THE CANADIAN PRESS
QUEBEC — The Laval Rouge et Or are headed to the Vanier Cup after Saturday’s dramatic victory over Western.
Canada’s top-ranked university football team won the Uteck Bowl 13-11 over the second-ranked Mustangs in a game that came down to the final snap.
The Rouge et Or took the lead late in the fourth quarter on a field goal with 1:46 remaining, followed by a single on a punt that trickled through the end zone.
Western kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, who hit a spectacular 47-yard field goal in the third quarter, fell short on a 46-yard attempt with two seconds left in the game.
"We won a very close game today, but we put on our helmets and we went to war," said defensive tackle Marc-Antoine Beaudoin-Cloutier.
Laval now moves on to face Calgary in the Vanier Cup next Saturday after the Dinos thumped Saint Mary’s 35-8. The game will be played on the Rouge et Or’s home field at PEPS Stadium.
The Mustangs, known for their strong running game, gave the much-vaunted Laval defence all it could handle.
Running backs Jerimy Hipperson and Nathan Riva both offered solid performances for the losing side.
Laval kicker Christopher Milo was named player of the game, scoring all of his team’s points in the low-scoring affair.
After missing his first field goal, Milo was perfect on his next four tries of 24, 11, 34 and 29 yards, even though the cold weather made kicking difficult.
"We showed a lot of character in this game, that’s for sure," Milo said.
"The ball was hard, it doesn’t travel as far in the cold. But it’s not important, what we all want now is to put the cherry on the cake next week (at the Vanier Cup)."
Rouge et Or quarterback Bruno Prud’homme showcased his mobility and surgical-precision passing in the win.
He took a hard hit late in the fourth quarter that knocked his helmet off, but stayed in the game.
Western pivot Donnie Marshall scored the game’s only touchdown with 15 seconds remaining in the first half, giving the Mustangs an 8-6 lead at the break.
But the Rouge et Or clawed back in the second half.
"It went well, we made the big plays and capitalized on penalties," said defensive tackle Marc-Antoine Fortin.
An estimated 16,000 fans turned out for the game on a chilly day in Quebec City.
The win was Laval’s 43rd straight at home.
The victory means the Rouge et Or will play in the Vanier Cup for the sixth time, where they have yet to lose in the championship game.
The only undefeated team in the country, Laval won its eighth-straight Quebec title last Saturday with a victory against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.