CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA -– The seven-time defending Quebec champion Laval Rouge et Or, now the only undefeated team in the country, top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the fifth straight week.
The Rouge et Or, who occupy the No. 1 spot for the 52nd time in 56 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 campaign, improved to 5-0 in conference play on Sunday thanks to a convincing 46-10 home win over Concordia (2-3) in front of 15,952 fans at PEPS Stadium.
Laval, which received all 43 first-place votes for its second unanimous No. 1 selection of the fall, will face a serious test on Saturday when it visits archrivals, the No. 7 Montreal Carabins (4-1). Montreal is the only Quebec team to beat the Rouge et Or since the start of 2004 (three times in 14 matchups), including a 28-7 win at CEPSUM Stadium in 2009.
The highly-anticipated contest is televised live on Radio-Canada at 1 p.m.
The Carabins, however, were one of two Top-3 teams to be upset over the past weekend, along with the Ottawa Gee-Gees (5-1). Both teams drop four positions in the new poll to No. 7 and No. 6, respectively, after Montreal lost 39-21 at then-No. 8 Bishop’s (4-1) and Ottawa was shocked 40-35 by Toronto (2-3).
The No. 2 Calgary Dinos (4-1), No. 3 Western Ontario Mustangs (5-1) and No. 4 Regina Rams (4-1) all move up two spots this week. It marks Regina’s best ranking since they spent three straight weeks in fourth place in September of 2002 (Sept. 17, 23, 30).
Bishop’s is the week’s biggest winner gaining three positions following its impressive defeat of Montreal. The No. 5 Gaiters reach the national Top 5 for the first time since they were ranked No. 2 on Sept. 15, 1998.
Rounding out the sixth FRC poll of the season are the No. 8 Saskatchewan Huskies (3-2), No. 9 McMaster Marauders (4-2) and No. 10 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (3-2).
Calgary, Regina and Saskatchewan all head into the Canada West bye week, while Western also enjoys a break in the OUA.
In addition to the Laval-Montreal duel, No. 10 Laurier visits No. 6 Ottawa on Saturday (Rogers TV, tape delayed to 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.) for the only other Top-10 matchup of the coming weekend.
No. 1 Laval (5-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 46-10 home win over Concordia (2-3)… This week: Visit No. 7 Montreal (4-1) on Saturday (Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.)… Heads-up: Laval is 14-3 overall against Montreal since the Carabins joined the QUFL in 2002, including a 2-1 head-to-head record last season (30-8 home win and 28-7 road loss in conference play, 31-7 home win in Dunsmore Cup final)…
No. 2 Calgary (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up two positions… Last week: 33-16 home win over UBC (1-4)… This week: Bye week in Canada West…
No. 3 Western (5-1): Top 10 ranking: Up two positions… Last week: 46-10 home win over Queen’s (1-4)… This week: Bye…
No. 4 Regina (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up two positions… Last week: 40-8 home win over Alberta (2-3)… This week: Bye week in Canada West…
No. 5 Bishop’s (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up three positions… Last week: 39-21 home win over then-No. 3 Montreal (4-1)… This week: Visit Sherbrooke (2-3) on Friday… Heads-up: The Gaiters, who are 4-7 overall against cross-town rival Sherbrooke since the Vert & Or joined the QUFL in 2003 (including a 25-20 road loss in 2009), are vying for a fifth straight win for the first time since 2007, when they also lost their season opener against Concordia before racking up five consecutive victories…
No. 6 Ottawa (5-1): Top 10 ranking: Down four positions… Last week: 40-35 loss at Toronto (2-3)… This week: Host No. 10 Laurier (3-2) on Saturday (Rogers TV Cable 22 – tape delayed to 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)… Heads-up: Ottawa is 5-6 overall against Laurier since rejoining the Ontario conference in 2001 but the Gee-Gees are 4-1 head-to-head since 2006, including a 27-25 road win in the lone 2009 duel…
No. 7 Montreal (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Down four positions… Last week: 39-21 loss at then-No. 8 Bishop’s (4-1)… This week: Host No. 1 Laval (5-0) on Saturday (Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.)… Heads-up: Since the start of the 2004 season, Montreal is 3-11 against Laval while the four other Quebec teams are a combined 0-44 versus the Rouge et Or…
No. 8 Saskatchewan (3-2): Top 10 ranking: Up one position… Last week: 64-3 home win over Manitoba (1-4)… This week: Bye week in Canada West…
No. 9 McMaster (4-2): Top 10 ranking: Down two positions… Last week: 64-6 win at York (0-5)… This week: Host Guelph (3-2) on Thursday (Cable 14, 7 p.m.)… Heads-up: Five of the six matchups between McMaster and Guelph since 2005 have been decided by four points or less including a 32-29 Marauders win in 2009, a 32-31 win in 2008, a 25-21 playoff loss and a 37-36 conference win in 2007, and a 22-20 loss in 2005 (McMaster won 43-27 in 2006)…
No. 10 Wilfrid Laurier (3-2): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 36-2 home win over then-No. 10 Guelph (3-2)… This week: Visit No. 6 Ottawa (5-1) on Saturday (Rogers TV Cable 22 – tape delayed to 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)… Heads-Up: After starting the season 0-2, Laurier is looking to win a fourth straight game for the first time since the Hawks ended the 2008 regular season with five victories and won their first contest in the playoffs…
FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#6)
| Team | Pts | 1st | Last Week | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Laval (4-0) | 500 | (43) | 1 |
| 2. | Calgary (4-1) | 438 | – | 4 |
| 3. | Western (5-1) | 387 | – | 5 |
| 4. | Regina (4-1) | 334 | – | 6 |
| 5. | Bishop’s (4-1) | 261 | – | 8 |
| 6. | Ottawa (5-1)) | 210 | – | 2 |
| 7. | Montreal (4-1 | 194 | – | 3 |
| 8. | Saskatchewan (3-2) | 159 | – | 9 |
| 9. | McMaster (4-2) | 157 | – | 7 |
| 10. | Wilfrid Laurier (3-2) | 47 | – | NR |
Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (33), Concordia (3), Guelph (2).
