Gee-Gees break into the FRC–CIS Football Top 10 joining Western, Guelph and McMaster

OTTAWA (CIS) – On the strength of a record-setting performance, the University of Calgary Dinos are the top-ranked team in CIS football for the second consecutive week.

The Dinos (3-0) were a near unanimous choice for No. 1 in the new poll as they received 26 out of a possible 30 first-place votes and 292 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel. A week ago, when Calgary reached the top of the rankings for the first time since 2011, the powerhouse program had earned 13 first-place nods.

The rest of the Big Five also remains unchanged in the fourth poll of the campaign with the Laval Rouge et Or (3-0 / 264 points), Western Mustangs (4-0 / 244), Montreal Carabins (2-1 / 211) and Guelph Gryphons (4-0 / 187) following in order. Laval and Western split the remaining first-place votes, meriting two apiece.

Rounding out the new Top 10 are the No. 6 UBC Thunderbirds (2-1 / 123 / up four positions), No. 7 McMaster Marauders (2-1 / 112 / down one), No. 8 Manitoba Bisons (1-2 / 75 / down one), as well as the previously unranked No. 9 Ottawa Gee-Gees (2-1 / 42) and No. 10 Acadia Axemen (2-0 / 32).

In their first defence of their No. 1 status last Thursday, the Dinos scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and racked up a mind-boggling 975 yards of offence en route to an 80-18 domination of visiting Alberta. With 80 points on the scoreboard, Calgary broke its own record for points scored in a Canada West game, eclipsing its 78-point total from October 27, 2012 (78-54 vs. Manitoba).

Meanwhile, three Top-10 confrontations were taking place this past weekend, including Guelph defeating McMaster 33-23 (at Guelph), Montreal handling then-No. 9 Sherbrooke 32-13 (at Montreal) and UBC outscoring Manitoba 51-48 (at Manitoba).

Other Week 4 results from Top-10 teams included Laval 44, Bishop's 2 (at Bishop's); Western 48, Queen's 25 (at Western); Ottawa 52, Windsor 24 (at Ottawa); Acadia 25, Mount Allison 24 (at Mount Allison).

Along with Sherbrooke, reigning two-time AUS champion Mount Allison was the other team to fall out of the Top 10 this week. The Mounties, who before Saturday's setback had won 11 straight conference games dating back to 2013, were ranked No. 8 in each of the past two polls.

Highlighting the Week 5 schedule is a Top-10 matchup between Ottawa and Guelph Saturday at 1 p.m. (Rogers TV Cable 20 & OUA.TV), as well as four RSEQ-AUS interlock duels, including StFX-Laval, Acadia-McGill, Sherbrooke-Mount Allison, and Bishop's-Saint Mary's.

Also on Saturday, top-ranked Calgary visits Regina (0-3) hoping to improve to 4-0 at the midway point of the regular schedule (4 p.m. CT on Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV).

NOTES: Sportsnet and Radio-Canada are once again the official broadcasters of the CIS football semifinals and final in 2015... The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl (RSEQ at OUA) and Uteck Bowl (Canada West at AUS) are set for Nov. 21 at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern Time, respectively... The Vanier Cup follows on Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. ET in Quebec City... For all the information on the 51st Vanier Cup (including tickets) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#4)

Pts (1st place) Last week
1. Calgary (3-0) 292 (26) 1
2. Laval (3-0) 264 (2) 2
3. Western (4-0) 244 (2) 3
4. Montreal (2-1) 211 4
5. Guelph (4-0) 187 5
6. UBC (2-1) 123 10
7. McMaster (2-1) 112 6
8. Manitoba (1-2) 75 7
9. Ottawa (2-1) 42 NR
10. Acadia (2-0) 32 * NR

* Acadia edged Sherbrooke for 10th place based on number of higher place votes

Other teams receiving votes: Sherbrooke (32), Carleton (13), Mount Allison (5), Concordia (5), Alberta (4), Queen's (2), StFX (2).

WEEK 4 RESULTS

September 17
Calgary 80, Alberta 18 (at Calgary)

September 18
Saskatchewan 33, Regina 18 (at Saskatchewan)

September 19
Acadia 25, Mount Allison 24 (at Mount Allison)
StFX 48, Saint Mary's 13 (at StFX)
Ottawa 52, Windsor 24 (at Ottawa)
York 23, Waterloo 14 (at Waterloo)
Western 48, Queen's 25 (at Western)
Guelph 33, McMaster 23 (at Guelph)
Carleton 19, Toronto 15 (at Carleton)
Laval 44, Bishop's 2 (at Bishop's)
Montreal 32, Sherbrooke 13 (at Montreal)
Concordia 33, McGill 23 (at Concordia)
UBC 51, Manitoba 48 (at Manitoba)

WEEK 5 SCHEDULE (all times local)

September 25
19:00 Saskatchewan (1-2) at No. 6 UBC (2-1) (CanadaWest.TV)
19:00 No. 8 Manitoba (1-2) at Alberta (2-1) (CanadaWest.TV)

September 26
13:00 Carleton (3-1) at No. 3 Western (4-0) (Rogers TV Cable 13, Rogers Sports Plus & OUA.TV)
13:00 Windsor (0-4) at Laurier (1-2) (OUA.TV)
13:00 York (1-3) at No. 7 McMaster (2-1) (OUA.TV)
13:00 Queen's (2-2) at Toronto (1-2) (OUA.TV)
13:00 No. 9 Ottawa (2-1) at No. 5 Guelph (4-0) (Rogers TV Cable 20 & OUA.TV)
13:00 No. 10 Acadia (2-0) at McGill (1-2) (StretchTV)
14:00 Bishop's (0-3) at Saint Mary's (0-2) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00 Sherbrooke (1-2) at Mount Allison (1-1) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00 No. 4 Montreal (2-1) at Concordia (2-1) (TVA Sports & StretchTV)
16:00 No. 1 Calgary (3-0) at Regina (0-3) (Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV))
19:00 StFX (1-1) at No. 2 Laval (3-0)

About Football Reporters of Canada

Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS 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 college football. FRC also works with the CFL and CIS 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

Source: CIS