(Note: There's a Wednesday game this week -- UBC at Simon Fraser -- so the picks are earlier than usual. There's a built-in excuse for the author right there.)
HIGHLIGHTS
- The McGill Redmen to move closer to returning to the playoffs with a road win over St. FX (UPDATE: The outbreak of a Norwalk-type virus means the game has been cancelled)
- Laurier to wrap up a first-round playoff bye in the OUA
- Saskatchewan to get back on track by edging Alberta
ACADIA AXEMEN (4-2) vs. No. 1 LAVAL ROUGE ET OR (6-0)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Laval escaped in overtime against Concordia last Sunday, and remains No. 1 in this week's CIS Top 10, despite protestations that they're really haven't been a dominant team. QB Benoit Groulx has been the country's most efficient passer, and after a fourth quarter vs. Concordia where he went 13-for-15 to lead his team back from an eight-point deficit, he should be the leading Hec Crighton Trophy candidate (if the award must go to a quarterback or running back).
Acadia will be scoreboard-watching -- a Saint Mary's loss will move them closer to clinching the playoff bye in the Atlantic conference.
The Call: Laval 36-17
WINNER: Laval 34-7
No. 5 LAURIER GOLDEN HAWKS (6-1) vs. WINDSOR LANCERS (5-2)
Saturday, 2 p.m. (The Score; all times Eastern)
The main storyline going is in is Windsor running back Daryl Stephenson's quest to show that he can gain more than 100 yards against a decent defence. Really, though, it's more about whether or not Windsor's somewhat simple passing attack -- QB Dan Lumley lives off play-action and rollouts -- can test a very well-coached Golden Hawks secondary. Look for Laurier to do what it's done all year, going back to that Western game in Week 4 -- wear out and frustrate the opponent with a balanced, ball-control game, working in different ballcarriers. It won't be so much that they stopped Stephenson, but kept him off the field.
Windsor is also a poor come-from-behind team; they haven't done that all year. Here's anotheropic for the discussion: Who should be the OUA's Hec Crighton Trophy nominee, Stephenson of Windsor or Hawks linebacker Jesse Alexander, the conference's leading tackler?
Laurier can finish no lower than third; Windsor is likely to finish fifth, but could still finish as high as second.
The Call: Laurier 27-17
WINNER: Windsor 38-29
No. 10 WESTERN MUSTANGS (5-2) vs. QUEEN'S GOLDEN GAELS (3-4)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Regular readers have some idea of how bad the author wants to see a Gaels victory over Western, especially since the season is riding on this game (as predicted). This is a Queen's team that barely beat York last week, and scored zero touchdowns in five visits inside the 30-yard line. Does this sound like a crew that can beat Western? Maybe the Gaels are hexed, but the rational line here is that Pat Sheahan's crew leaves way too points on the field to be able to beat a good team, which Western is much closer to becoming than it was a month ago.
Western's been sporadic on offence all season. Queen's defence, led by linebacker Adam Ross (who should be a first-team OUA all-star), has really had only one bad game all year (vs. McMaster on Oct. 1), and if it can frustrate Michael Faulds into a couple turnovers, there's a chance Queen's pulls this off.
On the other hand, the 'Stangs force unit on defence had problems early on in the year, but Queen's offence has been disappointing since Week 2. Western has the advantage in the kicking game, since Derek Schiavone has more range on field goals than Ryan Elger and is also leading the CIS in punting with a 42.3-yard average.
The Call: Western 27-26 (gulp)
WINNER: Queen's, Queen's, Queen's 28-9
No. 4 SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (5-2) vs. No. 8 ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS (4-2)
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Would you believe the underachieving Golden Bears were actually our pre-season pick to win the Hardy Cup, the Can West title? To be honest, it was based more on some irrational feeling that disaster lurked for the U of S Huskies:
Something is going to happen that prevents the U of S from playing for the national championship in its own backyard. Saskatchewan... is having it way too good lately, what with its booming economy, its status as a "have" province and the popularity of Corner Gas. When you start letting a blogger trade his way up from a red paper-clip to a home in one of your fine towns, you are tempting fate. So let it be said that the Huskies will be at the Vanier Cup, but only as spectators.Here we are, and the Huskies have dropped four spots in the CIS poll. They're reeling a little bit and Alberta has the home-field advantage.
Let's not be too hasty in digging a grave for the '06 Huskies, even though their defence has had three bad weeks (100 points against across the UBC, Manitoba and Regina games) despite only being on the field for 20-25 minutes per game. The Golden Bears are good running team, and if they can play mistake-free, they have a chance, but when you see last week's passing stats -- 29 attempts for 110 yards against Calgary -- it gives you pause before calling an Alberta win.
The Huskies should eke out a win here, but still have a lot more healing ahead.
The Call: Saskatchewan 25-20
WINNER: Saskatchewan 28-11
ONTARIO
GUELPH GRYPHONS (2-5) vs. McMASTER MARAUDERS (5-2)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
What's interesting about Guelph rookie head coach Kyle Walters is his honesty. Asked a couple weeks ago about his second-year QB Justin Dunk, he said that the young passer is making progress, but that he would prefer not to put so much emphasis each week on someone who still has a lot to learn. On the surface, maybe it looks like Walters is too green to have learned Cliches 101, or that he hasn't learned the media's supposed to be an enemy. On second thought, though, you wonder if that kind of honestly is endearing to young players coming into the program, especially when it comes to the all-important intangibles.
