Yves Longpre/Universite de Sherbrooke photo
Remember that Saturday Night Live skit with Bill Hader from a few years ago?
“This club has everything,” he’d proclaim, before listing off a variety of obscenely funny and unrelated things.
Week 8 of the university football season was basically the U SPORTS equivalent of that: The Bishop’s Gaiters have one foot in the playoffs for the first time in six years, while all three #UniversityBlitz favourites (McMaster, Toronto and Montreal) were defeated in upsets.
The wild results started on Thursday night, as Laurier and Waterloo played to a 53-50 triple-OT thriller that left everyone in awe.
The Battle of Waterloo also featured a marriage proposal, with Warriors QB AJ Stewart dropping to a knee and popping the question.
The wildin’ continued Friday afternoon, as Carleton stunned No. 7 McMaster on the Ravens’ senior day in a game that saw two Ticats teammates share some friendly chirps.
When @Tunde_Adeleke calls game on @DalyNews8 🥶🏈 pic.twitter.com/RWXaYvqEDU
— CFL (@CFL) October 11, 2019
Friday night’s Red & Blue Bowl pitted Toronto’s two football-playing schools, U. of T. and York, against each other in a contest many had pegged as a Varsity Blues blowout.
Previously-winless York stunned the Blues, 34-14, and claimed the Argo Bowl.
go off then, @yorkulions. 😳 pic.twitter.com/129d7j7Ugb
— CFL (@CFL) October 12, 2019
Bishop’s downed Saint Mary’s on home turf Friday night to inch closer to the program’s first playoff berth since 2013; Cherif Nicolas and his staff have done an incredible job this year, and the Gaiters’ magic number is now one — a win, or a Mt. Allison loss — to clinch a playoff spot in the AUS.
Gaiters win!! 23-15 over @smuFTBL #GaiterNation pic.twitter.com/q0zEMbv1Fg
— #GaiterNation (@BishopsGaiters) October 12, 2019
Saturday saw perhaps the biggest surprise of all, as the RSEQ-leading Montreal Carabins fell 23-15 to then-last place Sherbrooke.
It was a stunning victory for the Vert & Or, who propelled themselves back into a playoff spot for the time being and opened the door for a potential first-place finish for Laval in the process.
By the way: Montreal visits Quebec City to face the Rouge et Or next Sunday. For first place. Buckle up!
NOTES
Canada West was on a bye this week, but Manitoba’s (3-3) magic number is one to clinch the final playoff spot, with UBC (1-5) and Regina (1-5) both all but eliminated…Acadia is a perfect 6-0 and averaging a 22-point win thus far in AUS play…In Ontario, Queen’s (2-5), Toronto (2-5), York (1-6) and Windsor (1-7) will all miss the playoffs.
RESULTS
Guelph 27, Queen’s 24
Laurier 53, Waterloo 50
McMaster 30, Carleton 35
St. FX 25, Acadia 44
Saint Mary’s 15, Bishop’s 23
Toronto 14, York 34
Windsor 26, Ottawa 54
Laval 39, McGill 3
Montreal 15, Sherbrooke 23
