#UniversityBlitz | Playoff races heat up in Week 9
The penultimate week of the U SPORTS football season is upon us, and playoff races are fully-heated up.
Week 9 will bring the curtain down on the regular season in Ontario, where five teams are vying for the final three spots; as it stands, a trio of 4-3 teams (Waterloo, McMaster and Guelph) would be in, while Laurier (also 4-3) and Queen’s (3-4) stand as the odd programs out.
But: Waterloo visits Guelph, meaning one of them will almost definitely finish the season 4-4. If Laurier can manage to engineer an unlikely upset at top-ranked Western (7-0), all heck would break loose. Elsewhere, Queen’s hosts Ottawa (5-2) — the Gee-Gees aiming for a first-round playoff bye — in Kingston.
It’s going to be a wild Saturday in Ontario.
The Canada West conference features a pair of key contests this week; Regina — knocked down to 1-5 after forfeiting five games due to an ineligible player — travels to first-place Calgary (6-0) with its season on the line, while Manitoba (3-3) travels west for a date with Saskatchewan (3-3).
In Quebec, McGill (1-5) and Concordia (2-4) meet in a Battle of Montreal which will decide who gets the right to face one of Laval (7-0) or Montreal (5-2) in what will likely be lopsided first-round playoff matchups. The undefeated Rouge et Or host last-place Sherbrooke (1-5) this week.
Out east, Mt. Allison (2-4) entertains Acadia (3-3) in what is essentially the Mounties’ last stand for a playoff spot; the Axemen lead Mt. A by two points in the race for the third and final playoff spot in the AUS conference.
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Argos receiver Anthony Coombs continues to lead, though Ottawa’s J.P. Bolduc is charging hard in behind.
Week 9 Schedule
Friday, Oct. 19
9 PM ET | Regina at Calgary
Saturday, Oct. 20
1 PM ET | Acadia at Mt. Allison
1PM ET | Waterloo at Guelph
1PM ET | York at Toronto
1PM ET | McMaster at Windsor
1PM ET | Ottawa at Queen’s
1PM ET | Laurier at Western
2PM ET | St. FX at Bishop’s
2PM ET | McGill at Concordia
3PM ET | Manitoba at Saskatchewan
4PM ET | Alberta at UBC
Sunday, Oct. 21
1PM ET | Sherbrooke at Laval