Rick Zazulak/McMaster Athletics
CFLca Staff
OTTAWA — The reigning Vanier Cup champion McMaster Marauders top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the ninth time in as many polls this season, a few days after wrapping up conference play with a perfect 8-0 record for the first time since 2003.
After receiving 29 first-place votes from the 30-member FRC panel in each of the last five polls, the Marauders were a unanimous No. 1 selection this week, following the Calgary Dinos’ first loss of the campaign. Calgary (6-1) drops to No. 3 in the new Top 10 behind the Laval Rouge et Or (7-1), who climb back to No. 2 for the first time since the Sept. 4 rankings (poll #2).
The Montreal Carabins (7-1) remain in fourth place, only one point back of Calgary in the voting (225 vs. 224). The No. 5 Guelph Gryphons (7-1) and No. 6 Queen’s Gaels (6-2) also stay put.
The Regina Rams (5-2) and Western Mustangs (5-3) swap positions at No. 7 and No. 8, while the Acadia Axemen (6-1) and Manitoba Bisons (4-3) hold on to the ninth and tenth spots, respectively.
Top-ranked McMaster, the only remaining undefeated team in the country, crushed visiting Laurier (3-5) 43-0 in its regular season finale on Saturday to extend its overall winning streak to 18 straight games dating back to Week 3 of the 2011 schedule, one shy of the all-time CIS mark set by Laval from 2004 to 2005.
The defending national champs, who have a bye this week in the first round of the OUA playoffs, will get a chance to tie the prestigious record on Nov. 3 when they host a conference semifinal.
No. 2 Laval dominated Bishop’s (3-5) 57-7 Sunday in Quebec City to claim its 55th consecutive victory on home turf since 2004, also a CIS mark. Last year’s CIS finalists can clinch first place in the RSEQ standings with a win at Concordia (1-7) on Saturday.
The No. 3 Dinos saw their hopes of a perfect conference season go up in smoke last Friday night when they fell 12-9 at Regina. Despite the loss, Calgary secured first place in Canada West thanks to a positive head-to-head point differential in two contests against the Rams this fall. The reigning four-time CWUAA champions close out league play on Saturday with a home title versus No. 10 Manitoba.
All other Top-10 teams were victorious this past weekend, including No. 4 Montreal 44-0 vs. McGill (2-6); No. 5 Guelph 39-18 vs. York (2-6); No. 6 Queen’s 35-7 vs. Toronto (2-6); No. 7 Regina defeating Calgary; No. 8 Western 32-29 vs. Ottawa (2-6); No. 9 Acadia 12-5 vs. Saint Mary’s (2-5); No. 10 Manitoba 37-31 vs. UBC (2-5).
The OUA playoffs get under way on Saturday with a pair of quarter-final matchups that will see Queen’s host Laurier (3-5) in Kingston, and Western welcome Windsor (3-5) in London.
Fifth-ranked Guelph is the second OUA team that earned a bye in the first round of the post-season. The Gryphons’ 7-1 conference record – including seven straight wins to close out the schedule – is the best in program history.
The coming weekend marks the end of league play in the three other CIS conferences.
FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#9)
Pts (1st place) Last week
1. McMaster (8-0) 300 (30) 1
2. Laval (7-1) 266 3
3. Calgary (6-1) 225 2
4. Montreal (7-1) 224 4
5. Guelph (7-1) 169 5
6. Queen’s (6-2) 140 6
7. Regina (5-2) 139 8
8. Western (5-3) 89 7
9. Acadia (6-1) 39 9
10. Manitoba (4-3) 28 10
Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (27), Saskatchewan (4).
– With files from CIS
