CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — Four of the most successful programs in Canadian university football history will clash in the CIS national semi-finals on Sunday hoping to earn a berth in the 2008 Desjardins Vanier Cup.
The No. 6-ranked and Canada West champion Calgary Dinos (7-3) will travel to Quebec City to take on the No. 1 and QUFL champion Laval Rouge et Or (10-0) in the Uteck Bowl at 12 p.m.
The No. 5 and AUFC champion Saint Mary’s Huskies (8-1) will fly over Quebec City on their way to London, Ont., where they are set to face the No. 3 and OUA champion Western Ontario Mustangs (9-1) in the Mitchell Bowl at 3:30 p.m.
Both CIS semi-finals will be televised on The Score and RDS, with SSN Canada providing the webcast.
The four programs have combined to win 17 of the 43 national titles since the first Vanier Cup was awarded in 1965. Western holds the all-time record of six CIS football banners, Laval and Calgary are tied for second place with four apiece, while Saint Mary’s is one of five schools to capture the coveted trophy on three occasions.
Western, Saint Mary’s and Laval all return from CIS Final Four appearances a year ago, when the Huskies beat the Rouge et Or 24-2 in the Uteck Bowl and the Mustangs dropped a 52-20 Mitchell Bowl decision to eventual Vanier Cup champion Manitoba.
The Dinos and Rouge et Or will meet for the first time in history on Sunday. Calgary is returning to a Bowl game for the first time since 1995, the very year Laval launched its football program. The perennial contenders from Quebec played solely exhibition games that season before officially beginning CIS competition in 1996.
The Rouge et Or, who survived a scare in the 2008 QUFL final before defeating Concordia 28-17 to claim a sixth straight Dunsmore Cup, will be making an impressive eighth Bowl appearance in their 13th campaign. Laval has a 4-3 all-time record in CIS semi-finals, and has gone on to win the Vanier Cup following each of its Bowl victories.
Laval has never lost a Bowl game at home, treating its PEPS Stadium fans to wins over Acadia in 2006, Laurier in 2005 and Saskatchewan in 1999.
The Dinos had an easier time in the Canada West title match outscoring Simon Fraser 44-21 to claim a first Hardy Trophy in 13 years. Calgary shows a 5-3 mark in national semi-finals, including a 3-3 road record.
While the Rouge et Or and Dinos have never met in the past, their head coaches are familiar foes.
Before moving to Calgary in 2006, Blake Nill faced Laval seven times as Saint Mary’s sideline boss, going 2-5 against the Rouge et Or including a win in the 2001 Atlantic Bowl and losses in the 2003 and 1999 Vanier Cup finals. Glen Constantin, who took over as Laval head coach in 2000, is 4-2 head-to-head against his old rival.
Meanwhile in London, the Huskies and Mustangs are set to square off for the fifth time in history, the fourth one in official competition.
Western holds a 2-1 edge in head-to-head playoff meetings, all Atlantic Bowl match-ups in Halifax, prevailing in 1989 and 1971, while Saint Mary’s took the most recent duel in 1990.
Western also came out on top in Halifax in 1972 when the two teams met in exhibition play.
The 2008 Mustangs claimed their second Yates Cup in as many years under head coach Greg Marshall Saturday with a 31-17 defeat of Ottawa in the OUA final.
While Marshall has taken his new program to back-to-back OUA titles after an eight-year drought, he is still looking to guide a team to the Vanier Cup game for the first time. His McMaster Marauders suffered four straight Bowl losses from 2000-2003.
Western is 11-6 all-time in CIS Bowls, including a 5-1 record at home. The Mustangs’ lone national semi-final loss in London came against Calgary in 1988, the last time they hosted a Bowl game. They have since played five CIS semi-finals on the road.
After reaching the Vanier Cup final a year ago in Steve Sumarah’s second campaign at the helm, the Huskies barely came out of the Atlantic conference this season, edging StFX 29-27 in the AUFC final after the X-Men missed a 42-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left on the clock.
Saint Mary’s is making its CIS-leading 20th Bowl appearance since the inception of the national semi-final format in 1967 but only its third away from home. The Huskies, who played their first 15 CIS semi-finals in Halifax in the Atlantic Bowl era, beat the Marshall-led Marauders in Hamilton in 2002 and lost to Saskatchewan in Saskatoon in 2004.
SMU is 9-10 in CIS Bowl games going into Sunday’s duel.
UTECK BOWL
When: Sunday, Nov. 16, 12 p.m.
