CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA – The top-ranked Laval Rouge et Or opened their 2008 schedule in convincing fashion over the past weekend, while the reigning Vanier Cup champion Manitoba Bisons were abruptly brought back to reality in their second outing of the young CIS football season.
Following a 17-6 victory over arch-rival Montreal (0-1) in front of 15,275 faithful in Quebec City, Laval (1-0) received all 11 first-place votes in the second media poll of the campaign to earn No. 1 status for the 41st time in the last 42 national rankings, dating back to 2005.
The five-time defending Quebec champion Rouge et Or, now 53-5 overall since the start of 2003, were kicking off the season with a win for the seventh straight year and the 11th time in their 13-year history.
Meanwhile, Manitoba (1-1), ranked No. 2 in the first Top 10 of 2008 following its first national championship since 1970, falls all the way to eighth place in the new poll after a crushing 37-17 loss to the Calgary Dinos. The Bisons had won their previous 18 regular season games, dating back to an 18-17 defeat at the hands of Saskatchewan on Oct. 15, 2005.
Calgary (1-1) is ranked ninth this week for its first Top-10 appearance since 2004.
The Saskatchewan Huskies (2-0) move up two spots to No. 2 following a 42-14 domination of provincial rival Regina (0-2), while the 2007 Vanier Cup finalist Saint Mary’s Huskies (1-0) remain at No. 3 after edging Acadia 14-12 in their AUFC opener.
Saint Mary’s was without the services of last season’s Hec Crighton Trophy winner, quarterback Erik Glavic, who is still sidelined by the knee injury that forced him to miss the 2007 CIS final.
Rounding out the new media poll are No. 4 Western Ontario (2-0), No. 5 Queen’s (2-0), No. 6 Ottawa (1-1), No. 7 Concordia (1-0) and No. 10 Wilfrid Laurier (1-1).
The only Top-10 duel of the coming weekend sees Laurier visit Queen’s on Saturday. Quebec and Atlantic teams face off in four interlocking match-ups Saturday, including No. 1 Laval at Acadia (0-1) and No. 3 Saint Mary’s at Bishop’s (0-1).
MITSUBISHI TOP 10 (#2)
Voting is based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 point system, with a first-place vote worth 10 points. The CIS Football Top Ten Committee is made up of 11 members of media from across Canada. A total of nine national rankings will be released for the 2008 season, with the final Top 10 being released once all teams have completed the regular season.
Pts (1st place) Last week
1. Laval (1-0) 110 (11) 1
2. Saskatchewan (2-0) 99 4
3. Saint Mary’s (1-0) 85 3
4. Western Ontario (2-0) 79 5
5. Queen’s (2-0) 57 7
6. Ottawa (1-1) 51 8
7. Concordia (1-0) 43 9
8. Manitoba (1-1) 33 2
9. Calgary (1-1) 27 NR
10. Wilfrid Laurier (1-1) 9 6
Other teams receiving votes: Montreal (4), Bishop’s (3), Windsor (3), UBC (2), Sherbrooke (2), Acadia (1).
CIS FOOTBALL WEEK 4 SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)
Friday, Sept. 12
7:00 pm No. 7 Concordia (1-0) at McGill (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 13
12:00 pm No. 2 Saskatchewan (2-0) at Simon Fraser (1-1)
1:00 pm York (0-2) at Toronto (1-1)
1:00 pm Waterloo (1-1) at No. 4 Western (2-0) (Rogers)
1:00 pm No. 10 Laurier (1-1) at No. 5 Queen’s (2-0)
1:00 pm StFX (1-0) at Montreal (0-1)
1:00 pm No. 3 Saint Mary’s (1-0) at Bishop’s (0-1)
1:00 pm Alberta (1-1) at No. 9 Calgary (1-1)
2:00 pm No. 1 Laval (1-0) at Acadia (0-1) (EastLink)
2:00 pm Sherbrooke (1-0) at Mount Allison (0-1)
2:00 pm UBC (1-1) at No. 8 Manitoba (1-1) (Shaw TV)
7:00 pm Guelph (0-2) at Windsor (2-0)
7:00 pm No. 6 Ottawa (1-1) at McMaster (0-2) (The Score)
