FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#6) RSEQ rivals Montreal, Laval hold on to top spots

Canadian Interuniversity Sport – TORONTO (CIS) – For the third consecutive week, the University of Montreal Carabins were a unanimous No. 1 selection in the CIS football national rankings.

Montreal (5-0) tops the media poll for the fifth straight week overall after receiving all 30 first-place votes and 300 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel. The Carabins are now the lone remaining undefeated team across the country following losses by nationally-ranked Laurier and Ottawa.

The rest of the Big Five also stays put this week, including the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (4-1 / 266 points), No. 3 Western Mustangs (5-1 / 238), No. 4 Regina Rams (4-1 / 206) and No. 5 Calgary Dinos (4-1 / 182).

Rounding out the sixth Top 10 of the campaign are the No. 6 Carleton Ravens (4-2 / 120 / up four positions), No. 7 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (4-1 / 118 / down one), No. 8 McMaster Marauders (4-1 / 115 / no change), No. 9 Ottawa Gee-Gees (4-1 / 65 / down two), as well as the reigning Vanier Cup champion UBC Thunderbirds (3-2 / 28), who are back among the nation’s elite at No. 10.

After dominating their three previous opponents by a combined score of 183-4, the top-ranked Carabins got all they could handle from Sherbrooke (2-3) last Saturday but outscored the Vert & Or 18-0 in the fourth quarter – including the game-winning touchdown with 36 seconds remaining – to claim a thrilling 27-20 road victory.

The next day in Quebec City, archrival Laval exploded for 21 points in the first two minutes of the game en route to a 61-9 rout of McGill.

First place in the RSEQ conference will be on the line on Oct. 15 when Laval visits Montreal at CEPSUM Stadium (2 p.m., live on TVA Sports) following a well-deserved Thanksgiving break for both teams. The Carabins will enter the contest with a three-point cushion thanks to a 24-21 season-opening win on the Rouge et Or home turf back on Sept. 3.

Outside of Quebec this past weekend, the two Top 10 battles on the Week 6 schedule, both in the OUA, turned into lopsided wins for Western and Carleton. 

Led by a 360-yard, three-touchdown performance by NCAA transfer Chris Merchant, the Mustangs downed previously undefeated Laurier 45-26 in London. Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, the Ravens and CFL prospect Nate Behar (12 receptions, 138 yards, 2 touchdowns) dominated cross-town rival Ottawa 43-23 in the annual Panda Game in front of 23,329 raucous fans at TD Place Stadium.

Other Week 6 results involving Top 10 teams included Regina 37, Saskatchewan 29 in front of a Canada West record crowd of 16,500 at new Mosaic Stadium; Calgary 50, Alberta 15 (at Calgary); McMaster 27, Guelph 15 (at McMaster); UBC 53, Manitoba 50 in overtime (at UBC). 

With RSEQ and Canada West teams – as well as three OUA squads – heading into their traditional Thanksgiving break, only six games are on the CIS schedule this week, including one on Thursday night and five on Friday.

Top 10 teams in action include No. 7 Laurier at Toronto (1-5) Thursday at 7 p.m. (OUA.TV), Windsor (2-3) at No. 6 Carleton Friday at 1 p.m. (OUA.TV), Queen’s (2-3) at No. 8 McMaster Friday at 7 p.m. (Cogeco Cable 14 & OUA.TV) and York (2-3) at No. 9 Ottawa Friday at 7 p.m. (OUA.TV).

In AUS action, Mount Allison (1-3) visits Saint Mary’s (1-3), while Acadia (1-3) travels to StFX (3-1). Kickoff for both games is set for 7 p.m. Atlantic Time on Friday (Bell Aliant Fibe TV1 & AUStv.ca).

NOTES: Sportsnet and TVA Sports are once again the official broadcasters of the CIS football semifinals and final in 2016… The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl (AUS at Canada West) and the Uteck Bowl (OUA at RSEQ) are set for Saturday, Nov. 19, while the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup follows on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. ET at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont…. For all the information on the 52nd Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#6)
                                                  Pts (1st place)   Last week
1. Montreal (5-0)          300 (30)           1
2. Laval (4-1)               266                  2  
3. Western (5-1)           238                  3
4. Regina (4-1)             206                  4
5. Calgary (4-1)            182                  5
6. Carleton (4-2)           120                  10
7. Laurier (4-1)             118                  6
8. McMaster (4-1)         115                  8
9. Ottawa (4-1)             65                    7
10. UBC (3-2)              28                    NR

Other teams receiving votes: Manitoba (5), Concordia (3), StFX (3), Saskatchewan (1).

WEEK 6 RESULTS (all times local)