234), No. 4 Montreal Carabins (177), No. 5 Sherbrooke Vert & Or (176) and No. 6 McMaster Marauders (142) in the rankings.

Defending OUA champion Western received the remaining seven first-place votes, a season high.

Rounding out the new national poll are the No. 7 Saint Mary’s Huskies (95 points) and No. 8 UBC Thunderbirds (81), both up one position from last week, the No. 9 Saskatchewan Huskies (55), down two spots, as well as the No. 10 Ottawa Gee-Gees (35), who were unranked last Tuesday.

Laval (4-0), which occupies the No. 1 position for the 61st time in 65 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 schedule, remained the only undefeated team in the competitive Quebec conference last Sunday but wasn’t convincing in a 12-4 victory over winless McGill (0-4). One of the lone bright spots for the Rouge et Or offensively was senior wideout Julian Feoli-Gudino, who caught 10 passes to move into second place on the CIS all-time list with 213 career receptions.

The Rouge et Or extended their CIS-record streak to 46 straight overall wins at home – since a 14-13 conference loss to Montreal on Sept. 19, 2004 – and will try to add to that impressive sequence on Sunday when they host Concordia (2-2). It was also Laval’s 17th consecutive overall victory since a loss to Queen’s in the 2009 Mitchell Bowl, two shy of its own CIS mark set over the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

No. 2 Western (4-0) also survived a scare last weekend against Laurier (1-3), prevailing 34-28 on a last-minute interception by Jamie Symianick. Super freshman Tyler Varga scored three rushing touchdowns to up his total to 12 in only four games and is nine shy of the CIS single-season record at the halfway mark of the schedule.

No. 3 Calgary (4-0) easily beat Saskatchewan (2-2) 38-24 for its first home win over the Huskies since 2000, while No. 4 Montreal (3-1) travelled to Bishop’s (1-3) to down the Gaiters 36-22.

No. 5 Sherbrooke (3-1) needed a touchdown reception with 28 seconds left from 2010 Hec Crighton Trophy nominee Simon Charbonneau-Campeau, his third of the game, to defeat Concordia 33-26.

No. 6 McMaster (3-1) overcame a 10-3 halftime deficit to beat Guelph (1-3) 37-13. No. 7 Saint Mary’s (2-1) crushed Mount Allison (0-3) 60-6. No. 8 UBC (3-1) edged Manitoba (2-2) 29-23, while Ottawa (3-1) blanked Toronto (2-2) 41-0 to move back into the national rankings.
A pair of Top-10 battles highlights this weekend’s schedule as UBC visits Saskatchewan on Friday night and Montreal travels to Sherbrooke on Saturday afternoon (1 p.m. ET, live on Radio-Canada).

Saint Mary’s also hosts undefeated Acadia (3-0) Saturday afternoon with first place in the Atlantic conference on the line.

No. 1 Laval (4-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 12-4 home win over McGill (0-4)… This week: Host Concordia (2-2) Sunday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Laval opened the 2011 season on Sept. 3 with a 36-8 road win over Concordia and is riding a 16-game overall undefeated streak against the Stingers since a 38-30 conference loss at Montreal on Oct. 4, 2003…

No. 2 Western (4-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 34-28 win at Laurier (1-3)… This week: Host York (1-3) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Western has won 30 straight overall against York since a 30-23 conference loss in 1980…

No. 3 Calgary (4-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 38-24 home win over then-No. 7 Saskatchewan (2-2)… This week: Host Alberta (0-4) Sunday at 2 p.m. MT… Heads-up: Calgary has defeated provincial rival Alberta three times each of the past two seasons, including a 56-3 domination in last year’s Canada West final…

No. 4 Montreal (3-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 36-22 win at Bishop’s (1-3)… This week: Visit No. 5 Sherbrooke (3-1) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Montreal was upset by Sherbrooke 33-26 on home turf in last year’s Quebec semifinals as the Vert & Or advanced to the RSEQ final for the first time in history…

