CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — The Laval Rouge et Or top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the fifth time in as many polls this season.
The reigning Vanier Cup champions received 22 of 29 first-place nods – their lowest total this season – and 285 points from FRC voters to remain in front of the No. 2 Western Ontario Mustangs (266 points), No. 3 Calgary Dinos (234), No. 4 Montreal Carabins (177), No. 5 Sherbrooke Vert & Or (176) and No. 6 McMaster Marauders (142) in the rankings.
Defending OUA champion Western received the remaining seven first-place votes, a season high.
Rounding out the new national poll are the No. 7 Saint Mary’s Huskies (95 points) and No. 8 UBC Thunderbirds (81), who are both up one position from last week. The No. 9 Saskatchewan Huskies (55), fall two spots, while the Ottawa Gee-Gees (35), enter the Top 10 after being absent last week.
Laval (4-0), which occupies the No. 1 position for the 61st time in 65 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 season, remained the only undefeated team in the competitive Quebec conference last Sunday. However, the team put together a very unconvincing victory in a 12-4 decision over the winless McGill Redmen (0-4).
One of the lone bright spots for the Rouge et Or offensively was senior wideout Julian Feoli-Gudino, who caught 10 passes to move into second place on the CIS all-time list with 213 in his career.
Laval extended their CIS-record streak to 46 straight overall wins at home, and will try to add to that impressive sequence on Sunday when they host Concordia (2-2). It was also Laval’s 17th consecutive overall victory since a loss to Queen’s in the 2009 Mitchell Bowl, two shy of its own CIS mark that they set over the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
No. 2 Western (4-0) also survived a scare last weekend against Laurier (1-3), prevailing 34-28 on a last-minute interception by Jamie Symianick. Super freshman Tyler Varga scored three rushing touchdowns to up his total to 12 in only four games, and is nine shy of the CIS single-season record at the halfway mark of the schedule.
No. 3 Calgary (4-0) easily beat Saskatchewan (2-2) 38-24 for its first home win over the Huskies since 2000. No. 4 Montreal (3-1) travelled to Bishop’s (1-3) to down the Gaiters 36-22.
No. 5 Sherbrooke (3-1) needed a last-minute touchdown reception from 2010 Hec Crighton Trophy nominee Simon Charbonneau-Campeau, his third of the game, to defeat Concordia 33-26.
No. 6 McMaster (3-1) overcame a 10-3 halftime deficit to beat Guelph (1-3) 37-13. No. 7 Saint Mary’s (2-1) crushed Mount Allison (0-3) 60-6, while no. 8 UBC (3-1) edged Manitoba (2-2) 29-23. Ottawa (3-1) blanked Toronto (2-2) 41-0 to move back into the national rankings.
| Rank | Team | Pts. (1st place) | Last Week |
| 1. | Laval (4-0) | 285 (22) | 1 |
| 2. | Western (4-0) | 266 (7) | 2 |
| 3. | Calgary (4-0) | 234 | 3 |
| 4. | Montréal (3-1) | 177 | 4 |
| 5. | Sherbrooke (3-1) | 176 | 5 |
| 6. | McMaster (3-1) | 142 | 6 |
| 7. | Saint Mary’s (2-1) | 95 | 8 |
| 8. | UBC (3-1) | 81 | 9 |
| 9. | Saskatchewan (2-2) | 55 | 7 |
| 10. | Ottawa (3-1) | 35 | NR |
Other teams receiving votes: Windsor (14), Manitoba (11), Concordia (11), Acadia (11), Laurier (2).
