By Dashawn Stephens
In most years, four games would be enough to write off this conference and prematurely crown either Laval or Montréal.
Not this year.
The 2021 RSEQ football season has been nothing short of an emotional roller-coaster, seasoned with upsets, breakout performances, and thrilling OT finishes.
We’re looking at all that we now know about the RSEQ.
Concordia Is Legit
To say the start of Concordia’s 2021 campaign was rough would be quite an understatement. Falling in line with the traditional narrative that’s clouded over the RSEQ for two decades, the Stingers suffered a blowout loss to the powerhouse Rouge et Or by a score of 33-7.
By Week 2, with a date against the reigning conference champion Carabins looming, the safe bet would’ve been to look past the Stingers.
Of course, a safe bet isn’t a sure bet.
Concordia stunned Montréal, as well as the country, defeating the Carabins for the first time since 2010.
Putting his Week 1 woes to rest, Stingers’ quarterback, Olivier Roy, came alive for a four-touchdown performance that saw him throw for 325 yards against one of the countries top-ranked defences.
Flukes happen, though, right?
Indeed they do, and in response, Concordia engineered another historic performance the following week against McGill.
Just when it seemed like the onslaught was about to ensue, the Stingers scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game before drilling a 21-yard field goal in overtime to defeat the Redbirds and claim the 52nd Shaughnessy Cup.
Twice is nice. But three times would confirm their legitimacy, right?
Indeed it would, and Concordia did just that in the form of a 42-39 overtime victory over Sherbrooke this past weekend.
The contest saw Roy throw for an RSEQ-record 580 yards, while receivers Tristan Mancini, Jermey Murphy, and Jacob Salvail all surpassed the century mark in receiving yards.
Since Concordia’s Week 1 loss, the aforementioned Roy has ascended to Hec Crighton candidacy, throwing for 13 touchdowns and 1,202 yards over the last three games.
RSEQ Passing Yards Leaders
Reinforcing the unique nature of what they’ve accomplished, there’s no longer room for denial when questioning the legitimacy of Concordia’s place on the U SPORTS top 10. The Stingers are legit, and a strong second half to the season would further feed the hype that surrounds this group.
The only question remaining is: How far can they go?
Concordia vs Montréal: Who You Got?
As the defending RSEQ champions, the Montréal Carabins have given you no reason to believe their hold on the conference isn’t as strong as it was in 2019.
2021 hasn’t been pretty, but the Carabins have handled their business to the tune of a 3-1 record.
Hassane Dosso is quickly cementing himself as the top receiver in the conference, and the defence has mastered the art of stopping the run.
Yes, they dropped a game to Concordia. But that isn’t a reason for concern. Since 2000, only 8 teams have gone undefeated en route to winning the Vanier Cup. Not all champions can run the table. Losing is a part of the game.
What would be concerning is if the Carabins fell to the Stingers for a second time.
We hear it. Everybody hears it. Concordia fans truly believe in their hearts that the Stingers are ready to sit atop the RSEQ.
This makes the October 16 meeting between these two programs one of the most important games on the 2021 schedule as it would provide much-needed insights into who really runs Québec.
Is Laval Vulnerable?
Is it time to push the panic button?
The Laval Rouge et Or are 2-2 for the first time since 2002.
If you closed your eyes, made a wish, and blinked, you wouldn’t believe this is the same Laval program we’ve been seeing run over their opponents for two decades.
That is until you look at the numbers and realize it isn’t.
From 2009 - 2019, Laval averaged an astonishing 38.5 PPG, having never had a season where they produced less than 32.8 PPG.
Sitting at the halfway mark of the season, the Rouge et Or are only averaging only 21 PPG (4th in the RSEQ).
Now factor in that their defence is allowing an average of 14.8 PPG, and you have yourself a reason for panic.
Conference championships, let alone national championships, cannot be won in the absence of dominance.
In a conference where the Carabins and Stingers are putting up north of 30 PPG on a good day, it’s easy to wonder if the Rouge et Or have what it takes to hold their own offensively in a shootout, should they find themselves in one.
It’s Anyone’s Game
If there’s one key takeaway from the RSEQ through these first four weeks, it’s that the Dunsmore Cup is up for grabs - finally.
The Montréal Carabins remain odds on favourites, as defending champions should, but the Concordia Stingers are right where they need to be if they want to make a run.
The Laval Rouge et Or may be going through a rough patch, but, with four games remaining, it would be highly disrespectful to count out any team coached by Glen Constantine.
Would it be fair to withdraw your hope for the Vert et Or and Redbirds? Not necessarily. Both teams have had three games decided by an average margin of only four points. Despite their 1-3 records, Sherbrooke and McGill can still turn their season around if they can stumble across better luck in closeout moments.
Is it safe to say the RSEQ is anyone’s game? We think so.
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