CIS (Football) Semi-finals Sat. Nov 21

[Mr Dee]

If anybody's interested, and are football hungry, there's a pair of games on Saturday that should be very entertaining.

Montreal Carabins at Guelph Gryphons 12:30 pm ET

UBC Thunderbirds at St. Francis Xavier X-men 4 pm ET

Sportsnet 360 TV coverage Saturday Nov 21

For the second year in a row, the CIS football conference finals produced three new champions as only the reigning Vanier Cup titlist Montreal Carabins earned a return trip to the national semifinals.

Who said there is no parity in Canadian university football? All four league finals on Saturday came down to the wire and were won by the visiting team.

The Guelph Gryphons upset previously undefeated Western 23-17; in the Canada West Hardy Cup at Calgary, the UBC Thunderbirds scored an equally impressive 34-26 upset against the previously unbeaten Dinos

Not only are the top-three ranked teams in the country now out of contention for the Vanier Cup, three programs advance to the CIS Bowl games for the first time since the 1990's, including Guelph (1996), UBC (1997) and StFX (1996).

Next Saturday, Nov. 21, nationally fourth-ranked Montreal (8-2) visits No. 5 Guelph (9-1) in the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl at Alumni Stadium (12:30 p.m. ET), while No. 6 UBC (8-2) travels to Antigonish, N.S., to face unranked StFX (7-3) in the Uteck Bowl at Oland Stadium (4:30 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. AT).

Next weekend's winners will meet on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 1 pm in Quebec City for the ArcelorMittal Vanier Cup presented by Promutuel Assurance.

Hardy Cup recap - and Blake Nill.

After spending the previous nine seasons at the helm of the University of Calgary Dinos football program, Nill headed into Saturday’s 79th Hardy Cup against his former team knowing his revamped UBC Thunderbirds would be in tough against the nation’s No. 1-ranked team.

But just like they have all season long, the T-Birds surprised the majority of pundits – and perhaps their first-year head coach – landing a 34-26 win at McMahon Stadium in Calgary to give UBC its first Canada West football title since 1997.

“My heart goes out to them, because they’re the top team in the country and on this one day, things just didn’t work out for them. It’s tough in football that way,” Nill said of the Dinos, who following last year’s 28-15 loss to Manitoba have now lost back-to-back Hardy Cups for the first time since 1987.

“It’s been a long year for me personally. It was a very difficult decision to leave Calgary. It’s been a real grind trying to get the program established at UBC and the emotion of this game and the first game of the year (against Calgary) has been quite overwhelming.”

“You look at these kids and what it means to them, it’s worth it.”

Among the keys to UBC’s victory was the performance of Nill’s biggest offseason recruit – former Penn State quarterback Michael O’Connor, who passed for 374 yards on the day.

The first-year pivot picked apart the Dinos defence at key moments, including a pair of first half touchdown passes to Marcus Davis, which helped the T-Birds race out to a 28-17 halftime lead.

On the other side of the coin, the setback was a crushing blow to Calgary.

After an 8-0 regular season, along with a come-from-behind 37-29 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies in last week’s Hardy Cup Semifinal, the Dinos were favourites against a UBC team they defeated 49-16 in the season opener back on September 4.

The loss was especially tough to swallow for fifth-year quarterback and Hec Crighton nominee Andrew Buckley, who posted 474 passing yards, but came out on the wrong side of a second consecutive Hardy

“We just didn’t capitalize when we were in the red zone and took too many penalties.”

After leading the conference in nearly every category during the regular season, it was Calgary’s one statistical blemish that led in part to the Dinos playoff downfall – penalties.

Racking up 145 penalty yards compared to UBC’s 70, Calgary provided the T-Birds with more than enough breaks, which the visitors were all too happy to capitalize on.

“The last time St. FX won (the Loney Bowl) was when I was defensive coordinator there and we beat Mount Allison,” said Nill, who was St. FX’s d-coordinator between 1992 and 1997. “It’s going to be an honour to go back to Nova Scotia again.”

As for what he expects from his squad in the Uteck Bowl, the sky’s the limit for a team that continues to surprise their veteran coach.

“I’m shocked at some of the success we’ve had with this group. It says so much about the human spirit, because these kids are just listening and starting to believe in themselves.”

[Mark F]

going to watch some of that, if I can, the western game last week was really good.

[iso_55]

Did the Dinos ever choke last week. They were stomped.

[Mark F]

Among the keys to UBC’s victory was the performance of Nill’s biggest offseason recruit – former Penn State quarterback Michael O’Connor, who passed for 374 yards on the day.

 

 

 

let's hope this guy gets a chance in the  cfl.

[Mr Dee]

Did the Dinos ever choke last week. They were stomped.

A little bit of everything. Too many penalties, especially at the wrong time didn't help their cause, but the emergence of the the Thunderbirds over the last part of the season, coached by Blake Nill, former Dino coach, really played into that victory. The guy knows his kids and knows his game.

The Dinos were built to win the whole thing this year and now, for two years in a row, they were upset. I feel for QB Andrew Buckley, he's a good one.

The Thunderbirds may surprise.

[Jpan85]

Per @JDunk12, on the Mitchell Bowl broadcast: the #Bombers have Guelph LB John Rush - the top CIS defensive player - on their #CFL neg list.

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani)

November 21, 2015

[Mark F]

defence.

 

and

 

one sided

[Mr Dee]

Well, there goes the old 20 game undefeated streak at home for Guelph...

- @DarrinBauming: Can't see how UBC or St. FX would be able to knock off Montreal in the Vanier. Carabins looking for the translated Drake track. #back2back

[Mark F]

played the games in the wrong order.

 

lighting ?

 

did I see former bomber coach JIm Daley coaching for the ax men?

[Mr Dee]

Henoc Muamba live at the UBC-St.FX game. Being interviewed, as he was a former player.

Blake Nill - coaching record in the CIS 61-20 with St Mary's - 69-27 with the Calgary Dinos - 8-2 @UBC so far.

Not bad, not bad Jacques..

[Taynted_Fayth]

played the games in the wrong order.

 

lighting ?

 

did I see former bomber coach JIm Daley coaching for the ax men?

 

i said the same thing last night at montanas, pretty sure that was him standing next the StFX HC

 

if it was him there is alot of CFL ties in the coaching ranks among these final 4, Danny Maciocia (montreal), Steve Burrato (UBC) and possibly Daley (StFX)

[bb1]

Y is it I can watch USA university football on a dozen channels but I can't watch Canadian playoff football on any channel but sports net 360?

[Mark F]

good question.

 

answer...

 

can't bet on cis football?