PRSPECTVES Nov 8: Conference Championship Previews + Manitoba's Turner Makes History 🏈

Photo: Manitoba Bisons Athletics

In 2023, Manitoba Bisons kicker Maya Turner made history when she became the first Woman to score points in a Canadian college football game.

In 2024, she broke another barrier.

What happened: Turner has been named a 2024 Canada West Football All-Star, becoming the first Woman to ever be named an All-Star in Canadian college football history.

How did her season go: In 2024, Turner completed 14 of 18 FGs, having a conference-leading 75% FG completion percentage through eight regular season games. She was 100% on XPs and scored a total of 60 points for the top-seeded Bisons

What’s next: By becoming an All-Star, Turner is now eligible to become an All-Canadian. Time will tell, but Turner could legitimately has a chance to become the first Woman to be named an All-Canadian in the history of Canadian college football.

Football Conference Championships This Saturday 🏈

Quick rundown: It’s that time of the year again! The Yates Cup, Dunsmore Cup, Hardy Cup and the Loney Bowl will all take place this Saturday as conference champions will be crowned on the road to the 2024 Vanier Cup

Here are the matchups:

Yates Cup: Laurier Golden Hawks (8-0) vs. Western Mustangs (7-1)

Key Storylines:

• This will be a rematch of the 2023 Yates Cup (Western defeated Laurier 29-14)

• This will be first time Laurier hosts the Yates Cup since 2005 (won the Vanier Cup that year)

• Laurier is looking to win their first Yates Cup since 2016 (when they defeated Western)

• The Western Mustangs are the defending 3x Yates Cup Champions

  • They’re looking to become the first team to pull of the Yates Cup 4-peat since McMaster in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003

• Laurier defeated Western 43-28 in their lone 2024 regular season matchup

Tale of the Tape

• Laurier currently has the nation’s top-ranked offence, producing a total of 508.6 YPG

  • The Golden Hawks have the top-ranked passing attack in the country, having thrown for a nation-leading 2,674 total passing yards this season

  • Laurier REC Ethan Jordan finished the season as the nation’s leading receiver having recorded 1,000 receiving yards and 10 TDs on 59 receptions

    • Jordan is the first U SPORTS REC to eclipse the 1,000-yard since 2018 (Waterloo’s Tyler Ternowski)

  • Laurier QB and 2024 OUA MVP Taylor Elgersma finished the season as the Nation’s leading passer having thrown for 2,643 passing yards and 20 TDs, while completing 74.5% of his passes

• Not far behind, Western has the nation’s third-ranked offence, producing a total of 492.5 YPG

  • The Mustangs have the second-ranked rushing attack in the country, having rushed for 1,822 total rushing yards this season

• Ironically enough, Laurier and Western also boast defences that land among the top 10 in U SPORTS

  • Allowing only 22.5 PPG (8th in U SPORTS), Laurier’s defence has allowed 397.5 YPG this season

  • Allowing only 16.1 PPG (3rd in U SPORTS), Westerns defence has allowed 307.8 YPG this season

Hardy Cup: Saskatchewan Huskies (5-3) vs. Regina Rams (3-5)

Key Storylines:

• An all Saskatchewan Hardy Cup - the first time the Huskies and Rams will meet in the Hardy Cup since 2002 (Huskies won 44-28)

• The Huskies started their season 1-3

• The Huskies are looking to win 22nd Hardy Cup in program history (would be the first since 2022)

• The Rams are looking to win their first Hardy Cup since 2000

  • The Regina Rams currently have the second longest active Hardy Cup drought in the Canada West

• The Rams are looking to become the first 3-5 team to ever win the Hardy Cup

• Huskies and Rams split their regular season series at 1 win each

Tale of the Tape

• Saskatchewan currently has the nation’s seventh-ranked offence, producing a total of 445.5 YPG

  • The Huskies have the eighth-ranked passing attack in the country, having thrown for 2,300 total passing yards this season

  • The Huskies also have the eighth-ranked rushing attack in the country, having rushed for a total of 1,264 rushing yards this season

    • Saskatchewan RB Ryker Franked finished the season as the Nation’s leading rusher having recorded 1,000 receiving yards and 10 TDs

      • Frank also became the program’s all-time leader in career rushing touchdowns this season

• At a different end of the ranking spectrum, Regina’s offence is ranked 17th in the country, producing a total of 365.8 YPG