McMaster lost to Guelph last season, but depending on what happens with the QB situation, should be able to get by a Gryphons squad can't do anything at this point except clinch a playoff berth for Queen's by winning.
The Call: McMaster 24-14
WINNER: McMaster 43-27
YORK LIONS (1-6) vs. WATERLOO WARRIORS (2-5)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
It says here that Guelph probably had the best team out of that mushy middle of the OUA along with Waterloo and Queen's, but the schedule didn't have the Gryphons
Waterloo gets into the playoffs with a win and losses by Queen's and Guelph. It's hard to see a very weak York team standing in their way, or containing Warriors QB Jon Morbey. You know the author's bias here, though.
The Call: Waterloo 28-21
WINNER: Waterloo 13-8
No. 3 OTTAWA GEE-GEES (6-1) vs. U OF T VARSITY BLUES (0-7)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Denis Piché's Gee-Gees, fairly or not, are still going to face a lot of doubters due to their proclivity for slow starts. The front-loaded schedule -- Western, Laurier and Mac in the first three weeks -- might have been a hindrance in the long run, since the Gee-Gees haven't received a good push in quite some time. (And Western and Laurier were slow starters in September as well.) Quarterback Josh Sacobie runs hot and cold, but the same could have been said about Phill Côté in the last decade.
Finishing the season against U of T -- 40 losses and counting -- and then having to sit for a week before hosting the OUA semi-final Nov. 4 won't help ease any doubts. Then again, no one goes 7-1 by accident.
The Call: Ottawa 52-14
WINNER: Ottawa 59-23
QUEBEC
No. 7 MONTREAL CARABINS (4-2) vs. SHERBROOKE VERT ET OR (2-4)
Saturday, 4 p.m.
The Vert et Or look like a hurtin' unit after three straight losses. Carabins tailback Joseph Mroué and all-purpose wideout Yves Beriault should have big days.
The Call: Montreal 32-17
WINNER: Montreal 27-24
QUEBEC-ATLANTIC INTERLOCKING
McGILL REDMEN (2-4) vs. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER X-MEN (2-4)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
(UPDATE: Due to a flu outbreak at St. FX, the game has been cancelled. Read on, though.)
Laval's Benoit Groulx will likely be Quebec's Hec Crighton nominee, but you could argue Redmen QB Matt Connell (1,954 yards passing) has done much more for his team, which has little in the way of defence and whose top rusher has 117 yards in six games.
SAINT MARY'S HUSKIES (2-3) vs. No. 4 CONCORDIA STINGERS (5-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Atlantic University Sport has cobbled together over a compromise over that Mount Allison-Saint Mary's game that was postponed due to a flu outbreak last weekend. They'll play Oct. 31. Or Nov. 1. Or not at all if it doesn't affect the final standings. It's a schmozzle, but some might say that's pretty standard whenever Mount A athletic director Jack Drover and the AUS administrators are involved.
The Call: Concordia 30-10
WINNER: Concordia 34-31 (OT)
BISHOP'S GAITERS (1-5) vs. MOUNT ALLISON MOUNTIES (1-4)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
A big day will help Gaiters tailback Jamall Lee outdistance Montreal's Mroue for the Quebec conference rushing title. Have we mentioned lately that yours truly and Gaiters head coach Leroy Blugh are both from Napanee, Ontario? Sorry, but you have to represent.
The Call: Bishop's 27-22
WINNER: Mount A 38-10
CANADA WEST
UBC THUNDERBIRDS (3-2) vs. SIMON FRASER CLAN (0-5-0-1)
Wednesday, 10 p.m.
Question: With two games in five days against a pair of winless teams that are playing out the string (or playing for pride, if you prefer), does UBC coach Ted Goveia rest his starting offence for one game, and leave his starting defence home for the other? The oddball Can West schedule that's an offshoot of being a seven-team league sees the Thunderbirds play rival Simon Fraser, then get three days to rest and practise up for game in Calgary.
The Call: UBC 38-17
WINNER: UBC 67-13
REGINA RAMS (3-3) vs. No. 2 MANITOBA BISONS (6-0)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
It's really not that far-fetched to picture the Rams upsetting another top team, seeing as they had Manitoba down in the season opener before the Bisons dominated the final 2½ quarters. The Bisons, though, to borrow a line from John Updike, seem to be radiating the hard glow of high purpose. Well, there's that and a very potent offence led by QB John Makie going up against a leaky Rams defence.
The Call: Manitoba 37-30
WINNER: Manitoba 49-44
UBC THUNDERBIRDS (3-2) vs. CALGARY DINOS (0-6)
Sunday, 3 p.m.
You've heard this before, but can someone out West confirm if anyone's hyping UBC tailback Chris Ciezki as a Hec Crighton Trophy candidate? All he's done is gain at least 97 yards in each game and average more than 9 yards per carry while playing on a pass-first team. Attention must be paid, although Manitoba QB John Makie also merits some consideration.
The Dinos have made some progress in Blake Nill's first season. Here's hoping they get rewarded with a win next week in the season finale with Simon Fraser.
The Call: UBC 34-10
WINNER: Calgary 30-27
Last week: 8-4 (66.7%)
Season: 67-17 (79.8%)
Closest call last week: Laval 17-15 over Concordia (actual score 21-18)
Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7
That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.
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