CIS Top 10: New #1 in town as Dinos rout Bisons

CFL.ca Staff

OTTAWA — The University of Calgary Dinos are the only remaining undefeated team in CIS football, and they rightfully find themselves atop the Football Reporters of Canada rankings with one week to go in the regular season.

After spending the last two weeks in second place behind the Western Ontario Mustangs, the Dinos move up to No. 1 thanks to 23 first-place votes and 282 points from the 29-member media panel. Calgary had last topped the national poll in the opening week of the 2010 campaign.

The reigning Vanier Cup champion Laval Rouge et Or also move up one position, to No. 2, after earning four first-place nods and 262 points. The McMaster Marauders (209 points) are up two spots to No. 3, Western (206) drops all the way to No. 4, while the Montreal Carabins (174) climb up from sixth place to complete the leading quintet.

Western and Montreal each received a first-place vote.

Rounding out the ninth FRC poll of the season are the No. 6 Sherbrooke Vert & Or (157), down two spots; No. 7 UBC Thunderbirds (98), up one; No. 8 Queen’s Gaels (80) and No. 9 Acadia Axemen (58), both unranked a week ago; and the Saskatchewan Huskies (40), who stay put at No. 10.

Calgary (7-0) clinched first place in the Canada West conference for the first time since 1995 this past weekend with a convincing 41-24 home win over Manitoba (3-4). The Dinos have a chance to complete the first unblemished regular season in program history when they visit No. 7 UBC in Vancouver on Saturday.

Laval (7-1) secured first place in Quebec for the seventh-straight year with a 40-10 domination of No. 6 Sherbrooke in front of 15,910 fans, who witnessed the Rouge et Or’s 49th consecutive victory on home field since 2004, a CIS record. The defending national champs wrap up conference play at Bishop’s (2-6) on Saturday.

McMaster (7-1) outscored Ottawa (5-3) 51-24 to clinch second place in Ontario and a bye in the first round of the OUA playoffs.

Western (7-1) saw its dream of a perfect campaign go up in smoke in Kingston, where the Mustangs dropped a lopsided 37-0 decision to No. 8 Queen’s, marking the first time they were shut out since 1973.

Having secured first place in the OUA the previous week, the Mustangs, who will also enjoy a bye this weekend, rested numerous starters and injured players.

Montreal beat Concordia (3-5) 36-1 to improve to 6-2. The result sets up a showdown for second place in Quebec on Saturday, when the Carabins host Sherbrooke.

The Vert & Or (6-2), who will try to rebound from a tough loss in Quebec City, won the first head-to-head meeting of the season against Montreal, 20-11 on Oct. 1. With a victory on Saturday, Sherbrooke would book a first home playoff date since its return to CIS football in 2003.

UBC (5-2) reached the five-win mark for the first time since 2004 thanks to a 39-22 defeat of Alberta (0-7). The T-Birds can clinch second place in the West with a victory over top-ranked Calgary or a Saskatchewan loss against Alberta.

Queen’s (6-2), which is riding a six-game winning streak after starting the season 0-2, is ranked for the first time in 2011 following its impressive victory over previously undefeated Western.

The Gaels open the OUA playoffs at home on Saturday against Laurier (4-4), a team they beat 58-35 on Sept. 17 in Kingston to start their current streak.

Acadia (6-1) is also ranked nationally for the first time this fall after clinching top spot in the AUS thanks to a 41-28 win over Saint Mary’s (5-2). The Axemen, who hadn’t finished first in the Atlantic since 2006, close out conference play against StFX (2-5).

Saskatchewan (4-3) barely squeaked by provincial rival Regina (2-5), 16-15, to remain in the hunt for second place in Canada West and home-field advantage in the first round of the post-season.

Other teams receiving votes: Saint Mary’s (16), Ottawa (6), Windsor (1).