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By Earl Zukerman

MONTREAL – The Quebec University Football League has announced the 2009 schedule and for the first time in McGill history, the Redmen will play eight different opponents, including a preseason contest at Queen's during the last weekend in August.

The first two McGill home games are slated for Friday night under the lights at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium and their last two home contests will be on Saturday afternoons.

Training camp will open on Aug. 14 and the QUFL regular season begins on Sept. 3 when the Redmen travel across Mount Royal to play the Montreal Carabins.

The official McGill home opener is set for Sept. 11 against Sherbrooke.

The annual McGill homecoming game will feature a new look with Saint Mary's, the AUS conference champions, visiting Molson Stadium on Oct. 17. The Redmen also have another interlocking game, to be played in Sackville, N.B., against the Mount Allison Mounties.

McGill's only home-and-home series will be against Bishop's, with the teams playing in Montreal on Sept. 17 and in Lennoxville on Oct. 3.

The only time that McGill and Concordia will cross paths will be on Oct. 24, when the arch-rivals meet at the Loyola campus in the 41st annual Shaughnessy Cup affair. The Redmen will close out the regular season on Halloween when they play host to the defending Vanier Cup champion Laval Rouge et Or.

A bye week for all Quebec teams is planned for the second weekend in October.

The QUFL playoffs open on Nov. 7, followed by the Dunsmore Cup championship game, Nov. 14, the Mitchell Bowl national semifinal, Nov. 21, and the Vanier Cup, Nov. 28, at Quebec City.


2009 QUFL SCHEDULE

*Mon., Aug. 28 (pre-season game)
Queen's at McGill, 7 pm

Thurs., Sept. 3
McGill at Montréal, 7 pm

Fri., Sept. 4
Bishop's at Sherbrooke, 7 pm

Sun., Sept. 6,
Concordia at Laval, 1 pm

Fri., Sept. 11
Sherbrooke at McGill, 7 pm
Laval at Bishop's, 7 pm

Sun., Sept. 13
Montréal at Concordia, 1 pm

Fri., Sept. 18,
Bishop's at McGill, 7 pm

Sat., Sept. 19
Concordia at Sherbrooke, 7 pm

Sun., Sept. 20
Montréal at Laval, 1 pm

Sat., Sept. 26
St. Francis Xavier at Concordia, 1 pm
Sherbrooke at Saint Mary’s, 1 pm
McGill at Mount Allison, 1 pm
Acadia at Montréal, 1 pm

Sun., Sept. 27
Bishop’s at Laval, 1 pm

Sat., Oct. 3
McGill at Bishop's, 1 pm
Sherbrooke at Concordia, 1 pm
Laval at Montréal, 1 pm

Sat., Oct. 10
(NOTE: bye week for all teams)

Sat., Oct. 17
Bishop's at St. Francis Xavier, 1 pm
Concordia at Acadia, 1 pm
Mount Allison at Laval, 1 pm
Saint Mary’s at McGill, 1 pm
Montréal at Sherbrooke, 4 pm

Sat., Oct. 24
Montréal at Bishop's, 1 pm
McGill at Concordia, 1 pm
Laval at Sherbrooke, 4 pm

Sat., Oct. 31
Concordia at Bishop's, 1 pm
Laval at McGill, 1 pm
*Sherbrooke at Montréal, TBA

Sat., Nov. 7,
QUFL semifinal (4th @ 1st), 12:30 pm
QUFL semifinal (3rd @ 2nd), 12:30 pm

Sat., Nov. 14
QUFL Championship (Dunsmore Cup), 12 noon

Sat., Nov. 21
CIS Semifinal (Mitchell Bowl; QSSF @ OUA), TBA

Sat., Nov. 28
CIS Championship (Vanier Cup at Quebec City), TBA



*date to be confirmed