U Sports Football Report (Bowl Week)
There can never be a certainty in sports as there is simply too much that can change anything during any game.
That was the hope heading into the national bowls this week as there was a hope from U Sports football fans that some surprises could be had.
It was clear that the two favourites were there ready to take home their titles and return to the Vanier Cup.
A year ago the Laval Rouge et Or and Western Mustangs found themselves on a collision course towards the Vanier Cup.
The two most successful programs in the history of the league were looking like the best teams in the country and left little doubt on their way to the Vanier Cup.
That is where the Mustangs were able to find their way to another title over the most dominant program in recent memory.
It was a big win for the Mustangs and put them back on top of the league for the year taking the Cup.
This year it was quite possible that either team could find their way back but it is rare to see two teams get back the same way that they did a year before.
U Sports football was just beginning a new era at that time though as the era of the dominant teams was only going to continue but two teams began to emerge.
Although a few teams were proving to lock down their conferences and compete for the Vanier Cup each year the Mustangs and Rouge et Or were just that much better than everyone.
This season they proved to be at the same level for the second year in a row as both went through their conferences with relative ease.
The Rouge et Or got a little challenge from Montreal as they didn’t walk through every game but they still wouldn’t lose a game the entire season.
The Mustangs were a little more dominant as they had one stumble but easily got through the rest of the teams on their way to the top of the OUA.
The two teams were ready for the playoffs and found their way to the title games where once again they proved to be the best teams in the country.
The Rouge et Or took their 14th title since 2003 when they beat the Montreal Carabins with a convincing, although not dominant, 14-1 win over their rivals.
The Mustangs took home their second straight conference title beating Guelph in their new signature fashion.
The last two years have seen the Mustangs take the Yates Cup and in both games, they racked up the points.
Last year they were able to get the win by scoring 75 points making the 32 points from Laurier pointless in the end.
This year they took home the title with a 63-14 win over the Gryphons proving once again to be the best offence in the league.
These teams headed to Bowl Week looking to finish what they had started and looking to bring about that new era of the most dominant teams.
After their strong seasons, they were the clear favourites to win the Bowl games and get back to the Vanier Cup.
The Rouge et Or were going to take on the StFX X-Men in a matchup of the mighty RSEQ and the underdog AUS.
No matter the matchup this was always going to be the bowl that seemed like an easy decision as to who will win.
This time the X-Men were up against it as they were going against one of the few undefeated teams in the country.
They weren’t able to put up much of a fight as the stringent Laval defence shut them down entirely while Hugo Richard led the Rouge et Or to 63 points.
Laval was able to get through the last test with relative ease as they walked through the X-Men on their way to yet another Vanier Cup appearance, this time at home.
In London, the Mustangs were going to get a bit more of a challenge as the Saskatchewan Huskies were able to beat the other dominant teams on the season, Calgary.
They had the ability to compete with one of the best teams in the country so taking on the Mustangs saw a possibility for them to continue to surprise.
It was another clear message from Western though as they weren’t able to put up the numbers most are used to but left no doubt.
They beat the Huskies 47-24 as Saskatchewan were able to put up more of a fight than other teams but not enough.
That win left the two best teams over the last two years facing off in a rematch of last year’s Vanier Cup.
There is no doubt that these are the best teams in the country and although a surprise would have been good for competitiveness the Vanier Cup will feature two great teams.
Western and Laval will put on a show for the Vanier with the Rouge et Or looking to get some revenge while the Mustangs look to repeat.
The Sport Addiction 