Facts & Figures

In one of the most intriguing matchups in recent memory, the defending national champion University of Montreal Carabins face-off against the upstart University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the ArcelorMittal Vanier Cup presented by Promutuel Assurance, Saturday in Quebec City.

Kickoff for the 51^st CIS football final is set for 1 PM (ES at the 12,800-seat TELUS-Université Laval Stadium, which hosts the event for the fourth time in seven years. after highly successful editions which drew crowds of 18,628 in 2009, 16,237 (2010) and 18,543 (2013).

Coverage on TVA Sports and Sportsnet / Sportsnet 360 gets underway with pre-game shows at noon and 12:30 pm, respectively. The championship match will also be streamed live on the web at CIS-SIC.tv.

With both clubs on the road for the third straight week after winning their conference finals and national semi-final Bowl games away from home

The two head coaches alone have resumes that are the envy of most of their peers across the country, whether at the university or professional level.

The current reigning champion from Montreal is Danny Maciocia, who is the only person in history to win Grey Cup and Vanier Cup titles as a head coach.

He could become only the fifth head coach in CIS history to lead his program to back-to-back Vanier Cup triumphs.

This following in the footsteps of Manitoba’s Henry Janzen (1969-1970), Western’s Darwin Semotiuk (1976-1977), Laval’s Glen Constantin (2003-2004 / 2012-2013), as well as Blake Nill, in his Saint Mary’s days (2001-2002).

UBC’s head coach Blake Nill is in his first-year as the “Bird” coach and is the first head coach to lead three different programs to Vanier Cup appearances.

Along with his four trips with Saint Mary’s (2000 to 2003) and a trio with Calgary (2009, 2010, 2013).

Let’s not overlook his eight appearances in the national final as a head coach (and a 2-5 record thus far), he is now tied with Constantin (7-1) for second place all-time, one behind Saskatchewan’s Brian Towriss (3-6).

Maciocia has his sights on capturing back-to-back CIS banners in his fourth and fifth campaigns at the helm of the Carabins – a feat Nill accomplished with Saint Mary’s in 2001 and 2002.

The starting Q-Backs are said to be cool, calm and collected fifth-year senior Gabriel Cousineau for Montreal versus 19-year-old freshman Michael O’Connor for UBC.

Cousineau, a Montreal-er could become the fourth starting pivot in history – and the first in almost four decades leading his team to two consecutive Vanier Cup victories.

Bob Kraemer of Manitoba (1969-1970), Bill Robinson with Saint Mary’s and Western (1973-1974) and Jamie Bone of Western (1976-1977) are currently the only members of that elite club.

Rookie O’Connor, the recruited Penn State transfer from Ottawa is hoping to become only the second rookie to claim the national title as a starter, after StFX’s Terry Dolan in Vanier Cup II, way back in 1966.

For his part, Nill credits his players for turning around a program that finished last in Canada West a year ago with a 2-6 record and that, before this fall, had won a total of two playoff games since its last Vanier Cup conquest in 1997.

Maciocia hopes home field will be an advantage despite the game being played at the stadium of archrival Laval and Nill knows his young “Birds” are in tough against the defending champs.

The run game was a big part of Montreal’s and UBC’s success in their national semi-finals last Saturday.

In a comfortable 25-10 Carabins win over Guelph in the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl, Sean Thomas Erlington racked up 170 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

The third-year standout from Montreal has a mind-boggling 581 rushing yards in three playoff games after amassing 517 in eight regular season contests.

In the Thunderbirds’ 36-9 Uteck Bowl victory against StFX in Antigonish, N.S., Brandon Deschamps was named game MVP following his a 178 all-purpose yards effort, including 128 yards and one major on 20 rushes.

The fifth-year veteran from Prince George has gained 329 yards on the ground in three post-season outings after collecting 613 in seven league games.

If the Vanier Cup proves to be a low-scoring affair, Montreal probably has the advantage thanks to a defensive unit that ranked first in the country in conference play against the run (93.5 yards per game), second in points allowed (13.6) and third in total yards (332.1).

Leading the way is linebacker Jonathan Boissonneault-Glaou (Lyster, Que) the RSEQ defensive player of the year, and 300-pound defensive lineman Junior Luke of Montreal, fresh off his MVP performance in the Mitchell Bowl.

If the game turns into a shootout, UBC should feel right at home after a wild Canada West season that saw them place third in the six-team conference despite their stellar average of 35.1 points per contest.

O’Connor averaged 297.9 passing yards per game in his CIS debut thanks to an arsenal that includes the likes of sophomore Will Watson (Surrey), who led the young receiving corps during the regular schedule with 515 yards on 39 catches, as well as sophomore Marcus Davis (Victoria), junior Alex Morrison (Sault Ste. Marie) and freshman Trivel Pinto of Brampton.

NOTES:

Following a rotation system between Uteck and Mitchell Bowl winners, UBC will be the home team on Saturday.

The Carabins edged McMaster 20-19 a year ago at Montreal’s Percival Molson Stadium in their lone previous Vanier Cup appearance.

UBC is 3-2 all-time at the Vanier Cup, including wins in 1997 (vs. Ottawa), 1986 (Western) and 1982 (Western) as well as losses in 1987 (McGill) and 1978 (Queen’s), all games played in Toronto.

Blake Nill  has ended up on the wrong side of each of the first three Vanier Cup finals held in Quebec City – all while leading the Calgary Dinos – with losses to Queen’s in 2009 and host Laval in 2010 and 2013.

Nill has an 0-1 career coaching record against the Carabins, a 39-11 interlock loss at Montreal on Oct. 22, 2005, his last season with Saint Mary’s.

A Montreal win on Saturday would make it four straight Vanier Cup triumphs for the RSEQ conference, equaling the record set by Canada West from 1995 to 1998 (Calgary, Saskatchewan, UBC, Saskatchewan).

The last quarterback to lead the T-Birds to a Vanier Cup win, in 1997, was Shawn Olson, the man Nill replaced as UBC head coach.

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Thanks to CIS Media Relations Mgr. Michel Belanger for the info.