UFRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#10): Laval remains No. 1, Calgary up to No. 2

OTTAWA (CIS) – The reigning Vanier Cup champion Laval Rouge et Or top the UFRC – CIS football rankings for the second straight week, for the eighth time in 10 polls this season, and for the 46th time in 49 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 campaign.

Laval, which received 52 of the available 55 first-place votes and 1,736 points in the new Top 10, secured first position in the Quebec conference standings and home-field advantage throughout the QUFL playoffs with a 22-5 road win over Sherbrooke, last Saturday. The No. 1-Rouge et Or wrap up conference play Saturday at McGill (3-4).

Rounding out this week’s UFRC poll are the No. 2-Calgary Dinos (6-1), who earned the remaining three first-place nods, No. 3-Saskatchewan Huskies (6-1), No. 4-Queen’s Gaels (7-1), No. 5-Western Ontario Mustangs (6-2), No. 6-Saint Mary’s Huskies (6-1), No. 7-Ottawa Gee-Gees (6-2), No. 8-Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (6-2), No. 9-Montreal Carabins (4-3), and No. 10 McMaster Marauders (6-2).

The Dinos, who move up one spot to reach No. 2 for the first time since the last five rankings of 1995 – the year of their most recent Vanier Cup triumph – are in a battle with the Huskies for first place in the Canada West. Saskatchewan holds the tie-breaker thanks to a 34-33 head-to-head overtime win in the season opener.

Calgary, which beat Regina 47-29 last weekend, rounds out the regular schedule Saturday with a visit to provincial rival Alberta (3-4), an opponent they edged by three points, 34-31, back on Sept. 12.

Saskatchewan, which had occupied the No. 3 spot for three weeks earlier this fall, dominated Alberta 39-3 last Saturday and closes out conference play Friday night at Regina (3-4). The Huskies escaped with a 10-9 win over the Rams on Sept. 11.

No. 4 Queen’s drops two positions following its first loss of the OUA schedule, a 25-13 setback against Laurier. The Gaels had already clinched first place in Ontario and a bye in the first round of the OUA playoffs.

The No. 8 Hawks, who climb back into the Top 10 for the first time in four weeks, took second place in the conference standings and received the second OUA bye.

No. 5 Western and record-setting quarterback Michael Faulds, 47-0 winners of Toronto last weekend, are set to host Guelph (3-5) Saturday (1 p.m., The Score) in the 3 vs. 6 OUA quarterfinal, while the other first-round duel will see No. 8-Ottawa host No. 10 McMaster (1 p.m., Rogers TV Ottawa / SSN Canada webcast).

The Gee-Gees beat Windsor 24-9 in their conference finale last Saturday, while the Marauders edged Guelph 32-29.

No. 6 Saint Mary’s clinched first place in the Atlantic conference and made a statement with a 41-7 victory over then nationally ranked StFX, last Friday. The Huskies wrap up the regular season Friday night against Acadia (2-5) and will then enjoy a one-week break before they host the AUS final on Nov. 14.

No. 9 Montreal is the big loser in this week’s national poll, dropping five spots following a 21-16 loss to Bishop’s. It has been all downhill for the Carabins since their impressive 28-7 win over Laval on Oct. 4, with consecutive losses to unranked Bishop’s and Sherbrooke, but “Les Bleus” can still finish in second place in Quebec with a home victory over the Vert & Or (3-4) on Saturday (1 p.m., Radio-Canada).

UFRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#10)

Pts (1st place) Last week

1. Laval (6-1) – 1736 (52) – 1
2. Calgary (6-1) – 1534 (3) – 3
3. Saskatchewan (6-1) – 1290 – 5
4. Queen’s (7-1) – 1242 – 2
5. Western Ontario (6-2) – 949 – 6
6. Saint Mary’s (6-1) – 923 – 7
7. Ottawa (6-2) – 598 – 8
8. Wilfrid Laurier (6-2) – 502 – NR
9. Montreal (4-3) – 421 – 4
10. McMaster (6-2) – 249 – 10

Other teams receiving votes: StFX (54), Manitoba (15), Concordia (6), Sherbrooke (2), Bishop’s (1).

CIS FOOTBALL WEEK 10 SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

Friday, Oct. 30
19:00 Acadia (2-5) at Saint Mary’s (6-1)
19:00 Mount Allison (0-7) at StFX (5-2), SSN Canada (webcast)
19:00 Saskatchewan (6-1) at Regina (3-4)

Saturday, Oct. 31
13:00 OUA quarterfinal Guelph (3-5) at Western (6-2), The Score
13:00 OUA quarterfinal McMaster (6-2) at Ottawa (6-2), Rogers TV (Ottawa) / SSN Canada (webcast)
13:00 Concordia (3-4) at Bishop’s (3-4)
13:00 No. 1-Laval (6-1) at McGill (3-4)
13:00 Sherbrooke (3-4) at Montreal (4-3), Radio-Canada
13:00 Calgary (6-1) at Alberta (3-4)
14:00 Simon Fraser (1-6) at Manitoba (4-3)

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