LONDON, Ont. — Chris Merchant lifted the Vanier Cup champion Western Mustangs to a Yates Cup victory on Saturday, bringing them one step closer to repeating their U Sports football title.
Merchant threw for 324 yards and a touchdown and ran in three more scores as No. 1 Western routed the Guelph Gryphons 63-14 for the Ontario University Association championship.
Cedric Joseph ran for 122 yards and three touchdowns and Mackenzie Ferguson returned an interception for a score to keep the Mustangs undefeated.
Western will host next weekend's Mitchell Bowl against the Saskatchewan Huskies with a spot in the Vanier Cup on the line.
Merchant completed 19-of-22 pass attempts and also had one interception.
Guelph's Theo Landers was limited to just 69 passing yards, one TD and one interception.
The Mustangs beat Laval 39-17 at Hamilton's Tim Hortons Field last November for their seventh Vanier Cup title in program history. The Rouge et Or lead the way with nine championships.
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X-MEN 33 HUSKIES 9
HALIFAX — QB Bailey Wasdal ran in two touchdowns as StFX downed Saint Mary's to advance to the Uteck Bowl as winners of the Atlantic University Sport crown.
Running back Greg Anderson also had a touchdown for the X-Men and Dylan Bell returned an interception 46 yards for a TD.
Huskies QB Caleb Scorr was 19 for 22 with 208 yards and one touchdown.
StFX will face the Laval Rouge et Or next weekend with a chance to advance to the Vanier Cup.
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ROUGE ET OR 14 CARABINS 1
QUEBEC — Adam Auclair recovered a fumble and took the ball 77 yards for a touchdown as Laval stymied Montreal en route to capturing the Dunsmore Cup.
David Cote hit a 14-yard field goal to open the scoring for Laval, who also forced two safeties and picked off Montreal quarterback Dimitri Morand three times.
Regis Cibasu led the way for Montreal with 10 catches and 110 yards receiving. The Carabins' lone point came on a rouge in the second quarter.
Laval will take on StFX in the Uteck Bowl next weekend.
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HUSKIES 43 DINOS 18
CALGARY — Tyler Chow ran for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while Saskatchewan's defence intercepted Calgary quarterback Adam Sinagra four times as they claimed the 82nd Hardy Cup.
Saskatchewan QB Kyle Siemens added 263 yards in the air with one TD and one INT, while Adam Machart and Colton Klassen both tacked on a rushing TD.
Sinagra was 23 for 36 passing with a touchdown and four picks. Jeshrun Antwi added 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground for Calgary.
Saskatchewan will face Western at next weekend's Mitchell Bowl.
The Canadian Press