OTTAWA (CIS) – The Laval Rouge et Or top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the eighth straight week after receiving all first-place votes for the fifth time in nine polls this season.

Laval, which occupies the No. 1 spot for the 55th time in 59 national polls dating back to the start of the 2005 campaign, improved to 8-0 in conference play and remained the lone undefeated team in the country last Saturday in Montreal thanks to a dominating 68-0 road victory over McGill (0-8).

It was the second consecutive shutout for Laval, whose stellar defensive unit leads CIS with only 51 points allowed in eight outings (6.4 ppg). The Rouge et Or have finished first in the nation for least points allowed two years running, and four of the past six seasons.

The seven-time defending Quebec champions return to Montreal on Saturday to close out the regular schedule against Concordia (4-4). Laval is riding a 15-game overall winning streak against the Stingers dating back to 2003, including a 46-10 victory on Oct. 3 in Quebec City.
The No. 2 Western Ontario Mustangs (7-1) are the only other team to stay put in the new Top 10. Western wrapped up conference play with a 35-23 home win over Toronto (3-5) and will now enjoy a bye in the first round of the OUA playoffs before hosting a conference semi-final on Nov. 6.

Rounding out the ninth FRC rankings are the No. 3 Saskatchewan Huskies (5-2), No. 4 Ottawa Gee-Gees (7-1), No. 5 Calgary Dinos (5-2), No. 6 Regina Rams (5-2), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (6-2), No. 8 Montreal Carabins (5-3), No. 9 Saint Mary’s Huskies (4-3) and No. 10 Sherbrooke Vert & Or (4-4).

Saskatchewan, Calgary and Regina are locked into a three-way tie atop the Canada West standings heading into the final weekend of conference action. The Huskies can finish first with a win over the Rams on Friday night in Saskatoon (Shaw TV, 7 p.m. CDT).

Ottawa, which took first place in the OUA thanks to a one-point win (20-19) over Western earlier this season, also gets a bye in the first round of the Ontario playoffs. The Gee-Gees will host the lowest remaining seed in OUA on Nov. 6.

McMaster was off last weekend after locking up third place in the OUA two weeks ago. The Marauders host defending Vanier Cup champion Queen’s (3-5) in quarterfinal action on Saturday.

Down two positions in the Top 10 following a 21-14 home loss to Concordia, Montreal needs a win over Bishop’s (5-3) on Saturday (Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.) to finish second in Quebec.
Riding a four-game winning streak after an 0-3 start to the season, Saint Mary’s would clinch first place in the AUS with a road win over Acadia (4-3) on Saturday (EastLink, 2 p.m. ADT).
Making its first Top-10 appearance of the campaign, Sherbrooke can secure a post-season berth with a win over McGill (0-8) on Saturday and would climb up to third place with a win combined to a Bishop’s loss to Montreal.

No. 1 Laval (8-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 68-0 win at McGill (0-8)… This week: Visit Concordia (4-4) on Saturday… Heads-up: The Rouge et Or, who are hoping to go undefeated in conference play for the third time in four years and the fifth time since joining the QUFL in 1996, have won 15 straight overall against Concordia (since a 38-30 road loss on Oct. 4, 2003) including a 46-10 home victory earlier this season, on Oct. 3… Going into the final weekend of the regular season, Laval leads the country for most points scored (43.6) and least points allowed (6.4) per game… The Rouge et Or, who have finished first in the country for least points allowed four of the past six years (2009, 2008, 2005, 2004), were the last team to rank No. 1 in CIS in both points scored and allowed, back in 2004…

No. 2 Western (7-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 35-23 home win over Toronto (3-5)… This week: Bye in first round of OUA playoffs… Heads-up: Western will host the highest remaining seed in an OUA semi-final on Nov. 6…

No. 3 Saskatchewan (5-2): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 30-9 win at UBC (2-5)… This week: Host No. 6 Regina (5-2) on Friday (Shaw TV, 7 p.m. CDT)… Heads-up: With a win over their provincial rivals – which would avenge a 37-26 loss on Sept. 18 in Regina – the Huskies would clinch first place in Canada West for the third straight season and the fifth time in eight years…

No. 4 Ottawa (7-1): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 54-11 win over Guelph (4-4)… This week: Bye in first round of OUA playoffs… Heads-up: Ottawa will host the lowest remaining seed in an OUA semi-final on Nov. 6…

