Men’s Football
A head-to-head look at the 53rd ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup
Western quarterback Chris Merchant and linebacker Fraser Sopik, along with Laval defensive lineman Marc-Antoine Bellefroid are the U SPORTS Football Players of the Week, for the period ending November 19, 2017
In a game that featured an impressive Western offence early and often, it was quarterback Chris Merchant who continued to stand out. Merchant, a kinesiology student, helped Western advance to the Vanier Cup with an 81-3 win over Acadia on Saturday in the Uteck Bowl. The Calgary, Alta., native was named Uteck Bowl MVP after completing 10 of 11 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns. He was also a contributor to the Mustangs’ ground game, registering 54 yards on only six carries with two majors.
FB | Touchdown Mustangs! Merchant picks up his second rushing TD of the day to make it 57-0 for #westernu late in Q2 #BusinessTrip #UteckBowl pic.twitter.com/cyAU8AXEr5
— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) November 18, 2017
Fraser Sopik led the purple and white defence in the win, totalling eight tackles including two for a loss. Sopik continued his torrid play from the regular season and, most recently, the Yates Cup, to hold their AUS opposition to just three points on the day. Not only did Sopik prove to be a headache for Acadia on the scoreboard, but also on the stat sheet, as the OUA All-Star helped limit the Axemen to just 181 yards in the air and 33 yards rushing.
Marc-Antoine Bellefroid came up with a key fumble in the Rouge et Or’s Mitchell Bowl victory over Calgary. With Laval holding a slim 20-18 lead to start the fourth quarter, the third-year defensive lineman forced Calgary’s Deane Leonard to fumble the punt return, leading to a Gabriel Ouellet 42-yard touchdown that helped Laval advance to Saturday’s Vanier Cup against the Mustangs.
Offensive nominees:
- OUA: Chris Merchant, quarterback, Western (winner)
- RSEQ: Hugo Richard, quarterback, Laval
Defensive nominees:
- OUA: Fraser Sopik, linebacker, Western (winner)
- RSEQ: Mathieu Betts, defensive end, Laval
Special teams nominees:
- OUA: Mike Sananes, defensive back, Western
- RSEQ: Marc-Antoine Bellefroid, defensive lineman, Laval (winner)
VANIER CUP FACT: What impact does a star recruit have on the future success of the program? Based on previous Peter Gorman Trophy (Rookie of the Year) recipients, the odds of securing a Vanier Cup are about 1 in 3. Since 1976, nine Gorman winners have gone on to lead their teams to Vanier triumph (championship year in parentheses).
- Gord Goodwin, 1977, Queen’s University (1978)
Kickoff for the 53rd ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup between the undefeated Western Mustangs (11-0) and the defending national champion Laval Rouge et Or (10-1) is set for 1 p.m. Eastern / 10 a.m. Pacific at Tim Hortons Field, which hosts the event for the second straight year.
Television coverage on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet ONE and TVA Sports gets underway with pre-game shows at 12:30 p.m. The broadcast is also available online through Sportsnet NOW and TVASports.ca and on the radio at AM900 CHML in Hamilton.
For all the information on the 53rd Vanier Cup, visit vaniercup.com. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca, starting at $25.
- Player bios provided by U SPORTS member conferences