2023 U Sports football season | |
---|---|
League | U Sports |
Sport | Canadian football |
Duration | August 25, 2023 – October 28, 2023 |
Playoffs | |
Hardy Cup champions | UBC Thunderbirds |
Yates Cup champions | Western Mustangs |
Dunsmore Cup champions | Montreal Carabins |
Loney Bowl champions | St. Francis Xavier X-Men |
Mitchell Bowl champions | UBC Thunderbirds |
Uteck Bowl champions | Montreal Carabins |
Vanier Cup | |
Date | November 25, 2023 |
Venue | Richardson Memorial Stadium (Kingston, Ontario) |
Champions | Montreal Carabins |
The 2023 U Sports football season began on August 25, 2023, with the defending champion Laval Rouge et Or visiting the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. On the following day, ten Ontario University Athletics teams, four Atlantic University Sport teams, and two RSEQ opened their schedules on August 26, 2023.[1][2][3] On the following weekend, the six Canada West teams opened their seasons on September 1, 2023.[4]
The conference championships were played on the weekend of November 11, 2023, and the season concluded on November 25, 2023, with the 58th Vanier Cup championship. The Vanier Cup game was held at Richardson Memorial Stadium in Kingston, Ontario, for the first time in its history.[5] 27 university teams in Canada played U Sports football, the highest level of amateur Canadian football.[6]
On September 23, 2023, Manitoba Bisons kicker Maya Turner became the first woman to play in a U Sports regular season football game. She kicked the game winning field goal in overtime for the Bisons in their game against the Regina Rams.[7]