CIS TOP TEN: No. 1 McMaster wraps up unblemished regular season
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).
No. 1 McMaster (8-0): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 43-0 home win over Laurier (3-5)... This week: Bye in first round of OUA playoffs... Next game: Host lowest remaining seed for OUA semifinal on Nov. 3...
No. 2 Laval (7-1): Top 10 ranking: Up one position... Last week: 57-7 home win over Bishop’s (3-5)... This week: Visit Concordia (1-7) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...
No. 3 Calgary (6-1): Top 10 ranking: Down one position... Last week: 12-9 loss at then-No. 8 Regina (5-2)... This week: Host No. 10 Manitoba (4-3) Saturday at 5 p.m. MT...
No. 4 Montreal (7-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 44-0 home win over McGill (2-6)... This week: Visit Bishop’s (3-5) Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...
No. 5 Guelph (7-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 39-18 win at York (2-6)... This week: Bye in first round of OUA playoffs... Next game: Host highest remaining seed for OUA semifinal on Nov. 3...
No. 6 Queen’s (6-2): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 35-7 home win over Toronto (2-6)... This week: Host Laurier (3-5) for OUA quarter-final Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...
No. 7 Regina (5-2): Top 10 ranking: Up one position... Last week: 12-9 home win over then No. 2 Calgary (6-1)... This week: Host Alberta (0-7) Friday at 7 p.m. CT...
No. 8 Western (5-3): Top 10 ranking: Down one position... Last week: 32-29 win at Ottawa (2-6)... This week: Host Windsor (3-5) for OUA quarter-final Saturday at 1 p.m. ET...
No. 9 Acadia (6-1): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 12-5 home win over Saint Mary’s (2-5)... This week: Visit Mount Allison (3-4) Saturday at 2 p.m. AT...
No. 10 Manitoba (4-3): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: 37-31 home win over UBC (2-5)... This week: Visit No. 3 Calgary (6-1) Saturday at 5 p.m. MT...
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE: WEEK 9 (all times local)
Click HERE for the complete 2012 CIS football regular season schedule, including all broadcast info (television, webcast, radio).
October 26
19:00 Alberta (0-7) at No. 7 Regina (5-2), Access7 Regina (TV) & CanadaWest.tv (web)
19:00 UBC (2-5) at Saskatchewan (4-3), Shaw (TV)
October 27
13:00 OUA quarter-final: Windsor (3-5) at No. 8 Western (5-3), theScore (TV & web)
13:00 OUA quarter-final: Laurier (3-5) at No. 6 Queen’s (6-2), Cogeco (TV – tape delayed)
13:00 No. 2 Laval (7-1) at Concordia (1-7), SSNCanada.ca (web)
13:00 No. 4 Montreal (7-1) at Bishop’s (3-5), Radio-Canada (TV & web) & SSNCanada.ca (web)
13:00 McGill (2-6) at Sherbrooke (5-3)
14:00 No. 9 Acadia (6-1) at Mount Allison (3-4), sportscanada.tv (web)
14:00 StFX (2-5) at Saint Mary’s (2-5), Eastlink (TV & web) & Bell Aliant (web)
17:00 No. 10 Manitoba (4-3) at No. 3 Calgary (6-1), CanadaWest.tv (web)
Source: CIS