U SPORTS – TORONTO (U SPORTS) – For the first time since 2014 – and the ninth time over the past 13 years – the Laval Rouge et Or (1-0) top the inaugural media poll of the U SPORTS football season.

The reigning national champions, who last November claimed their record ninth Vanier Cup championship, were a unanimous No. 1 selection by the Football Reporters of Canada panel, meriting all 18 first-place votes and a perfect 180 points.

2017 U SPORTS Football Schedule:

http://en.usports.ca/sports/fball/2017-18/schedule

2017 U SPORTS Football Standings:

http://en.usports.ca/sports/fball/2017-18/standings-conf

Join the conversation: #UAgree?

Rounding out the first top 10 of the new campaign are the second-ranked Montreal Carabins (1-0 / 156 points), No. 3 Western Mustangs (1-0 / 128), No. 4 Calgary Dinos (0-0 / 115), No. 5 Regina Rams (0-0 / 101), No. 6 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (1-0 / 87), No. 7 UBC Thunderbirds (0-0 / 79), No. 8 McMaster Marauders (0-0 / 28), No. 9 Ottawa Gee-Gees (1-0 / 28) and No. 10 Manitoba Bisons (0-0 / 24).

Nine months after a spectacular, come-from-behind 31-26 triumph over Calgary in Hamilton, the Rouge et Or showed no signs of a championship hangover on Saturday night in their RSEQ opener, dominating Sherbrooke 40-5 on home turf thanks in part to 361 passing yards and four total touchdowns from reigning Vanier Cup MVP Hugo Richard. Next up for the Quebec City powerhouse, which had previously crushed Carleton 46-2 in a preseason confrontation, is a visit to McGill (0-0) on Friday evening.

Other conference results from top-10 teams on opening weekend included Montreal 37, Concordia 19 (at Concordia); Western 66, York 3 (at York); Laurier 39, Toronto 0 (at Laurier); Ottawa 24, Guelph 21 in second overtime (at Guelph).

In preseason action, it was Regina 39, Calgary 3 (at Medicine Hat, Alta.); UBC 33, Alberta 30 (at Kamloops, B.C.); McMaster 22, Saskatchewan 10 (at McMaster).

Sportsnet’s Donnovan Bennett is the new chair of the FRC media panel for the 2017 season, overseeing a reduced panel and revised format, including the publication of all ballots available on USPORTS.ca.

The only top-10 matchup on the Week 2 schedule sees seventh-ranked UBC visit No. 5 Regina Friday at 7 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET), live on CanadaWest.TV. The contest will be a rematch of last year’s Canada West semifinal, also at Mosaic Stadium, when the fourth-place Thunderbirds and 2015 Vanier Cup MVP Michael O’Connor upset the first-place Rams and 2016 Hec Crighton Trophy winner Noah Picton 40-34.

NOTES: Sportsnet and TVA Sports are once again the official broadcasters of the U SPORTS football semifinals and final in 2017… The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl (RSEQ at Canada West) and the Uteck Bowl (OUA at AUS) are set for Saturday, Nov. 18, while the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup follows on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. ET at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton… For all the information on the 53^rd Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – U SPORTS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#1)

                                   Pts (1^st place) Last week

1. Laval (1-0)             180 (18)          –

2. Montreal (1-0)       156                –

3. Western (1-0)        128                – 

4. Calgary (0-0)          115                –

5. Regina (0-0)          101                 –

6. Laurier (1-0)            87                 –

7. UBC (0-0)             79                  –

8. McMaster (0-0)      28 *               –

9. Ottawa (1-0)          28                  –

10. Manitoba (0-0)      24                 –

* McMaster edges Ottawa for eighth place thanks to a greater number of higher-placed votes

Other teams receiving votes: Carleton (20), Mount Allison (19), Guelph (8), Saskatchewan (7), Concordia (7), Saint Mary’s (1), Alberta (1), Waterloo (1).

WEEK 1 RESULTS

August 23 (preseason)

Regina 39, Calgary 3 (Medicine Hat, Alta.)

UBC 33, Alberta 30 (Kamloops, B.C.)

August 25 (preseason)

McMaster 22, Saskatchewan 10 (at McMaster)

August 25

Saint Mary’s 38, StFX 23 (at Saint Mary’s)

Montreal 37, Concordia 19 (at Concordia)

                  

August 26

Mount Allison 64, Acadia 23 (at Mount Allison)

Carleton 22, Queen’s 17 (at Queen’s)

Laval 40, Sherbrooke 5 (at Laval)

August 27

Waterloo 54, Windsor 33 (at Windsor)

Laurier 39, Toronto 0 (at Laurier)

Ottawa 24, Guelph 21 (2OT) (at Guelph)

Western 66, York 3 (at York)

WEEK 2 SCHEDULE 

NOTE: Click HERE for the complete 2017 regular season schedule & results

August 31

Concordia (0-1) at Sherbrooke (0-1), 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

September 1

Mount Allison (1-0) at StFX (0-1), 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT (AUStv.ca)

Laval (1-0) at McGill (0-0), 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT (StretchTV)

Saskatchewan (0-0) at Manitoba (0-0), 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (CanadaWest.TV)

UBC (0-0) at Regina (0-0), 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT (CanadaWest.TV)

Calgary (0-0) at Alberta (0-0), 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT (CanadaWest.TV)

September 2

Bishop’s (0-0) at Acadia (0-1), 3 p.m. PT/noon PT (Bell Aliant Fibe TV1 & AUStv.ca)

September 3

McMaster (0-0) at Carleton (1-0), 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT (OUA.TV)

September 4

York (0-1) at Waterloo (1-0), 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT (OUA.TV)

Queen’s (0-1) at Ottawa (1-0), 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT (OUA.TV)

Guelph (0-1) at Western (1-0), 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT (Rogers TV & OUA.TV)

Windsor (0-1) at Toronto (0-1), 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT (OUA.TV)

About Football Reporters of Canada

Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering U SPORTS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has been an organization of media members who have covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the league’s outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC) to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with amateur and university football. FRC also works with the CFL and U SPORTS to establish guidelines and working conditions for the men and women who report on the game. Selected members of FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

About U SPORTS

U SPORTS is the national brand for University Sports in Canada. Every year, over 12,000 student-athletes and 500 coaches from 56 universities vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. U SPORTS also provides higher performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit usports.ca or follow us on:

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