Photo credit Andrew Scott, UWO

OTTAWA (CIS) – The University of Western Ontario Mustangs are the new top-ranked team in CIS football.

After spending the first six weeks of the season in second place behind the reigning Vanier Cup champion Laval Rouge et Or, the Mustangs (6-0) move up to No. 1 thanks to 21 of 29 first-place votes and 279 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel.

Western had last been ranked No. 1 in the next to last poll of the 1999 campaign (Nov. 1). It also marks the first time since 2001 that an OUA team finds itself atop the CIS football Top 10. That year, the Ottawa Gee-Gees spent the first six weeks in first place.

The Calgary Dinos (5-0) also move past Laval in the new national poll thanks to 258 points from FRC voters, including seven first-place nods.

The Rouge et Or (5-1), who had led 15 straight polls since opening the 2010 season in second position, drop to No. 3 after suffering their first loss in almost two years. Since the start of the 2005 schedule, Laval had been either No. 1 (62 times) or No. 2 (4 times) in 66 consecutive rankings.

Rounding out the seventh FRC Top 10 of the campaign are the Sherbrooke Vert & Or (5-1), who stay put at No. 4; the No. 5 Montreal Carabins (3-3), who earned the remaining first-place vote and are up one position following a huge win over Laval; the No. 6 McMaster Marauders (5-1), down one spot; the No. 7 Saskatchewan Huskies (3-2), No. 8 Saint Mary’s Huskies (4-1) and No. 9 UBC Thunderbirds (3-2), who all hold on to their previous positions; and the No. 10 Ottawa Gee-Gees (4-2), unranked a week ago.

No. 1 Western, playing without injured quarterback Donnie Marshall, remained the only undefeated team in Ontario on Saturday with a thrilling 33-29 home victory over Guelph (1-5). Mike Spence was the hero with an interception in his own end zone in the final minute of regulation.

No. 2 Calgary, No. 7 Saskatchewan and No. 9 UBC all enjoyed a bye last week as the Canada West conference was taking its annual Thanksgiving break. The Dinos, the only other unbeaten team in the country, face the Huskies in Saskatoon on Friday night in the lone top-10 battle of the coming weekend.

No. 3 Laval came up just short in its bid to tie its own CIS record of 19 consecutive overall wins, dropping a 17-12 decision to the Carabins in Montreal. The Rouge et Or, who are now tied with Sherbrooke atop the Quebec standings, had not tasted defeat since a 33-30 loss to Queen’s in the 2009 Mitchell Bowl.

Lineman Jonathan Pierre-Étienne, a former draft pick of the BC Lions, led a spectacular

defensive effort for No. 5 Montreal with 4.5 quarterback sacks. The Carabins were also the last Quebec team to beat Laval, 28-7, on Oct. 4, 2009.

No. 4 Sherbrooke kept cruising with a 38-11 decision over cross-town rival Bishop’s (2-4). The Vert & Or, winners of three straight since a 40-27 loss to Laval on Sept. 17, travel to Quebec City in two weeks to face the Rouge et Or.

No. 6 McMaster drops one spot in this week’s FRC poll despite a convincing 50-14 win over Toronto (2-4). The Marauders are undefeated since a 48-21 loss to Western in week two.

No. 8 Saint Mary’s easily downed StFX (1-4) 40-16 to remain in a tie with Acadia atop the AUS standings. The Huskies, who beat the Axemen 8-3 two weeks ago, visit Acadia on Oct. 22.
No. 10 Ottawa returns to the Top 10 after a one-week absence following a 65-12 domination of York (1-5).

No. 1 Western (6-0): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 33-29 home win over Guelph (1-5)… This week: Visit Toronto (2-4) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Western is 26-0-1 against Toronto in conference play since a 21-11 loss in 1983, with the tie (19-19) coming in 1995…

No. 2 Calgary (5-0): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: Bye… This week: Visit No. 7 Saskatchewan (3-2) Friday at 7 p.m. CT… Heads-up: The Dinos, who beat Saskatchewan 38-24 on Sept. 23 in Calgary, have lost three straight in Saskatoon in conference play since a 20-19 win on Oct. 13, 2007…

