Huskies #3 in CIS

OTTAWA (CIS) – Nine months after reaching the Vanier Cup final for the first time since 1995, the Calgary Dinos lead the first Football Reporters of Canada – CIS national poll of the new season.

The reigning two-time Canada West champion Dinos received 21 first-place nods and 261 points from the 32 FRC voters to earn their first No. 1 ranking in 17 years, dating back to consecutive weeks at the top on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21, 1993.

Calgary, which lost 33-31 to the Queen’s Gaels in last year’s national title match in Quebec City, barely edged the seven-time defending Quebec champion Laval Rouge et Or in the inaugural Top 10 of 2010.

The Rouge et Or, who had opened the last five campaigns at No. 1, received 10 first-place votes and 258 points from FRC members. Prior to Calgary, the last team other than Laval to open at No. 1 was Saint Mary’s in 2004.

The Saskatchewan Huskies earned the remaining first-place nod and go into the season at No. 3 thanks to 111 points. Rounding out the first Top 10 of the fall are Saint Mary’s (66), Ottawa (58), Wilfrid Laurier (50), Montreal (45), Vanier Cup champion Queen’s (37), Western (33) and McMaster (32).

Queen’s lost many star players following its 2009 triumph including quarterback Danny Brannagan, the reigning Vanier Cup MVP, defensive lineman Shomari Williams, the first overall pick in the 2010 CFL Canadian Draft, as well as receiver Scott Valberg and cornerback and kick returner Jimmy Allin, both first-team all-Canadians a year ago.

The CIS season kicks off Tuesday night with Queen’s opening its Vanier Cup title defence at McMaster and Ottawa visiting Windsor.

No. 1 Calgary: 7-1 regular season record and 10-2 overall record in 2009... Lost 33-31 to Queen’s in 2009 Vanier Cup final... Beat Alberta 20-16 in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 28)... Open 2010 regular season at home vs. No. 3 Saskatchewan on Sept. 4 (7 p.m. Mountain Time, Shaw TV)...

No. 2 Laval: 7-1 regular season record and 9-2 overall record in 2009... Lost 33-30 to Queen’s in 2009 Mitchell Bowl... Beat York 76-0 in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 29)... Open 2010 regular season at home vs. McGill on Sept. 5 (2 p.m., SRC)...

No. 3 Saskatchewan: 7-1 regular season record and 8-2 overall record in 2009... Lost 39-38 to Calgary in 2009 Canada West final... Beat No. 9 Western 40-12 in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 27)... Open 2010 regular season at No. 1 Calgary on Sept. 4 (7 p.m. Mountain Time, Shaw TV)...

No. 4 Saint Mary’s: 7-1 regular season record and 8-2 overall record in 2009... Lost 38-14 to Calgary in 2009 Uteck Bowl... Open 2010 regular season at Acadia on Sept. 11 (2 p.m. Atlantic Time, EastLink)...

No. 5 Ottawa: 6-2 regular season record and 6-3 overall record in 2009... Lost 27-15 to McMaster in 2009 OUA quarter-finals... Lost 41-0 to Sherbrooke in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 26)... Open 2010 regular season at Windsor on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., Windsor: TVCogeco Local 11 live / Ottawa: Rogers TV Cable 22 tape delayed to 8 p.m.)...

No. 6 Laurier: 6-2 regular season record and 6-3 overall record in 2009... Lost 26-16 to Western in 2009 OUA semifinals... Open 2010 regular season at No. 9 Western on Sept. 1 (7 p.m., Rogers TV Cable 13)...

No. 7 Montreal: 5-3 regular season record and 6-4 overall record in 2009... Lost 31-7 to Laval in 2009 QUFL final... Open 2010 regular season at home vs. Sherbrooke on Sept. 2...

No. 8 Queen’s: 7-1 regular season record and 11-1 overall record in 2009... Beat Calgary 33-31 in 2009 Vanier Cup final... Open 2010 regular season at No. 10 McMaster on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., Cable 14)...

No. 9 Western: 6-2 regular season record and 8-3 overall record in 2009... Lost 43-39 to Queen’s in 2009 OUA final... Lost 40-12 to No. 3 Saskatchewan in 2010 pre-season (Aug. 27)... Open 2010 regular season at home vs. No. 6 Laurier on Sept. 1 (7 p.m., Rogers TV Cable 13)...

No. 10 McMaster: 6-2 regular season record and 7-3 overall record in 2009... Lost 32-6 to Queen’s in 2009 OUA semifinals... Open 2010 regular season at home vs. No. 8 Queen’s on Aug. 31 (7 p.m., Cable 14)...