FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#2): Laval new No. 1, Calgary drops to No. 5

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Laval Rouge et Or return to a familiar place this week as the seven-time defending Quebec champions climb up one position to top the second Football Reporters of Canada – CIS national poll of the season.
 
The Rouge et Or, who had opened at No. 1 five years running before opening in second place behind the Calgary Dinos last Tuesday, received 24 of the available 40 first-place votes and 439 points in the new rankings to edge the Saskatchewan Huskies, who are also up one spot to No. 2 this week after earning the remaining 16 first-place nods and 432 points from FRC members.   
 
Laval (1-0) kicked off conference play on Sunday with a dominating 50-9 home win over McGill (0-1). The perennial QUFL powerhouse got off to a somewhat slow start and was only leading 10-2 at halftime but exploded for 40 points after the break.
 
The Rouge et Or is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the 48th time in 52 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 campaign.
 
Saskatchewan (1-0) opened the Canada West schedule on Saturday night with a convincing 34-13 road win over Calgary (0-1), which drops all the way to No. 5 following the lopsided result.
 
Rounding out this week’s Top 10 are No. 3 Ottawa (2-0), No. 4 Saint Mary’s (0-0), No. 6 McMaster (2-0), No. 7 Montreal (1-0), No. 8 Western Ontario (1-1), No. 9 Regina (1-0) and No. 10 Concordia (1-0).
 
Ottawa and McMaster are both off to 2-0 starts in OUA play.
 
The No. 3 Gee-Gees - who were ranked No. 5 last week - went on the road last Tuesday to defeat Windsor (0-1) 23-14, before scoring a 20-19 comeback win over Western in their home opener on Labour Day Monday.
 
The No. 6 Marauders – ranked No. 10 a week ago - got a pair of home wins against teams that dropped out of the Top 10 this week. They edged defending Vanier Cup champion Queen’s (0-1) 23-18 last Tuesday, before erasing a 22-0 deficit to beat Laurier (0-2) on Labour Day Monday.
 
A trio of Top-10 matchups highlight the upcoming weekend of CIS football: No. 9 Regina at No. 5 Calgary on Friday; No. 6 McMaster at No. 8 Western on Saturday (The Score, 1 p.m.); No. 7 Montreal at No. 10 Concordia on Saturday (SRC, 1 p.m.).
 
No. 1 Laval (1-0): Top 10 ranking: Up one position from No. 2... Last week: Opened season with 50-9 home win vs. McGill (0-1)... This week: Visit Sherbrooke (0-1) on Saturday.
 
No. 2 Saskatchewan (1-0): Top 10 ranking: Up one position from No. 3... Last week: Opened season with 34-13 road win vs. No. 5 Calgary (0-1), which was ranked No. 1 prior to the game... This week: Host UBC (0-1) on Friday. 
 
No. 3 Ottawa (2-0): Top 10 ranking: Up two positions from No. 5... Last week: Opened season with 23-14 win at Windsor (1-1), before edging No. 8 Western (1-1) 20-19 at home on Labour Day Monday... This week: Visit York (0-1) on Saturday.
 
No. 4 Saint Mary’s (0-0): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: Did not play... Open regular season at Acadia (0-0) on Saturday (EastLink, 2 p.m. Atlantic Time).
 
No. 5 Calgary (0-1): Top 10 ranking: Down four positions from No. 1... Last week: Opened season with 34-13 home loss vs. No. 2 Saskatchewan (1-0)... This week: Host No. 9 Regina (1-0) on Friday.
 
No. 6 McMaster (2-0): Top 10 ranking: Up four positions from No. 10... Last week: Opened season with 23-18 home win vs. defending Vanier Cup champion Queen’s (0-1), before edging Wilfrid Laurier (0-2) 26-24 at home on Labour Day Monday... This week: Visit No. 8 Western (1-1) on Saturday (The Score, 1 p.m.).
 
No. 7 Montreal (1-0): Top 10 ranking: No change... Last week: Opened season with 33-29 home win vs. Sherbrooke (0-1)... This week: Visit No. 10 Concordia (1-0) on Saturday (SRC, 1 p.m.).
 
No. 8 Western (1-1): Top 10 ranking: Up one position from No. 9... Last week: Opened season with 46-1 home win vs. Wilfrid Laurier (0-2), before losing 20-19 at No. 3 Ottawa (2-0) on Labour Day Monday... This week: Host No. 6 McMaster (2-0) on Saturday (The Score, 1 p.m.).
 
No. 9 Regina (1-0): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week... Last week: Opened season with 45-11 home win vs. Manitoba (0-1)... This week: Visit No. 5 Calgary (0-1) on Friday.
 
No. 10 Concordia (1-0): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week... Last week: Opened season with 17-14 win at Bishop’s (0-1)... This week: Host No. 7 Montreal (1-0) on Saturday (SRC, 1 p.m.).
 
FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#2)
 
                                             Pts (1st place)  Last week
 
1. Laval (1-0)                          439 (24)             2
2. Saskatchewan (1-0)            432 (16)            3
3. Ottawa (2-0)                       300                    5
4. Saint Mary’s (0-0)                271 *                 4
5. Calgary (0-1)                       271                    1
6. McMaster (2-0)                    209                   10
7. Montreal (1-0)                     201                     7
8. Western (1-1)                     168                     9
9. Regina (1-0)                          70                    NR
10. Concordia (1-0)                   33                    NR
 
Other teams receiving votes: Wilfrid Laurier (32), Sherbrooke (26), StFX (12), Alberta (8), Guelph (3), McGill (2).

CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)
 
Note: Complete webcast and radio schedules at http://english.cis-sic.ca/sports/fball/2010-11/schedule 
 
September 10
19:00   UBC (0-1) at No. 2 Saskatchewan (1-0)
19:00   No. 9 Regina (1-0) at No. 5 Calgary (0-1)
 
September 11
13:00   Bishop’s (0-1) at McGill (0-1)
13:00   No. 7 Montreal (1-0) at No. 10 Concordia (1-0) (SRC)
13:00   No. 6 McMaster (2-0) at No. 8 Western (1-1) (The Score)
13:00   No. 3 Ottawa (2-0) at York (0-1)
14:00   No. 4 Saint Mary’s (0-0) at Acadia (0-0) (EastLink)
14:00   Alberta (1-0) at Manitoba (0-1) (Shaw)
14:30   StFX (0-0) at Mount Allison (0-0)
19:00   No. 1 Laval (1-0) at Sherbrooke (0-1)
19:00   Toronto (0-2) at Laurier (0-2)
 
September 12
13:00   Windsor (1-1) at Queen’s (0-1) (TVCogeco Local 13 – tape delayed)
 
About Football Reporters of Canada – University Division
 
The Football Reporters of Canada – University Division represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958 the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) have 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.
 
The 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 the FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
 
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