Laval rallies past Western in Mitchell Bowl to clinch spot in 57th Vanier Cup
The Canadian Press | Posted: November 20, 2022 12:00 AM | Last Updated: November 25, 2022
Rouge et Or will face Saskatchewan Huskies next Saturday in London, Ont.
The Laval Rouge et Or advanced to face the Saskatchewan Huskies in the 57th Vanier Cup with a 27-20 comeback win over the Western Mustangs in the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday.
The Rouge et Or trailed 17-4 at halftime, but scored 23 points in the second half to knock off the defending Vanier Cup champion Mustangs at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont.
Laval running back Kalenga Muganda was named offensive player of the game, rushing for 173 yards on 24 carries. Rouge et Or linebacker Alec Poirier was named defensive player of the game after recording 12 total tackles in the victory.
WATCH | Laval dominates 2nd half to defeat Western in Mitchell Bowl:
Western took control of the game early, scoring 17 unanswered points in the opening quarter. In the second, Laval got on the board thanks to a Vincent Blanchard field goal followed by a rouge point.
In the second half, however, the Rouge et Or turned things around against the Yates Cup champion Mustangs.
Courtesy of two David Dallaire rushing touchdowns, Laval entered the fourth with an 18-17 lead.
In the final frame, Brian Garrity restored Western's lead with a 15-yard field goal 13 seconds in.
However, Blanchard answered hitting three field goals from 15, nine and 28 yards out to seal the game as the Rouge et Or defence kept Western off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest.
Laval will be gunning for a record 11th Vanier Cup title as it makes its first trip to the championship game since winning it in 2018.
The Huskies pulled away in the second half earlier on Saturday to beat the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 36-19 in the Uteck Bowl in Antigonish, N.S.
The Canadian university football championship will take place at Western Alumni Stadium next Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. Watch live coverage on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android.
It will be the third meeting between Saskatchewan and Laval in the Vanier Cup, with Laval having won both previous meetings in 2004 and 2006.
WATCH | How the 'Miracle' U of T Blues became Vanier Cup champions: