Toronto Varsity Blues football facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Toronto Varsity Blues
Toronto Varsity Blues logo
First season	1877
Athletic director	Beth Ali
Head coach	Darrell Adams 1st year, 1–7  (.125)
Other staff	Tommy Kanichis (OC) Bob Mullen (DC)
Home stadium	Varsity Stadium
Year built	2007
Stadium capacity	5000
Stadium surface	Polytan Ligaturf
Location	Toronto, Ontario
League	U Sports
Conference	OUA (1980-present)
Past associations	ORFU (1883-1897) CIRFU (1898-1970) OUAA (1971-1973) OQIFC (1974-1979)
All-time record	548–481–36 (.531)
Postseason record	20–27 (.426)
Titles
Dominion Championships	2 1895, 1905
Grey Cups	4 1909, 1910, 1911, 1920
Vanier Cups	2 1965, 1993
Churchill Bowls	1 1993
Atlantic Bowls	2 1962, 1974
Yates Cups	25 1898, 1899, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1920, 1921, 1926, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1948, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1965, 1967, 1974, 1983, 1993
Hec Crighton winners	4 Mike Eben, Mike Raham, Dan Feraday, Eugene Buccigrossi
Colours	UofT Blue and White
Mascot	True Blue
Outfitter	Under Armour
Rivals	York Lions

The Toronto Varsity Blues football team plays for the University of Toronto in Canadian football. They are part of U Sports, which is Canada's university sports league. The team started way back in 1877.

The Varsity Blues have won many big championships. They won six national titles, including the very first Grey Cup in 1909. They also won the Canadian Dominion Football Championship in 1895 and 1905.

Later, when university teams stopped playing for the Dominion Championship, the Varsity Blues won the first-ever Vanier Cup in 1965. They won it again in 1993. These are Canada's top university football championships.

The team has also won the Yates Cup 25 times. This makes them champions of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference. Only the Western Mustangs have won more Yates Cups.

One former Varsity Blues player, Dan Feraday, was even drafted into the NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1982.

Team History

How Football Started at U of T

The first football game at the University of Toronto was played on November 9, 1861. It was a mix of soccer and rugby rules. Players had to bounce or kick the ball towards the other team's goal. This game took place at Queen's Park in Toronto.

In 1877, the first official team was formed by J.H. Mayne Campbell. They decided to use rugby football rules. Their first game against another school was in 1879. They played against the University of Michigan and it ended in a tie. No points were scored by either team.

In 1881, the team played its first game against another Canadian university. They faced McGill University and lost.

The University of Toronto football team joined the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) in 1883. They played in this league until 1898. Then, they joined the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU). In that same year, they won their first Yates Cup.

Winning National Championships

The Canadian Dominion Football Championship began in 1884. Since the University of Toronto was in the ORFU, they could play for this championship. They won it in 1895 and again in 1905.

The famous Grey Cup was created in 1909. The University of Toronto football team won the very first Grey Cup game! They continued their winning streak, taking home the Grey Cup in 1910, 1911, and 1920.

Recent Team Seasons

In more recent years, the team has faced some tough times. For many seasons, they did not make it to the playoffs.

On October 13, 2007, the team had a record-setting losing streak of 49 games in a row. But they broke this streak on September 1, 2008. They beat the Waterloo Warriors 18-17. This was their first win in almost seven years! The last time the team had more wins than losses in a season was in 1995.

The Varsity Blues made it to the playoffs in 2021. This was their first playoff appearance since 1995. They even hosted a playoff game for the first time since 1992. In 2022, they finished with a 4-4 record and qualified for the playoffs again.

After the 2023 season, where they finished with a 2-6 record, a new head coach was hired. Darrell Adams became the team's head coach on January 5, 2024. The team finished the 2024 season with a 1-7 record.

National Playoff Results

The Varsity Blues have a strong history in national championship games.

The team has won 2 out of 3 national semi-final games. They have also won 2 out of 3 Vanier Cup games.

Head Coaches

Many coaches have led the Varsity Blues over the years. Here are some of them:

National Award Winners

Several Varsity Blues players have won important national awards:

• Hec Crighton Trophy: This award goes to the most outstanding player in Canadian university football. Winners include Mike Eben (1967), Mike Raham (1968), Dan Feraday (1981), and Eugene Buccigrossi (1992).
• J. P. Metras Trophy: Awarded to the outstanding lineman. Chris Morris won in 1990.
• Presidents' Trophy: For the outstanding defensive player. Lou Tiro won in 1993.
• Russ Jackson Award: This award recognizes a player for their football, academic, and community achievements. David Hamilton won in 2008.
• Frank Tindall Trophy: For the coach of the year. Ron Murphy won in 1974.

Varsity Blues Players in the CFL

As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, two former Varsity Blues players were on Canadian Football League (CFL) teams:

• Albert Awachie, who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
• Nick Hallett, who plays for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.