  • The Rams rushing attack is ranked 16th (1,137 Total Yards), while their passing attack is ranked 14th (1,789 Total Yards)

• On the defensive end, Regina has the upper hand, boasting a top 10 defence in the country when it comes to points allowed (22.1 PPG)

  • Regina’s defence gave up an average of 349.4 YPG this season

• On the opposite end of the points allowed spectrum, Saskatchewan sits at 19th in the country, having allowed 29.1 PPG this season

  • Saskatchewan’s defence gave up an average of 422.0 YPG this season

Loney Bowl: Bishop’s Gaiters (8-0) vs. SMU Huskies (4-4)

Key Storylines:

• This will be the first time ever that the Loney Bowl will be hosted in the province of Quebec

• In 2024, Bishop’s Gaiters went undefeated for the first time since the early 90’s

• The Gaiters are looking to win their first Loney Bowl in program history, and their first conference championship since 1994 (when they won the Dunsmore Cup)

• Bishop’s swept SMU in the regular season, picking up 2 victories

• SMU is looking to win their 25th Loney Bowl in program history, and their first since 2010

  • SMU currently has the longest Loney Bowl drought of any of the original four AUS team

Tale of the Tape

• Bishop’s is currently tied Laurier for the nation’s top-ranked offence, producing a total of 508.6 YPG

  • The Gaiters have the third-ranked passing attack in U SPORTS (2,498 Total Yards), and the fourth-ranked rushing attack in U SPORTS (1,572 Total Yards)

  • Gaiters QB Justin Quirion (who was named conference MVP) threw for 2,307 passing yards (5th in U SPORTS) and 18 Passing TDs (2nd in U SPORTS

• At a different end of the ranking spectrum, SMU’s offence is ranked 21st in the country, producing a total of 323.9 YPG

  • The Huskies rushing attack is ranked 15th (1,150 Total Yards), while their passing attack is ranked last in the country (1,141 Total Yards)

• Through eight regular season games, Bishop’s defence allowed an average of 290.4 YPG

  • Bishop’s only allows 18.8 PPG which is 2nd in the nation - absolutely wild

  • Gaiters LB Gabriel Royer finished the 2024 regular season having recorded 26.5 tackles, 5.5 sacks (T-4th in U SPORTS), 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup

• Through eight regular season games, SMU’s defence allowed an average of 380.4 YPG

  • On the defensive end, SMU allows 18.8 PPG which is 5th in the nation

Dunsmore Cup: Montreal Carabins (7-1) vs. Laval Rouge et Or (7-1)

Key Storylines:

• This will be the 11th consecutive season that Montreal and Laval meet in the Dunsmore Cup

• Laval is looking to win their 17th Dunsmore Cup in program history

• Montreal is looking to win their 6th Dunsmore Cup in program history

• Both teams split their regular season series at 1 win a piece

Tale of the Tape

• Laval currently has the eighth-ranked offence in the country, producing an average of 443.6 YPG

  • Laval QB Arnaud Desjardins finished the 2024 regular season having thrown for 2,373 passing yards (3rd in U SPORTS) and 17 TDs (3rd in U SPORTS)

• Montreal currently has the tenth-ranked offence in the country, producing an average of 434.6 YPG

  • After his Hec Crighton campaign in 2023, Montreal QB Jonathan Sénécal finished the 2024 regular season having thrown for 2,320 passing Yards (4th in U SPORTS) and 15 Passing TDs (4th in U SPORTS)

• On the defensive end, Laval has the second-ranked defence in the country, allowing only 297.9 YPG

  • Laval’s front seven has allowed an average of only 113.8 rushing YPG this season (3rd lowest in U SPORTS)

  • Laval’s front seven is first in the nation in sacks with 28

  • Laval’s defence has only given up an average of 13.3 PPG this season (lowest in U SPORTS)

• On the defensive end, Montreal has the fourth-ranked defence in the country, allowing only 308.8 YPG

  • Montreal’s front seven has allowed an average of only 90.0 rushing YPG this season (2nd lowest in U SPORTS)

  • Montreal’s front seven is second the nation in sacks with 27

    • Carabins DE Jeremiah Ojo finished the season with 7.0 sacks (2nd in U SPORTS)

  • Reigning U SPORTS DPOY Harold Miessan finished the 2024 regular season with 21.5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, and 1 pass break up

  • Montreal’s defence has produced the most TDs of any defence this year with four

  • Montreal’s defence has only given up an average of 16.4 PPG this season (4th lowest in U SPORTS)