Where: PEPS Stadium, Quebec City
Who: No. 6 Calgary Dinos (7-3) at No. 1 Laval Rouge et Or (10-0)
TV: The Score / RDS
Webcast: SSN Canada (www.ssncanada.ca)
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DINOS (Canada West champions)
2008 season
Overall record: 7-3
Regular season record: 5-3
Regular season standing: 2nd
Playoff record: 2-0
Playoff results: 24-17 home win vs. Regina (SF), 44-21 home win vs. No. 8 SFU (F)
Final Top 10 ranking (Oct. 28): No. 6
Best Top 10 ranking (9 weeks): No. 4 (2 weeks)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (9 weeks): 8
Regular season offence (146 points scored): 3rd Canada West / 20th CIS
Regular season defence (127 points allowed): 2nd Canada West / 4th CIS
2008 Canada West individual honours
Major awards: RB Matt Walter (MVP), LB Andrea Bonaventura (defensive MVP)
All-stars offence: Matt Walter (RB), Nathan Coehoorn (WR), Dylan Steenbergen (T)
All-stars defence: James Green (S), Jon Waldie (HB), Andrea Bonaventura (LB), Deji Oduwole (DE)
All-stars special teams: None
All-time head-to-head vs. Laval
Overall record: 0-0
Bowl history (since inception of national semi-finals in 1967)
All-time Bowl record: 5-3
All-time Bowl record on the road: 3-3
Uteck Bowl record: 0-0
Uteck Bowl record on the road: 0-0
1995 (home): 37-7 win vs. Ottawa (Churchill)
1993 (away): 37-23 win vs. Saint Mary’s (Atlantic)
1992 (away): 21-11 loss vs. Saint Mary’s (Atlantic)
1988 (away): 34-15 win vs. Western Ontario (Central)
1985 (home): 56-14 win vs. Carleton (Western)
1984 (away): 12-7 loss vs. Guelph (Central)
1977 (away): 24-22 loss vs. Western Ontario (Forrest City)
1975 (away): 38-16 win vs. Acadia (Atlantic)
Vanier Cup history
All-time record: 4-2
1995: 54-24 win vs. Western Ontario
1993: 37-34 loss vs. Toronto
1988: 52-23 win vs. Saint Mary’s
1985: 25-6 win vs. Western Ontario
1983: 31-21 win vs. Queen’s
1975: 14-9 loss vs. Ottawa
Head coach: Blake Nill
Year: 11th (3rd at Calgary / 8 at Saint Mary’s 1998-2005)
Career regular season record: 60-28 (11-13 with Calgary)
Career playoff record: 14-6 (2-1 with Calgary)
Career overall record: 74-34 (13-14 with Calgary)
Career record vs. Laval: 2-5 (all with Saint Mary’s)
Bowl record: 4-2 (all with Saint Mary’s)
Bowl wins: 2003, 2002, 2001, 1999
Bowl losses: 2004, 2000
Vanier Cup record: 2-2
Vanier Cup wins: 2002, 2001
Vanier Cup losses: 2003, 1999
LAVAL UNIVERSITY ROUGE ET OR (QUFL champions)
2008 season
Overall record: 10-0
Regular season record: 8-0
Regular season standing: 1st
Playoff record: 2-0
Playoff results: 32-7 home win vs. No. 10 Montreal (SF), 28-17 home win vs. No. 9 Concordia (F)
Final Top 10 ranking (Oct. 28): No. 1
Best Top 10 ranking (9 weeks): No. 1 (9 weeks / last 8 unanimous)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (9 weeks): 9
Regular season offence (337 points scored): 1st QUFL / 3rd CIS
Regular season defence (60 points allowed): 1st QUFL / 1st CIS
2008 QUFL individual honours
Major awards: QB Benoit Groulx (MVP), DT Étienne Légaré (best lineman)
All-stars offence: Benoit Groulx (QB), Julian Feoli-Gudino (WR), Louis-David Gagné (C), Luc Brodeur-Jourdain (G), Vincent Turgeon (G)
All-stars defence: Marc-Antoine Beaudoin-Cloutier (DE), Étienne Legaré (DT), Olivier Turcotte-Létourneau (CB), Maxime Bérubé (DB)
All-stars special team: Christopher Milo (P & PK)
All-time head-to-head vs. Calgary
Overall record: 0-0
Bowl history (since inception of national semi-finals in 1967)
All-time Bowl record: 4-3
All-time Bowl record at home: 3-0
Uteck Bowl record: 2-1
Uteck Bowl record at home: 2-0
2007 (away): 24-2 loss vs. Saint Mary’s (Uteck)
2006 (home): 57-10 win vs. Acadia (Uteck)
2005 (away): 29-27 loss vs. Saskatchewan (Mitchell)
2004 (home): 30-11 win vs. Laurier (Uteck)
2003 (away): 36-32 win vs. McMaster (Mitchell)
2001 (away): 48-8 loss vs. Saint Mary’s (Atlantic) *
1999 (home): 27-21 win vs. Saskatchewan (Churchill)
* Following the 2001 season, Laval forfeited all its games due to the use of an ineligible player.
