OUT OF THE TUNNEL: GREAT WEEK FOR FOOTBALL

This week all four conferences in USports were back on the field for the first time in over 600 days. It feels oh so good to be a football fan of any level.

Doing a quick scan of games played this weekend here are some of the fun things we saw.

The biggest up of the week are the brothers Philpot from the defending Vanier Cup Champion Calgary Dinos. Jalen and Tyson Philpot combined for 21 catches, 401 yards and three touchdowns as the Dinos rolled over the Saskatchewan Huskies 34-20.

Even with the loss of a half dozen top flight players to the CFL the Dinos look like they are far and away the top team in Canada.

Out on the East Coast, the Mount Allison Mounties are undefeated. This may not be a surprise but how they are doing it is dumb and wonderful all at the same time. The Mounties have scored a combined 20 points in their two wins, but their defence has let up just 16 points and 477 total yards.

This past Saturday, the Mounties offence produced a meagre 95 yards of offence and yet somehow managed to escape Lennoxville, Quebec with a 10-7 victory over the Bishop’s Gaiters. Other highlights from the game: the halftime score of 4-2 for the Gaiters and the two teams combining for a whopping 459 penalty yards. 

In Ontario, Waterloo Warriors quarterback Tre Ford is a top five passer and rusher after the first two weeks of OUA play. In their 36-12 victory over Wildred Laurier, Ford was a very efficient 14/21, for 210 yards, three touchdowns and just a single interception. Along the ground he was just as lethal with 125 yards on just nine carries.

Finally, Quebec, for the first time in a while, might be the most fun to watch this season. It won’t be a Laval wash to the Vanier Cup. The Rouge et Or already have two losses on the season one to Montreal and the other to Sherbrooke, the same two teams that are fighting for first in the RSEQ. On the other hand, Laval has a win over Sherbooke in the second week of the season.

Concordia Stingers quarterback Olivier Roy might be one of the most entertaining passers in Canada. In four games he’s already running away with the passing title averaging 354 yards a game through the air and 13 total touchdowns.

If you have a chance, go support your local USports team. You will see a little of everything but most of all, some of the best players Canada has to offer.

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The Saskatchewan Roughriders are also on the up list for just finding a way to win as the  B.C. Lions kicking game was their downfall for the second straight time against their western rivals. The Lions were well on the way to pinning the Green and White late in the fourth quarter but a woefully shanked punt by Stefan Flintloft set the Riders up nicely on the B.C. 54 yard line. From there Cody Fajardo led the Riders to the winning score as they walked out of B.C. Place with the 31-24 victory.

In the season opener in Regina, Lions kicker Takeru Yamasaki (since released by the Lions) missed field goals of 31 and 37 yards as well as missing a convert in the Riders 33-29 win.

So, while the Riders find ways to win, the Lions seem to be finding ways to lose. But come playoff time the Lions are a team everyone in the West Division might want to avoid.

Now we don’t really know if this is an up or a down, but the playoff crossover is now very much again a possibility. Even with how bad both the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Elks are playing, both teams are two points away from surpassing the third place Montreal Alouettes. 

With how bad the Als are currently playing we might yet again see a West Division team crossover for the East Division semi-final. We hope it doesn’t happen but as the season progresses it will likely become an even bigger possibility.

A few more ‘ups’ go to road teams in the CFL because after eight weeks, home teams have won just 50% of the games. The current mark sits at 15-15. Big up to the ageless Michael Reilly who is having a MOP season with the Lions and has them in the hunt in the CFL West. Finally, one last up to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who have won back-to-back games with their third string quarterback, David Watford. Sure they were wins over Calgary and Ottawa but with Jeremiah Masoli and Dane Evans both out, the Ticats are still putting notches in the win column. 

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This Week in Canada West

Calgary Dinos 34 Saskatchewan Huskies 20

The defending Vanier Cup Champions haven’t lost a step as Tyson and Jalen Philpot combined for 401 yards receiving and three touchdowns while Josiah Joseph was an incredible 29/34 for 451 yards and three touchdowns.

Manitoba Bisons 21 Regina Rams 17

The Regina Rams raced out to a 17-0 lead but the Bisons scored 21 straight points for the victory. The comeback was capped with the Brock Gowanlock fumble return for the game winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Alberta Golden Bears 44 UBC Thunderbirds 19

The Thunderbirds had over 100 yards more offence than the Golden Bears as well as eight minutes more in possession time but in the end Alberta takes the opener.

Week Two In Canada West

Friday, October 1
Saskatchewan (0-1) at UBC (0-1)
Manitoba (1-0) at Alberta (1-0)

Saturday, October 2
Calgary (1-0) at Regina (0-1)

This Week in the Prairie Football Conference

Regina Thunder 22 Edmonton Wildcats 10

The Wildcats were pesky at home against the number one team in the country but the Regina Thunder were able to pull out the 22-10 road victory. The Thunder held a 21-3 lead at the half via a pair of touchdowns passes by Zenon Orobko to Isaiah Woodley and Isaac Foord.

Saskatoon Hilltops 25 Winnipeg Rifles 10

The Winnipeg Rifles gave everything the Saskatoon Hilltops could handle in a 25-10 loss to the defending national champions. Saskatoon was powered by running back Boston Davidsen’s 137 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Edmonton Huskies 57 Calgary Colts 14

The Edmonton Huskies continue to lock down second in the PFC with their easy 57-14 victory over the winless Calgary Colts.

Sunday, October 3

Edmonton Wildcats (2-3) at Regina Thunder (5-0)

Edmonton Huskies (4-1) at Saskatoon Hilltops (3-2)

Calgary Colts (0-5) at Winnipeg Rifles (1-4)

Canadian to Watch in the NCAA

Nick Mardner (Jr.)
Receiver
Hawaii
6’6”, 190 lbs
Mississauga, Ontario
Clarkson Secondary 

The true junior receiver from Ontario is one of the top pass catchers in the Mountain West Conference. He currently has 22 catches for 459 yards and three touchdowns for the Rainbow Warriors including a four catch, 120-yard performance this week against New Mexico State.

A tall, lanky receiver Mardner has the size and speed to make the jump to the NFL but will no doubt be one of the top ranked players for the 2023 CFL Draft.

(RODPEDERSEN.COM STAFF)