Huskies versus Rouge et Or might deliver epic Vanier Cup

Teams go at it for first time since 2006 U Sports title game

Mason Nyhus threw for 2,759 yards in the regular season.

The 2022 Vanier Cup is a contest that is perfect for national television, and as a bonus, it will be on national TV.

On Saturday, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies will face the Universite Laval Rouge et Or in the championship game for U Sports football – the Vanier Cup. The two squads will battle at a sold out Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont. (12 p.m. Saskatchewan time, CBC).

The Huskies and Rouge et Or have a storied past playing four times in key games from 1999 to 2006 where Laval won three of those contests. The last encounter came in the Vanier Cup played at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus on November 25, 2006.

On a frigid day with a high of -19 C, a record crowd of 12,567 spectators turned out at Griffiths Stadium to see the Rouge et Or pull out a 13-8 victory over the host Huskies.

The weather conditions for Saturday’s Vanier Cup encounter will be a lot more pleasant than the clash back in 2006. Environment Canada is predicting a high of 9 C and sunny conditions for London, Ont., on game day. You couldn’t ask for better conditions on a November 26 day anywhere in Canada.

HC Scott Flory has guided the Huskies back to the Vanier Cup.

Thanks to those balmy conditions, both teams will be able to use their entire playbooks.

Both the Huskies and Rouge et Or enter the Vanier Cup with identical 10-1 overall records. 

The Huskies, who were rated fourth in the final U Sports Top 10 Rankings, have won their last four straight, while the Rouge et Or, who were rated second in the final U Sports Top 10 Rankings, are riding an eight-game winning streak.

This contest will feature the quarterbacks that finished first and second in passing yards in all of U Sports in Huskies signal caller Mason Nyhus and Rouge et Or pivot Arnaud Desjardins.

During the Huskies eight regular season games, Nyhus completed 197-of-298 passes for 2,759 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing three interceptions. His passing yardage total was tops in all of U Sports and set a new Huskies team record for most passing yards in one season.

Daniel Perry was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star.

The old Huskies record had been held by Nyhus’s former teammate in Kyle Siemens, who threw for 2,570 yards in the 2017 campaign. Nyhus is finishing his fifth and final year of U Sports eligibility and was named a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star on Thursday.

Nyhus also took home honours this season as a Canada West Conference all-star and Canada West player of the year.

In the eight regular season games the Rouge et Or played, Desjardins completed 195-of-267 passes for 2,555 yards and 20 touchdowns, while throwing four interceptions. His passing yardage total was second in all of U Sports.

In his second year of U Sports eligibility, Desjardins was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star.

One of Nyhus’s big targets was fourth-year receiver Daniel Perry, who was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star. Perry made 41 catches for 602 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

Charlie Ringland, left, makes a pass knockdown for the Huskies.

Desjardins top target was second-year receiver Kevin Mital. During the regular season, Mital led all of U Sports in receptions (58), receiving yards (751) and receiving touchdowns (12).

He was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star and captured the Hec Crighton Trophy as the player of the year in U Sports.

On the ground, the Huskies are paced by second year running back Ryker Frank, who carried the ball 88 times for 562 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. The Rouge et Or’s rushing yards were spread out through their running back stable, with third-year ball carrier Joanik Masse leading the team with 48 carries for 282 yards.

On defence, linebacker Lane Novak led the Huskies with 47.5 total tackles during the regular season to go with a quarterback sack and three pass breakups. Linebacker Nick Wiebe finished second on the Huskies with 40.5 total tackles to go along with a quarterback sack.

Ryker Frank led the Huskies in regular season rushing yards.

Huskies fourth-year defensive back Charlie Ringland was named a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star after collecting 24 total tackles and four pass breakups during the regular season.

The Rouge et Or defence is anchored by defensive lineman Jean-William Rouleau, who was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star. Rouleau recorded 3.5 quarterback sacks and 9.5 total tackles during the regular season.

Second-year defensive back Cristophe Beaulieu was also named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star after recording 28.5 total tackles and six pass breakups in seven regular season appearances.

Fourth-year linebacker Alec Poirier was given a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star nod after posting 22 total tackles and two interceptions during the regular season.

On special teams, Huskies fourth-year place kicker David Solie was named a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star. During the regular season, Solie connected on 17-of-21 field goal attempts with a long from 44 yards out, while making 23-of-24 converts.

David Solie (#15) got a U Sports all-Canadian all-star nod.

If the Rouge et Or need a key kick, they will look to third-year place kicker Vincent Blanchard. Blanchard hit 15-of-19 field goal attempts with a long from 36 yards out, while making all 28 of his converts.

Both Solie and Blanchard handle the punting duties for their respective teams too.

In the match up of head coaches, you have the legendary old veteran going against a relative young buck. The Rouge et Or are guided by 57-year-old Glen Constantin, who has been Laval’s head coach since December of 2000.

As the Rouge et Or head coach, Constantin has a career record of 201-38 including action in the regular season and post-season, and he became the all-time leader in career wins in U Sports this season. He surpassed the previous record of 196 wins, which was compiled by legendary Huskies head coach Brian Towriss.

Constantin’s record included a 156-25 mark in regular season play and a 55-13 mark in post-season action. He guided Laval to nine of its 10 Vanier Cup championships as head coach. When the Rouge et Or won their first Vanier Cup in 1999, Constantin was the defensive coordinator for the squad that season.

Nick Wiebe had 40.5 total tackles in the regular season.

The Huskies are guided at head coach by alum and former star offensive lineman of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in 46-year-old Scott Flory. After retiring from the Alouettes in 2013, Flory returned to the Huskies squad he played for from 1994 to 1998. He served as the Huskies offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016 and took over the role of head coach in 2017.

As Huskies head coach, Flory has put together a 33-17 career record including action in the regular season and post-season. Flory’s record includes a 24-14 mark in regular season play and a 9-3 mark in post-season action.

Before Flory became head coach, the last time the Huskies had won the Canada West Conference title and appeared in the Vanier Cup was 2006. Since Flory became head coach, the Huskies have won three Canada West titles and will play in their second Vanier Cup with Flory at the helm on Saturday.

The Huskies were in last year’s Vanier Cup, and they fell 27-21 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

The Huskies hope to celebrate a lot of big plays on Saturday.

On paper, the Huskies and Rouge et Or have the potential to show U Sports football at its best. It is highly likely that their Vanier Cup encounter on Saturday will go down as an epic clash.

Now, they will confront each other for a prize only one can win.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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