Vanier Cup history
All-time record: 4-0
2006: 13-8 win vs. Saskatchewan
2004: 7-1 win vs. Saskatchewan
2003: 14-7 win vs. Saint Mary’s
1999: 14-10 win vs. Saint Mary’s
Head coach: Glen Constantin
Year: 8th
Career regular season record: 51-13 *
Career playoff record: 18-6 *
Career overall record: 69-19 *
Career record vs. Calgary: 0-0
Bowl record: 3-3
Bowl wins: 2006, 2004, 2003
Bowl losses: 2007, 2005, 2001
Vanier Cup record: 3-0
Vanier Cup wins: 2006, 2004, 2003
Vanier Cup losses: None
* In 2001, Laval finished with a 5-3 regular season record and a 2-1 playoff record but forfeited all 7 wins due to the use of an ineligible player.
MITCHELL BOWL
When: Sunday, Nov. 16, 3:30 p.m.
Where: TD Waterhouse Stadium, London, Ont.
Who: No. 5 Saint Mary’s Huskies (8-1) at No. 3 Western Ontario (9-1)
TV: The Score / RDS
Webcast: SSN Canada (www.ssncanada.ca)
SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY HUSKIES (AUFC champions)
2008 season
Overall record: 8-1
Regular season record: 7-1
Regular season standing: 1st
Playoff record: 1-0
Playoff results: 29-27 home win vs. StFX (F)
Final Top 10 ranking (Oct. 28): No. 5
Best Top 10 ranking (9 weeks): No. 3 (6 weeks)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (9 weeks): 9
Regular season offence (259 points scored): 1st AUFC / 6th CIS
Regular season defence (168 points allowed): 1st AUFC / 12th CIS
2008 AUFC individual honours
Major awards: WR-RET Jahmeek Murray (best rookie), Steve Sumarah (coach of the year)
All-stars offence: Allistair Blair (RB), Thomas Elinesky (G), Bryan Jordan (T)
All-stars defence: Dan Schutte (DT), Karl McCartney (DE), Joel Lapinski (DB), Jeff Zelinski (CB)
All-stars special teams: Justin Palardy (P & PK)
All-time head-to-head vs. Western Ontario
Overall record: 1-2
1990 (home): 31-30 win (Atlantic Bowl)
1989 (home): 38-33 loss (Atlantic Bowl)
1971 (home): 44-13 loss (Atlantic Bowl)
* Saint Mary’s also lost to Western 31-24 in an exhibition game in 1972, in Halifax.
Bowl history (since inception of national semi-finals in 1967)
All-time Bowl record: 9-10
All-time Bowl record on the road: 1-1
Mitchell Bowl record: 0-1
Mitchell Bowl record on the road: 0-1
2007 (home): 24-2 win vs. Laval (Uteck)
2004 (away): 31-16 loss vs. Saskatchewan (Mitchell)
2003 (home): 60-9 win vs. Simon Fraser (Uteck)
2002 (away): 36-25 win vs. McMaster (Churchill)
2001 (home): 48-8 win vs. Laval (Atlantic)
2000 (home): 40-36 loss vs. Regina (Atlantic)
1999 (home): 21-14 win vs. Waterloo (Atlantic)
1994 (home): 35-24 loss vs. Saskatchewan (Atlantic)
1993 (home): 37-23 loss vs. Calgary (Atlantic)
1992 (home): 21-11 win vs. Calgary (Atlantic)
1990 (home): 31-30 win vs. Western (Atlantic)
1989 (home): 38-33 loss vs. Western (Atlantic)
1988 (home): 44-10 win vs. Bishop’s (Atlantic)
1987 (home): 30-29 loss vs. McGill (Atlantic)
1974 (home): 45-1 loss vs. Toronto (Atlantic)
1973 (home): 19-17 win vs. Wilfrid Laurier (Atlantic)
1972 (home): 50-17 loss vs. Western (Atlantic)
1971 (home): 44-13 loss vs. Western (Atlantic)
1968 (home): 37-7 loss vs. Waterloo (Atlantic)
Vanier Cup history
All-time record: 3-6
2007: 28-14 loss vs. Manitoba
2003: 14-7 loss vs. Laval
2002: 33-21 win vs. Saskatchewan
2001: 42-16 win vs. Manitoba
1999: 14-10 loss vs. Laval
1992: 31-0 loss vs. Queen’s
1990: 24-21 loss vs. Saskatchewan
1988: 52-23 loss vs. Calgary
1973: 14-6 win vs. McGill
