Montreal Carabins football facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Montreal Carabins |
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Montreal Carabins logo
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| First season | 2002 |
| Athletic director | Manon Simard |
| Head coach | Marco Iadeluca 4th year, 27–5 (.844) |
| Other staff | Denis Touchette (DC) |
| Home stadium | CEPSUM Stadium |
| Stadium capacity | 5100 |
| Stadium surface | FieldTurf |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec |
| League | U Sports |
| Conference | QUFL/RSEQ (2002 - present) |
| Past associations | OIFC (1966) CCIFC (1967-1970) QUAA (1971) |
| All-time record | 129–49–0 (.725) |
| Postseason record | 24–19 (.558) |
| Titles | |
| Vanier Cups | 2 (2014, 2023) |
| Uteck Bowls | 3 (2014, 2019, 2023) |
| Mitchell Bowls | 1 (2015) |
| Dunsmore Cups | 5 (2014, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023) |
| Hec Crighton winners | 1 (Jonathan Sénécal, 2023) |
| Current uniform | |
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| Colours | Royal Blue, White, and Black |
| Outfitter | Adidas |
| Rivals | Laval Rouge et Or |
The Montreal Carabins football team plays for the University of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec. They compete in Canadian football as part of U Sports, which is Canada's university sports league. The Carabins team started playing again in 2002. Since then, they have become a very strong team in Quebec and across Canada. They have won five RSEQ conference championships and two national championships, called the Vanier Cup, in 2014 and 2023.
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History of the Montreal Carabins
The Carabins football team first played in 1966. They were part of the Ontario Intercollegiate Football Conference. The team played for six seasons until 1971. After that, the program stopped for over 30 years.
Many French-speaking universities in Quebec decided to focus more on community sports. They also supported sports activities within the university, rather than competing against other schools. This idea changed over time. Other universities like Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke started their football programs again. The University of Montreal brought back the Carabins in 2002.
Early Success and First Championship
The new Carabins team quickly became successful in their regular season games. They have made it to the playoffs every year since 2003. However, it took them a while to win their conference championship. They lost in their first five attempts.
This changed in 2014 under coach Danny Maciocia. The Carabins beat their rivals, the Laval Rouge et Or, to win their first Dunsmore Cup. This is the championship trophy for their conference.
After winning the Dunsmore Cup, the team played in the national semi-final game. This game is called the Uteck Bowl. They won against the Manitoba Bisons. This victory sent them to their first-ever Vanier Cup game. In the 50th Vanier Cup, the Carabins won the national championship. They beat the McMaster Marauders by a close score of 20–19. This was a huge moment for the team!
More Championships and New Leadership
The Carabins continued their winning ways. They won two more Dunsmore Cups in 2015 and 2019. However, they lost in the Vanier Cup games those years. They were defeated by the UBC Thunderbirds and the Calgary Dinos.
Coach Maciocia left the team after the 2019 season. He went to coach in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes. On February 11, 2020, Marco Iadeluca became the new head coach.
Recent Victories and a Second National Title
In 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic break, the team had a great season. They finished first in the regular season with a 7-1 record. They also beat their rivals, the Laval Rouge et Or, twice. The Carabins hosted the 2021 Dunsmore Cup at home in Montreal. They won their fourth Dunsmore Cup by beating Laval 28-19. This was their first Dunsmore Cup win at home. They also beat Laval three times in one season, which was a first for the team.
In 2022, the team finished second in their conference. They played in their ninth straight Dunsmore Cup but lost a very close game to the Rouge et Or.
The 2023 season was amazing for the Carabins. They finished the regular season with a 7-1 record. They had two impressive wins against Laval, including a 28-0 shutout. The Carabins then won their fifth Dunsmore Cup, beating Laval 12-6.
The following week, they faced the top-ranked team in Canada, the Western Mustangs, in the Uteck Bowl. The Carabins won convincingly, 29-3. Their quarterback, Jonathan Sénécal, won the Hec Crighton Trophy for the most outstanding player in Canada. Another player, Harold Miessan, won the Presidents' Trophy for the best defensive player.
To finish their incredible season, the Carabins won their second Vanier Cup title. They defeated the UBC Thunderbirds 16-9 in the 58th Vanier Cup. Throughout their four playoff games, the Montreal Carabins did not allow a single touchdown! Their combined score in the playoffs was an impressive 111-21.
Carabins in Professional Football
Many players from the Montreal Carabins have gone on to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, 16 former Carabins players were on CFL teams. This shows how well the Carabins program prepares its athletes for the next level of football.
Images for kids
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The Montreal Carabins team uniform.