No. 3 Laval (5-1): Top 10 ranking: Down two positions… Last week: 17-12 loss at then-No. 6 Montreal (3-3)… This week: Host Bishop’s (2-4) Sunday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Laval has won a CIS-record 47 consecutive overall games at home since a 14-13 loss to Montreal on Sept. 19, 2004…

No. 4 Sherbrooke (5-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 38-11 home win over Bishop’s (2-4)… This week: Host Concordia (3-3) Saturday at 7 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Sherbrooke has never won six conference games since its return to CIS football in 2003…

No. 5 Montreal (3-3): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 17-12 home win over then-No. 1 Laval (5-1)… This week: Visit McGill (0-6) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: Montreal, which defeated McGill 24-13 in its season opener on Sept. 1st, is 13-0 overall against the Redmen since a pair of shutout losses (58-0, 41-0) in 2002, the year the Carabins returned to CIS football…

No. 6 McMaster (5-1): Top 10 ranking: Down one position… Last week: 50-14 home win over Toronto (2-4)… This week: Visit Laurier (3-3) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET… Heads-up: With a 26-24 conference win a year ago, McMaster put an end to a nine-game overall losing streak against Laurier dating back to a 41-17 win in the 2003 Yates Cup final…

No. 7 Saskatchewan (3-2): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: Bye… This week: Host No. 2 Calgary (5-0) Friday at 7 p.m. CT… Heads-up: With a win on Friday, Saskatchewan would secure at least a .500 record for the 11th straight year since finishing 2-6 in 2000…

No. 8 Saint Mary’s (4-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 40-16 home win over StFX (1-4)… This week: Visit StFX (1-4) Saturday at 2 p.m. AT… Heads-up: Saint Mary’s has won five straight overall against StFX since a 24-19 loss in Antigonish to open the 2009 season…

No. 9 UBC (3-2): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: Bye… This week: Host Regina (2-3) Saturday at 2 p.m. PT… Heads-up: With a season-opening 21-10 win in Regina on Sept. 2, UBC ended a four-game overall losing streak against the Rams dating back to a 60-48 conference victory in 2006…

No. 10 Ottawa (4-2): Top 10 ranking: Unranked a week ago… Last week: 65-12 home win over York (1-5)… This week: Host Windsor (4-2) Saturday at 1 p.m… Heads-up: Ottawa is 8-1 overall versus Windsor – all in conference play – since the Gee-Gees returned to the OUA in 2001, with their lone loss a 40-38 setback in 2008…

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#7)

Pts (1st place) – Last week
1. Western (6-0) 279 (21) 2
2. Calgary (6-0) 258 (7) 3
3. Laval (5-1) 232 1
4. Sherbrooke (5-1) 205 4
5. Montreal (3-3) 172 (1) 6
6. McMaster (5-1) 164 5
7. Saskatchewan (3-2) 105 7
8. Saint Mary’s (4-1) 91 8
9. UBC (3-2) 60 9
10. Ottawa (4-2) 15 NR

Other teams receiving votes: Queen’s (11), Acadia (5), Wilfrid Laurier (5) Concordia (3).

CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

October 14
19:00 CT No. 2 Calgary (5-0) at No. 7 Saskatchewan (3-2)

October 15
13:00 ET No. 1 Western (6-0) at Toronto (2-4)
13:00 ET No. 6 McMaster (5-1) at Laurier (3-3), The Score
13:00 ET Windsor (4-2) at No. 10 Ottawa (4-2), Rogers TV & SSN webcast
13:00 ET Waterloo (0-6) at Queen’s (4-2)
13:00 ET York (1-5) at Guelph (1-5), SSN webcast
13:00 ET No. 5 Montreal (3-3) at McGill (0-6), Radio-Canada (TV & webcast)
13:00 CT Alberta (0-6) at Manitoba (2-3)
14:00 AT Mount Allison (0-5) at Acadia (4-1), SSN webcast
14:00 AT No. 8 Saint Mary’s (4-1) at StFX (1-4), EastLink (TV & webcast) / SSN webcast
14:00 PT Regina (2-3) at No. 9 UBC (3-2), Shaw TV
19:00 ET Concordia (3-3) at No. 4 Sherbrooke (5-1)

October 16
13:00 ET Bishop’s (2-4) at No. 3 Laval (5-1)

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.