Head coach: Steve Sumarah
Year: 3rd
Career regular season record: 17-6
Career playoff record: 4-2
Career overall record: 21-8
Career record vs. Western Ontario: 0-0
Bowl record: 1-0
Bowl wins: 2007
Bowl losses: None
Vanier Cup record: 0-1
Vanier Cup wins: None
Vanier Cup losses: 2007
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO MUSTANGS (OUA champions)
2008 season
Overall record: 9-1
Regular season record: 7-1
Regular season standing: 2nd
Playoff record: 2-0
Playoff results: 36-28 home win vs. No. 7 Laurier (SF), 31-17 home win vs. Ottawa (F)
Final Top 10 ranking (Oct. 28): No. 3
Best Top 10 ranking (9 weeks): No. 2 (2 weeks)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (9 weeks): 9
Regular season offence (363 points scored): 2nd OUA / 2nd CIS
Regular season defence (133 points allowed): 2nd OUA / 6th CIS
2008 OUA individual honours
Major awards: None
All-stars offence (First Team): Jesse Bellamy (IR)
All-stars offence (Second Team): Michael Faulds (QB), Ahmad Jaradat (C), Andy Rady (G), Richard Zulys (T)
All-stars defence (First team): Vaughn Martin (DT), John Surla (LB), Corey McNair (HB), Matt Carapella (FS)
All-stars defence (Second Team): Mike Van Praet (DT), Josh Foster (CB)
All-stars special teams (First Team): None
All-stars special teams (Second Team): None
All-time head-to-head vs. Saint Mary’s
Overall record: 2-1
1990 (away): 31-30 loss (Atlantic Bowl)
1989 (away): 38-33 win (Atlantic Bowl)
1971 (away): 44-13 win (Atlantic Bowl)
* Western also beat Saint Mary’s 31-24 in an exhibition game in 1972, in Halifax.
Bowl history (since inception of national semi-finals in 1967)
All-time Bowl record: 11-6
All-time Bowl record at home: 5-1
Mitchell Bowl record: 0-1
Mitchell Bowl record at home: 0-0
2007 (away): 52-20 loss vs. Manitoba (Mitchell)
1998 (away): 33-17 loss vs. Saskatchewan (Churchill)
1995 (away): 55-45 win vs. Acadia (Atlantic)
1994 (away): 41-24 win vs. Bishop’s (Churchill)
1990 (away): 31-30 loss vs. Saint Mary’s (Atlantic)
1989 (away): 38-33 win vs. Saint Mary’s (Atlantic)
1988 (home): 34-15 loss vs. Calgary (Centr
al)
1986 (away): 29-22 win vs. Acadia (Atlantic)
1985 (away): 54-3 win vs. Mount Allison (Atlantic)
1982 (home): 17-7 win vs. Concordia (Western)
1981 (away): 32-31 loss vs. Alberta (Western)
1980 (away): 14-4 loss vs. Alberta (Western)
1979 (home): 32-14 win vs. Queen’s (Yates Cup)
1977 (home): 24-22 win vs. Calgary (Forest City)
1976 (home): 30-8 win vs. UBC (Forest City)
1974 (home): 41-17 win vs. Saskatchewan (Central)
1971 (away): 44-13 win vs. Saint Mary’s (Atlantic)
Vanier Cup history
All-time record: 6-5
1995: 54-24 loss vs. Calgary
1994: 50-40 OT win vs. Saskatchewan
1989: 35-10 win vs. Saskatchewan
1986: 25-23 loss vs. UBC
1985: 25-6 loss vs. Calgary
1982: 39-14 loss vs. UBC
1979: 34-12 loss vs. Acadia
1977: 48-15 win vs. Acadia
1976: 29-13 win vs. Acadia
1974: 19-15 win vs. Toronto
1971: 15-14 win vs. Alberta
Head coach: Greg Marshall
Year: 9th (2nd at Western / 7 at McMaster 1997-2003)
Career regular season record: 53-17-2
Career playoff record: 16-7
Career overall record: 69-24-2
Career record vs. Saint Mary’s: 0-1 (with McMaster)
Bowl record: 0-5 (0-1 with Western / 0-4 with McMaster)
Bowl wins: –
Bowl losses: 2007, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000
Vanier Cup record: 0-0
Vanier Cup wins: –
Vanier Cup losses: –
