FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#6): McMaster still No. 1, Guelph and Acadia join Top 10

The rest of the leading quintet also remains intact in the new Top 10 as the No. 3 Montreal Carabins (5-0) and No. 4 Laval Rouge et Or (5-0) also kept their undefeated record over the past weekend, while the No. 5 Queen’s Gaels (4-1) were victorious for the fourth time in five outings, their only loss coming two weeks ago against top-ranked McMaster.

Rounding out the new media poll are the Regina Rams (4-1), up one position to a season-high No. 6; the Western Mustangs (3-2), down one spot to a season-low No. 7; the Manitoba Bisons (3-2), staying put at No. 8; as well as the No. 9 Guelph Gryphons (4-1) and No. 10 Acadia Axemen (3-1), both unranked last Tuesday.

The Marauders kept their one-game lead atop the OUA standings thanks to a second straight win over a Top-10 opponent. After defeating Queen’s 33-20 two weeks ago, the national champs travelled to London on Saturday and edged Western 33-27 in front of a boisterous homecoming crowd of 10,900 at TD Waterhouse Stadium. McMaster visits York (1-4) on Thursday afternoon and will be seeking its 16^th consecutive overall victory dating back to the third week of the 2011 schedule, three shy of the all-time CIS mark set by Laval from 2004 to 2005.

In Calgary, the Dinos crushed archrival Saskatchewan 45-4 at home to preserve a one-game cushion in the Canada West standings going into the conference’s bye week. The reigning four-time CWUAA champions have outscored their rivals 242 to 50 so far this fall for a CIS-best point differential of +192.

In Quebec, Montreal rolled over Concordia 38-0 and Laval dominated then-No. 9 Sherbrooke 48-10 on the road, setting the table for a much-anticipated home-and-away series between the Carabins and Rouge et Or that will go a long way in deciding who will finish first in the RSEQ.

The first end of the two-game set goes Sunday in Quebec City (1:30 p.m. ET, Radio-Canada), with the rematch scheduled the following Saturday (Oct. 13) in Montreal. The Rouge et Or go into the first head-to-head contest riding a CIS-record streak of 53 wins in a row on home turf but will face the last team to beat them at TELUS Stadium, a 14-13 setback that dates way back to Sept. 19, 2004.

Other results by Top-10 teams this past week were Queen’s 32, Ottawa 25 (at Queen’s); Regina 30, Manitoba 27 (at Regina); Guelph 22, Laurier 19 (at Laurier); Acadia 30, Mount Allison 6 (at Acadia).

In addition to Sunday’s Montreal-Laval showdown, another Top-10 battle highlights the Week 6 schedule as Western visits Guelph on Saturday afternoon.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#6)

Pts (1^st place) Last week

1. McMaster (5-0) 299 (29) 1
2. Calgary (5-0) 270 (1) 2
3. Montreal (5-0) 236 3
4. Laval (5-0) 220 4
5. Queen’s (4-1) 175 5
6. Regina (4-1) 157 7
7. Western (3-2) 115 6
8. Manitoba (3-2) 87 8
9. Guelph (4-1) 50 NR
10. Acadia (3-1) 41 NR

Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (10), Windsor (5), Saskatchewan (3).

No. 1 McMaster (5-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 33-27 win at then-No. 6 Western (3-2)… This week: Visit York (1-4) Thursday at 7 p.m. ET…

No. 2 Calgary (5-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 45-4 home win over then-No. 10 Saskatchewan (2-3)… This week: Bye week…

No. 3 Montreal (5-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 38-0 win at Concordia (2-3)… This week: Visit No. 4 Laval (5-0) Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET…

No. 4 Laval (5-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 48-10 win at then-No. 9 Sherbrooke (2-3)… This week: Host No. 3 Montreal (5-0) Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET…

No. 5 Queen’s (4-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 32-25 home win over Ottawa (0-5)… This week: Visit Windsor (3-2) Saturday at 7 p.m. ET…

No. 6 Regina (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 30-27 home win over No. 8 Manitoba (3-2)… This week: Bye week…

No. 7 Western (3-2): Top 10 ranking: Down one position… Last week: 33-27 home loss to No. 1 McMaster (5-0)… This week: Visit No. 9 Guelph (4-1) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET…

No. 8 Manitoba (3-2): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 30-27 loss at then-No.7 Regina (4-1)… This week: Bye week…

No. 9 Guelph (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 22-19 win at Laurier (2-3)… This week: Host No. 7 Western (3-2) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET…

No. 10 Acadia (3-1): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 30-6 home win over Mount Allison (1-3)… This week: Visit StFX (1-3) Saturday at 2 p.m. AT…

REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE: WEEK 6 (all times local)

Click HERE for the complete 2012 CIS football regular season schedule, including all broadcast info (television, webcast, radio).

October 4

19:00 No. 1 McMaster (5-0) at York (1-4), SSNCanada.ca (web)

19:00 Waterloo (1-4) at Laurier (2-3), Rogers Waterloo (TV) & www.laurierathletics.com/live (web)

19:00 Bishop’s (2-3) at McGill (1-4), SSNCanada.ca (web) 

October 5

19:00 Mount Allison (1-3) at Saint Mary’s (1-3), Saint Mary’s, StreamIt (web)

October 6

13:00 No. 7 Western (3-2) at No. 9 Guelph (4-1), SSNCanada.ca (web)

13:00 Ottawa (0-5) at Toronto (2-3), SSNCanada.ca (web)

13:00 Sherbrooke (2-3) at Concordia (2-3), Radio-Canada (TV & web) & SSNCanada.ca (web)

14:00 No. 10 Acadia (3-1) at StFX (1-3), Eastlink (TV & web) & SSNCanada.ca (web)

19:00 No. 5 Queen’s (4-1) at Windsor (3-2), Cogeco (TV)

October 7

13:30 No. 3 Montreal (5-0) at No. 4 Laval (5-0), Radio-Canada (TV & web)

About Football Reporters of Canada

Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has 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. 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 FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.