(Montreal) The Université de Montréal Carabins will face the Université Laval Rouge et Or for the 10th time in a row at the Dunsmore Cup, but these duels are still special for both football programs.
So much so that Carabins head coach Marco Iadeluca sees it as something of a reincarnation of the greatest sporting rivalry involving Montreal and Quebec – minus the battle of Good Friday.
“I’m a big hockey fan and it’s very reminiscent of the Canadian-Nordiques rivalry. I think it’s fun for everyone and the atmosphere is good. Everyone talks about it, the old ones bring out photos of the time they played. Both cities vibrate. We can’t have this rivalry anymore, so this is the closest thing right now,” Iadeluca said.
The rivalry between the Carabins and the Rouge et Or has also experienced several spectacular outcomes over the years. Particularly at the Dunsmore Cup.
In 2014, the Montreal troop had the upper hand in overtime in Quebec, ending a streak of 11 Quebec titles for the Rouge et Or. In 2016, Laval University triumphed thanks to a rigged game, with 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter, at CEPSUM. And last year, Glen Constantin’s men needed a single in the last play of the game to get their hands back on the Dunsmore Cup.
This defeat hurt the Carabins for several months, but they responded by finishing first in the Quebec Student Sports Network (RSEQ) rankings with a 7-1 record. Iadeluca now hopes that his players will learn from what they have experienced this season, while keeping in mind this heartbreaking defeat at the Telus stadium at Laval University.
It is true that a lot of football has been played since this match, including two clashes in favor of the Carabins this season.
On September 17, Montreal exploded offensively to outscore the Rouge et Or 19-0 in the fourth quarter and win 31-14 in Quebec. A month later, in front of their fans, the Carabins delivered a 28-0 correction to their rivals to secure the top spot in the standings.
The Rouge et Or pulled itself together by ending its season with a victory, but it narrowly avoided disaster during the Quebec semi-final last week, defeating the Concordia University Stingers in overtime.
“We sometimes have difficulty dealing with adversity. Last week was a great example of a match in which we showed resilience, observed Constantin. We will need a better start than the one we experienced at CEPSUM a month ago. When the opponent struck, we were not able to respond. »
The Carabins expect fierce opposition from the Rouge et Or despite two slightly more one-sided victories this season. Especially because they almost played the trick on them last year.
The Rouge et Or dominated the Montreal squad 22-3 in Quebec during their last meeting in 2022, but the Carabins fought very well at the Dunsmore Cup, before losing following a single.
“We went there last year and they had a really big game. Subsequently, at the Dunsmore Cup, it was decided by a single point. We know it will be a difficult game, but we are ready,” said Carabins quarterback Jonathan Sénécal.
Sénécal, the athlete par excellence of the RSEQ, has made rain and shine this season. He threw 15 touchdown passes against just four interceptions and had 2,215 air yards in eight games. The third-year quarterback added 394 rushing yards and six majors.
The key for the Rouge et Or will be to contain him as much as possible and make sure not to give him any easy play.
The Rouge et Or are the reigning Vanier Cup champions while the Carabins form the best team in Quebec according to their record. If you’re looking for a favorite or an underdog for this matchup, know that there doesn’t seem to be one.
“Favorites are something for journalists and viewers. As far as I’m concerned, you’re not a favorite until you’re at the top of the mountain and we’re not that right now,” Iadeluca said.
“The way we have trained, I don’t think we are underdogs. Our real team is the one we saw in Quebec last week and not the one at CEPSUM,” added Constantin.
The RSEQ took advantage of this conference to unveil its individual honors for the 2023 season.
