Laval Rouge et Or win Vanier Cup

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KINGSTON, Ont. — Arnaud Desjardins had 320 passing yards and Felipe Forteza booted six field goals to lead the Laval Rouge et Or to a 22-17 victory over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in the Vanier Cup on Saturday.

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It was the record 12th Canadian university football title for the Quebec champions, who handed the Ontario champion Golden Hawks their first loss of the year.

Ryan Hughes and Jaxon Stebbings caught touchdown passes for Laurier.

Golden Hawks quarterback Taylor Elgersma won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the outstanding U Sports football player earlier in the week but it was Desjardins who shone early on a breezy, chilly afternoon at Richardson Stadium.

Desjardins, a finalist for the award, completed his first 22 pass attempts. Forteza split the uprights five times in the first half to help Laval take a 17-7 lead into the intermission.

Forteza’s sixth field goal with 2:31 left in the game set a Vanier Cup record. The Golden Hawks had to punt on their next possession and were pinned in their own end when they got the ball back in the dying seconds.

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Laurier had an 8-0 record in the regular season and outscored its opposition 128-76 over its first three playoff wins. Laval entered at 10-1 overall (7-1, 3-0) and was coming off two close victories over the last two weeks.

A near-capacity crowd at the 8,000-seat Queen’s University venue appeared to be an even split of Laurier and Laval supporters on opposite sides of the field.

The weather cooperated after two days of showers in the area. It was cloudy and 8 C at kickoff.

Desjardins marched the Rouge et Or deep into Laurier territory on Laval’s first possession before settling for an 18-yard field goal by Forteza.

Laval used a no-huddle offence in the early going with Desjardins frequently using dump passes to great effect. The Rouge et Or used a nine-play, 63-yard drive that ended with a Forteza chip shot from 15 yards out.

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The potent Rouge et Or defence, which led U Sports with just 106 points allowed in the regular season, made an early statement as Jordan Lessard forced a fumble from Elgersma that the Golden Hawks recovered. On the next play, Ndeki Garant-Doumambila walloped the Laurier pivot with a ferocious sack.

Laurier didn’t record a first down until late in the first quarter. Laval had a 128-39 edge in total yards over the first 15 minutes.

Laval’s special-teams play was also on point. Forteza booted a 73-yard punt and the Rouge et Or coverage swarmed returner Tayshaun Jackson, forcing him down at the Laurier one-yard line.

The Golden Hawks would concede a safety to make it 8-0. Forteza added to the lead at 7:01 with a 35-yard field goal.

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Jackson gave Laurier some life when he broke for a 51-yard run to the Laval five-yard line. Hughes took a shovel pass from Elgersma and sprinted for the corner of the end zone to put the Golden Hawks on the scoreboard.

Desjardins guided the Laval offence on a 46-yard drive capped by a 32-yard field goal by Forteza with 2:33 left in the half.

Laurier’s ensuing possession was a short one as Lessard forced another fumble and Jackson lost the ball at his 42-yard line. Forteza’s 32-yard kick made it 17-7.

The Golden Hawks came out with more jump in the third quarter.

Elgersma found Ethan Jordan for a 45-yard reception to highlight a 93-yard drive capped by Stebbings’ three-yard TD catch and Dawson Hodge’s conversion.

Laval took a 19-14 lead when Laurier conceded a safety to open the fourth quarter. Hodge made it a two-point game when he hit a 34-yard field goal with 8:26 left.

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With 4:57 remaining, Laval’s Loic Brodeur forced a fumble at midfield. He knocked the ball out of Elgersma’s hands and Garant-Doumambila recovered.

The Golden Hawks beat Queen’s 29-21 before topping Western 51-31 to win the Ontario championship. Laurier looked just as strong on the road, handing the Atlantic champion Bishop’s Gaiters their first loss of the year with a 48-24 rout.

Laval’s route to the Vanier Cup started with a comfortable 41-18 win over Concordia. The Rouge et Or then beat the 2023 Vanier champion Montreal Carabins 22-17 for the Quebec title before earning a 17-14 road win over the Canada West champion Regina Rams.

The Golden Hawks fell to 2-4 all-time in the national championship game. Laval, which improved to 12-2 all-time, last won the title in 2022.

The Rouge et Or had won both previous meetings against the Golden Hawks. The victories – in 2004 and 2016 – came in the Uteck Bowl at Quebec City.

The 2025 Vanier Cup will be played in Regina.

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