Evan Daum, Canada West Communications
CALGARY – Regardless of the outcome in the 81st Hardy Cup this Saturday, history has already been made, as the Calgary Dinos and UBC Thunderbirds meet for the third consecutive season in the Canada West football championship game.
The meeting marks the first time in conference history that the same two teams will meet three straight years, after the Canada West frontrunners split the last two meetings.
Calgary is making history of their own, as the team enters their 10th consecutive Hardy Cup. That increases the Dinos' existing mark of nine straight appearances set last season. The team has been in every Hardy Cup dating back to 2008 (72nd).
Calgary earned the the program's record 23rd trip overall to the Hardy Cup, which has been played annually since 1976, thanks to a 39-22 win last weekend against Alberta.
For UBC, the 81st Hardy Cup is the T-Birds' 20th appearance in the big game and the fourth time in program history the team has appeared in at least three consecutive Hardys (1976-79, 1981-83, and 1996-99).
When it comes to Canada West success, no two teams have been better over the last three seasons, as Calgary enters the weekend leading the way with a combined regular season record of 21-3 to go along with an overall playoff record of 5-2.
For UBC, the last three seasons have been a renaissance for the T-Birds under head coach Blake Nill, as the team has gone 15-9 in the CW regular season, while posting a playoff record of 6-1, including last week's 28-21 win over Regina in the semis.
The Thunderbirds enter the weekend on an eerily similar trajectory to their Vanier Cup winning season back in 2015, when the team went 6-2 in the regular season, hosted a CW semi, downed Calgary in the Hardy Cup and then earned wins over StFX and
Montreal to claim the national title. Much like that season, UBC has overcome a pair of September losses to play their best football of the season at the right time.
Whether UBC can follow their 2015 script in the this year's Hardy Cup remains to be seen, but what is almost guaranteed is an entertaining game.
Last year's contest was one of the best in CW playoff history, as Calgary topped UBC 46-43 in the highest scoring game in Hardy Cup history, while 2015's edition was decided by just eight points (34-26).
The winner of the 81st Hardy Cup moves on to the national semifinals, where they'll host the RSEQ champion in the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 18. The defending Vanier Cup champion Laval Rouge et Or and Montreal Carabins are vying for the Dunsmore Cup this Saturday, where the eventual Hardy Cup champion's opponent will be decided.
Click here to download the CW FB notes as a PDF.
81st Hardy Cup: UBC (7-2, U SPORTS No. 6) vs. Calgary (8-1, U SPORTS No. 4)
Saturday, Nov. 11
1 p.m. MST
McMahon Stadium – Calgary, Alta.
WATCH:
SaskTel maxTV live local channels 48/348 HD
TELUS channels 998/9998 HD
BellMTS channel 1802 HD (joined in progress, if necessary)
BIG GAME, BIG STREAK
Blake Nill just can't get enough of the Hardy Cup. The UBC head coach is making his 10th straight appearance in the game, after guiding Calgary to seven straight from 2008 to 2014. This will be his third straight with UBC, after taking over the T-Birds in 2015.
TWO FOR THREE AIN'T BAD
UBC has won two Hardy Cups over the span of three seasons twice previously since 1976. The T-Birds won the big game in 1976 & 1978, and back-to-back in 1986 and 1987. The '86 edition went on to win it all, downing Western in the Vanier Cup.
THE HARDY DECADE
Making it to the Hardy Cup has become old hat for the Dinos, who have now made it to 10 straight, hosting nine times. After winning the first six times during the streak, Calgary is 1-2 in their last three trips to the big game, with losses to Manitoba and UBC.
MITCHELL BOWL HOST
The winner of Saturday's game hosts the Mitchell Bowl next Saturday. The Dinos have hosted six national semifinals all-time (1985, 1995, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016), while UBC has hosted twice (1978, 1987). CW teams are 19-3 all-time when hosting a national semi.
HARDY CUP TITLES BY TEAM
Total / Last
Saskatchewan: 18 / 2006
Alberta: 16 / 1981
Calgary: 16 / 2016
UBC: 15 / 2015
Manitoba: 11 / 2014
Regina: 1 / 2000
SFU (CW 2002-09): 1 / 2003
*Not included in totals: UBC & AB shared
in 1962; AB, Sask. & MB shared in 1966
HARDY CUP APPEARANCES & RECORD BY TEAM
* Annual game since 1976, also played in 1968 / winning years in bold
Calgary: 23 (15-8, .652) - 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
UBC: 20 (7-13, .350) - 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017
Saskatchewan: 15 (11-4, .733) - 1976, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009
Alberta: 11 (3-8, .273) - 1968, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010
Manitoba: 10 (3-7, .300) - 1968, 1982, 1985, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014
Regina: 5 (1-4) - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2012
Simon Fraser: 2 (1-1, .500) - 2003, 2008
HARDY CUP FAST FACTS
- Overtime games: 3
- 1995 (59th): CGY 32 - SSK 30 (Calgary)
- 1992 (56th): CGY 26 - UBC 24 (UBC)
- 1988 (52nd): CGY 46 - SSK 33 (Calgary)
- Most points, single team: 62 - Calgary
- 2011 (75th): CGY 62 - UBC 13 (Calgary)
- Most points, combined: 89 - CGY/UBC:
- 2016 (80th): CGY 46 - UBC 43 (CGY)
- Fewest points, combined: 19 - ALB/UBC
- 1981 (45th): ALB 11 - UBC 8 (UBC)
- Most consecutive titles: 6, Calgary
- 2008 (72nd) to 2013 (77th)
- Most consecutive appearances: 10, CGY
- 2008 (72nd) to 2017 (81st)
- Most consecutive losses: 3, Alberta
- 2003 (67th) to 2005 (69th)
- Most consecutive matchups: 3, UBC vs. CGY
- 2015 (79th) to 2017 (81st)
- Longest stretch without appearance: 11
- SSK:1977 (41st) to 1987 (51st)
- UBC: 2000 (64th) to 2010 (74th)
- Longest Hardy Cup drought: 36, Alberta
- 1982 (46th) to 2017 (81st)