No. 5 Calgary (5-2): Top 10 ranking: Up two positions… Last week: 35-27 win at then-No. 3 Regina (5-2)… This week: Host Alberta (3-4) on Saturday… Heads-up: With a win over the Golden Bears – who they beat 23-14 on Sept. 18 in Edmonton – combined to a Saskatchewan loss to Regina, the Dinos would finish first in Canada West for the first time since 1995…

No. 6 Regina (5-2): Top 10 ranking: Down three positions… Last week: 35-27 home loss to then-No. 7 Calgary (5-2)… This week: Visit No. 3 Saskatchewan (5-2) on Friday (Shaw TV, 7 p.m. CDT)… Heads-up: With a win over their provincial rivals combined to a Calgary loss to Alberta, the Rams would finish first in Canada West for the first time since they joined CIS in 1999…

No. 7 McMaster (6-2): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: Bye… This week: Host Queen’s (3-5) on Saturday in OUA quarterfinal… Heads-up: The Marauders – who beat the Gaels 23-18 at home in their season opener back on Aug. 31 – show a 1-2 all-time playoff record against Queen’s including a 32-6 OUA semi-final loss in Kingston a year ago, a 25-19 quarterfinal loss in Hamilton in 2006 and a 33-19 Yates Cup win in Hamilton in 2002…

No. 8 Montreal (5-3): Top 10 ranking: Down two positions… Last week: 21-14 home loss to Concordia (4-4)… This week: Host Bishop’s (5-3) on Saturday (Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.)… Heads-up: With a win over Bishop’s – which would avenge a 39-21 loss to the Gaiters on Oct. 3 in Sherbrooke – the Carabins would take second place in Quebec and would host a QUFL semi-final for the fourth time since rejoining CIS in 2002, after second-place finishes in 2009 and 2005 and a first-place finish in 2004…

No. 9 Saint Mary’s (4-3): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 43-7 home win over Mount Allison (3-4)… This week: Visit Acadia (4-3) on Saturday (EastLink, 2 p.m. ADT)… Heads-Up: In the first two head-to-head matchups of the season, Saint Mary’s lost 17-7 at Acadia on Sept. 11 and prevailed 45-10 at home on Oct. 1… The Huskies have not lost twice to Acadia in the same campaign since 2006 (once in conference play and once in the playoffs) and have not lost twice to the Axemen in the same regular season since 1997…

No. 10 Sherbrooke (4-4): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 49-11 win at then-No. 9 Bishop’s (5-3)… This week: Host McGill (0-8) on Saturday… Heads-up: With a win over McGill – which they beat 34-8 on Oct. 2 in Montreal – or a Concordia loss to Laval, the Vert & Or would clinch a third playoff berth since rejoining CIS in 2003, after a third-place finish in 2008 and a fourth-place finish in 2005…

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#9)
Pts (1st place) – Last week
1. Laval (8-0) 500 (43) 1
2. Western (7-1) 433 2
3. Saskatchewan (5-2) 370 4
4. Ottawa (7-1) 339 5
5. Calgary (5-2) 320 7
6. Regina (5-2) 237 3
7. McMaster (6-2) 201 8
8. Montreal (5-3) 129 6
9. Saint Mary’s (4-3) 87 10
10. Sherbrooke (4-4) 53 NR
Other teams receiving votes: Wilfrid Laurier (31), Bishop’s (17), Concordia (5), Acadia (1).

CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)
Note: Complete webcast and radio schedules at [URL]http://english.cis-sic.ca/sports/fball/2010-11/schedule


October 29
19:00 No. 6 Regina (5-2) at No. 3 Saskatchewan (5-2) (TV: Shaw)
October 30
13:00 OUA quarter-final: Queen’s (3-5) at No. 7 McMaster (6-2)
13:00 OUA quarter-final: Guelph (4-4) at Laurier (4-4) (TV & Web: The Score)
13:00 No. 1 Laval (8-0) at Concordia (4-4) (Web: SSN Canada)
13:00 Bishop’s (5-3) at No. 8 Montreal (5-3) (TV & Web: Radio-Canada)
13:00 McGill (0-8) at No. 10 Sherbrooke (4-4)
13:00 UBC (2-5) at Manitoba (1-6) (TV: Shaw – in Winnipeg & Vancouver)
13:00 Alberta (3-4) at No. 5 Calgary (5-2) (Web: [url]www.godinos.com/dinovision)
14:00 No. 9 Saint Mary’s (4-3) at Acadia (4-3) (TV & Web: EastLink)
14:00 StFX (1-6) at Mount Allison (3-4)

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.
-CIS-