U Sports football facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
U Sports football

Formerly	CIAU football, CIS football
Sport	Canadian football
Founded	1961
No. of teams	27, in four conferences
Country	Canada
Most recent champion(s)	Laval Rouge et Or (2024)
Most titles	Laval Rouge et Or (12)
TV partner(s)	CBC Sports TVA Sports
Related competitions	Vanier Cup

U Sports football is the top level of amateur Canadian football played by university teams in Canada. It's managed by U Sports, which is Canada's main group for university sports. There are 27 teams from different Canadian universities. These teams are split into four groups, called athletic conferences.

These conferences are: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, and Atlantic University Sport. At the end of each season, the best team from each conference plays in special semifinal games. The winners of these games then play in the Vanier Cup, which is the national championship game.

History of U Sports Football

The game of North American football actually started in Canada! The very first recorded game was played at the University of Toronto in 1861. Many U Sports teams have been around since the beginning of the sport. This is where the game we now call Canadian football began.

In 1874, McGill University in Montreal challenged Harvard University in Massachusetts to a series of games. This was an important moment for the sport.

The Grey Cup is the championship trophy for the professional Canadian Football League (CFL). It was first played for by amateur teams, including those from the University of Toronto and Queen's University, starting in 1909. Many players from U Sports go on to play professionally in the CFL. Each year, many are chosen in the Canadian College Draft. In 2021, a record 208 former U Sports players were on CFL teams.

On September 23, 2023, Maya Turner made history. She became the first woman to play in a regular season U Sports football game. She was a kicker for the Manitoba Bisons. She even kicked the winning field goal in overtime against the Regina Rams!

How the Season Works

Regular Season Games

The Calgary Dinos playing against the Alberta Golden Bears in 2006.

The regular season usually lasts nine or ten weeks. It starts the weekend before Labour Day. Teams play eight games against other teams in their own conference. Sometimes, they play exhibition (pre-season) games against teams from other conferences.

During the season, many universities have special "homecoming" games. There are also big "rivalry" games between teams that are long-time competitors. After the regular season ends, the Hec Crighton Trophy is given to the best player in U Sports football.

Playoff Games

After the regular season, the top teams in each conference play in single elimination games. This means if you lose, you're out! These games decide who the conference champions are.

In the Atlantic, Canada West, and Quebec conferences, the top four teams make it to the playoffs. In Ontario, the top seven teams qualify. The very best team in Ontario gets a "bye," meaning they skip the first round. Each conference has its own championship trophy:

• The Hardy Trophy in the West
• The Yates Cup in Ontario
• The Dunsmore Cup in Quebec
• The Jewett Trophy in the Atlantic conference

The conference champions then move on to national semifinal games. These are called the Mitchell Bowl and the Uteck Bowl. The teams that play in each bowl game change every few years.

The Laval Rouge et Or playing against the McMaster Marauders in the second quarter of the 47th Vanier Cup.

The Vanier Cup Championship

The winners of the Mitchell Bowl and Uteck Bowl play each other in the Vanier Cup. This is the national championship game for U Sports football. It started in 1965 and is named after Governor General Georges Vanier.

For many years, the game was held in Toronto. Since 2004, different cities have hosted it, including Hamilton, Saskatoon, Quebec City, Vancouver, Montreal, London, and Kingston.

U Sports Football Teams

UBC Thunderbirds Alberta Golden Bears Calgary Dinos Saskatchewan Huskies Regina Rams Manitoba Bisons Windsor Lancers Western Mustangs Guelph Gryphons Laurier Golden Hawks Waterloo Warriors McMaster Marauders York Lions Toronto Varsity Blues Queen's Gaels Ottawa Gee-Gees Carleton Ravens Concordia Stingers McGill Redbirds Montreal Carabins Laval Rouge et Or Bishop's Gaiters Sherbrooke Vert et Or Mount Allison Mounties Acadia Axemen Saint Mary's Huskies St. Francis Xavier X-Men

Atlantic University Sport Teams

Canada West Universities Athletic Association Teams

Ontario University Athletics Teams

Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec Teams

New Teams and Growth

There have been efforts to start new university football teams. For example, Carleton University in Ottawa brought back its football program in 2013. The team joined the Ontario University Athletics conference. This brought football back to Carleton after 15 years.

Other universities have also looked into starting teams. The Université de Moncton considered it in 2011. The UBC Okanagan Heat also explored starting a program. They thought about working with a junior football team, similar to how the University of Regina started. However, they didn't have a stadium that met the rules.

The University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières also thought about adding a football program for the 2017 season. They hoped to get private funding. But their plan was not approved by the university.

Awards for Players

After the season, players receive awards for being excellent on the field. The best players at each position are named to the All-Canadian Football Team. They can be on the first or second team. There are also special awards for things like "best defensive player."

Players Going Professional

U Sports Players in the CFL

Many players from U Sports football go on to play professionally. Most of them play in the Canadian Football League (CFL). On the opening day of the 2015 CFL season, a record 199 U Sports football players were on CFL teams. In 2022, there were 205 former U Sports players on CFL rosters.

CFL Draft Picks

The CFL Draft is an event where CFL teams choose new players. It usually has eight rounds. A maximum of 74 players are chosen. In the 2022 CFL Draft, 60 players from U Sports were drafted. This was the most since 1978.

NFL Draft Picks

Sixteen U Sports players have been chosen in the National Football League (NFL) Draft. Giovanni Manu was the most recent player drafted.

U Sports Players in the NFL

As of 2023, 42 players from U Sports have played on an NFL team. This includes four players who did not play in a regular season game. Some notable players include:

• 1976 Brian Fryer, Alberta, R.
• 1986 Mike Schad, Queen's, OG.
• 1998 Jerome Pathon, Acadia & U. of Washington, R.
• 2001 Randy Chevrier, McGill, LS/DE.
• 2003 Israel Idonije, Manitoba, DL.
• 2006 Jon Ryan, Regina, K.
• 2014 Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGill, OL.
• 2016 David Onyemata, Manitoba, DL.
• 2022 Deane Leonard, Calgary, CB.
• 2023 Tavius Robinson, Guelph, LB.
• 2024 Isaiah Adams, Laurier, OG.
• 2024 Giovanni Manu, British Columbia, OL.

See also

• Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association
• Canadian Junior Football League
• CEGEP
• College football
• Comparison of American and Canadian football
• Football Canada
• List of Canadian football stadiums by capacity
• Quebec Junior Football League