Road to Vanier Cup gets shorter

The most successful Canadian Interuniversity Sport football program will be looking to flex its muscle once again this weekend.

The No. 1-ranked Laval Rouge et Or will be seeking their ninth consecutive Dunsmore Cup championship victory on Saturday, when they take on the seventh-ranked Montreal Carabins in Quebec City.

The winner will be crowned champion of the Quebec conference and advance to a national semi-final Nov. 19 against the Canada West champion.

The Calgary Dinos (No. 2) played the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (No. 7) in the Canada West final Friday at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

Since Laval instituted its football program in 1996, it has dominated the national scene, rolling to six Vanier Cup championships. The Rouge et Or have won every time they have appeared in the national final, including last season, when they trampled Calgary 29-2.

Champions will also be crowned on Saturday, in both the Ontario and Atlantic conferences.

In the Yates Cup, the Western Ontario Mustangs (No. 3) will play the McMaster Marauders (No. 4) in London, Ont., in a contest featuring the two top conference offences. The Mustangs are the defending Yates Cup champs and have six national titles to their credit as well, the last coming in 1994.

In the Loney Bowl in Wolfville, N.S., the hometown Acadia Axemen (No. 9) will square off against the unranked Saint Mary's Huskies.

The winner will be crowned the Atlantic champion and play host to next weekend's other national semi-final, against the Ontario representative.