No. 5 Sherbrooke (3-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 33-26 win at Concordia (2-2)… This week: Host No. 4 Montreal (3-1) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Sherbrooke wideout Simon Charbonneau-Campeau, the RSEQ Hec Crighton Trophy nominee a year ago, currently leads CIS in receptions (33), receiving yards (561) and touchdown catches (7)…

No. 6 McMaster (3-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 37-13 win at Guelph (1-3)… This week: Host Waterloo (0-4) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: McMaster is 9-1 overall against Waterloo since 2002 with its only head-to-head loss a 30-17 setback in the 2008 regular season…

No. 7 Saint Mary’s (2-1): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 60-6 win at Mount Allison (0-3)… This week: Host Acadia (3-0) Saturday at 2 p.m. AT… Heads-up: Saint Mary’s faced Acadia no less than four times a year ago with the Axemen taking the season opener 17-7 and the Huskies rebounding with three straight wins, including a convincing 37-8 victory in the AUS final…

No. 8 UBC (3-1): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 29-23 home win over then-No. 10 Manitoba (2-2)… This week: Visit No. 9 Saskatchewan (2-2) Friday at 7 p.m. CT… Heads-up: UBC stands at 3-1 at the halfway mark of the Canada West schedule for the first time since 1999, when the Thunderbirds claimed their last regular season crown with a 7-1 record before being upset 31-24 by 6-2 Saskatchewan in the conference final…

No. 9 Saskatchewan (2-2): Top 10 ranking: Down two positions… Last week: 38-24 loss at No. 3 Calgary (4-0)… This week: Host No. 8 UBC (3-1) Friday at 7 p.m. CT… Heads-up: The Huskies are in danger of losing three straight games for the first time since they were defeated by Regina in the 2001 Canada West final before dropping their first two games of the 2002 campaign to Manitoba and Regina…

No. 10 Ottawa (3-1): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 41-0 home win over Toronto (2-2)… This week: Visit Laurier (1-3) Saturday at 1 p.m… Heads-up: Ottawa won its two meetings with Laurier a year ago, including an exciting 32-31 OUA semi-final victory in the nation’s capital…

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#5)

Pts (1st place) – Last week
1. Laval (4-0) 285 (22) 1
2. Western (4-0) 266 (7) 2
3. Calgary (4-0) 234 3
4. Montreal (3-1) 177 4
5. Sherbrooke (3-1) 176 5
6. McMaster (3-1) 142 6
7. Saint Mary’s (2-1) 95 8
8. UBC (3-1) 81 9
9. Saskatchewan (2-2) 55 7
10. Ottawa (3-1) 35 NR

Other teams receiving votes: Windsor (14), Manitoba (11), Concordia (11), Acadia (11), Laurier (2).

CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

September 30
19:00 ET Queen’s (2-2) at Toronto (2-2), SSN webcast
19:00 ET Bishop’s (1-3) at McGill (0-4), SSN webcast
19:00 CT Manitoba (2-2) at Regina (1-3), CanadaWest.tv webcast
19:00 CT No. 8 UBC (3-1) at No. 9 Saskatchewan (2-2)

October 1
13:00 ET Waterloo (0-4) at No. 6 McMaster (3-1), Cable 14 / McMaster webcast
13:00 ET No. 10 Ottawa (3-1) at Laurier (2-2), The Score
13:00 ET York (1-3) at No. 2 Western (4-0), Rogers TV (Cable 13) / SSN webcast
13:00 ET No. 4 Montreal (3-1) at No. 5 Sherbrooke (3-1), Radio-Canada
14:00 AT Acadia (3-0) at No. 7 Saint Mary’s (2-1), EastLink
14:00 AT Mount Allison (0-3) at StFX (0-3), SSN webcast
19:00 ET Guelph (1-3) at Windsor (3-1)

October 2
13:00 ET Concordia (2-2) at No. 1 Laval (4-0)
13:00 MT Alberta (0-4) at No. 3 Calgary (4-0), Shaw TV

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. Since 1958 the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) have been an organization of media members who have covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the league’s outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC) to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with amateur and college football.

The FRC also works with the CFL and CIS to establish guidelines and working conditions for the men and women who report on the game. Selected members of the FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.