43rd Vanier Cup

{{Infobox Canadian football game

| number = 43

| type = Vanier Cup

| image =Vanier_Cup_(2071946530).jpg

| date = November 23, 2007

| stadium = Rogers Centre

| city = Toronto

| visitor name = Saint Mary's Huskies

| home name = Manitoba Bisons

| visitor coach = Steve Sumarah

| home coach = Brian Dobie

| visitor record = 7–1

| home record = 8–0

| visitor1 = 7

| visitor2 = 1

| visitor3 = 0

| visitor4 = 6

| home1 = 6

| home2 = 7

| home3 = 10

| home4 = 5

| MVP = Mike Howard, Manitoba CB

| MV2 = John Makie, Manitoba QB

| anthem =

| referee =

| coin toss =

| halftime =

| attendance = 26,787

| network = The Score/The Score HD

| announcers =

| ratings =

}}

The 43rd Vanier Cup was played on November 23, 2007, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, and decided the CIS Football champion for the 2007 season.{{cite web|author=Canadian Interuniversity Sport |url=http://www.tsn.ca/cis/news_story/?ID=143308 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929174438/http://www.tsn.ca/cis/news_story/?ID=143308 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-09-29 |title=TSN : CIS - Canada's Sports Leader |date=2005-11-16 |access-date=2019-07-04}} The Manitoba Bisons completed a perfect season by defeating the Saint Mary's Huskies by a score of 28-14, finishing with a 12-0 record. The Huskies were without Hec Crighton Trophy winner Erik Glavic, who injured his knee a week earlier in the Uteck Bowl.{{cite web|url=https://www.pbase.com/goldengaelsphotos/20071123_vanier_cup_game|title=Password Protected Gallery|website=www.pbase.com}}

Game summary

Saint Mary's Huskies (14) - TDs, Fraser O'Neill, Shawn White; singles, Justin Palardy (1); cons., Justin Palardy (1).

Manitoba Bisons (28) - TDs, Steve Gronick, John Makie; FGs Scott Dixon (4); cons., Scott Dixon (2); safety touch (1).

=Scoring summary=

;First Quarter

:SMU - TD O'Neill 13 pass from Abraham (Palardy convert) (5:22)

:MAN - FG Dixon 40 (11:50)

:MAN - FG Dixon 27 (15:00)

;Second Quarter

:MAN - TD Gronick 39 pass from Makie (Dixon convert) (6:04)

:SMU - Single Palardy missed 30 yard field goal attempt (9:35)

;Third Quarter

:MAN - TD Makie 6 rush (Dixon kick) (4:41)

:MAN - FG Dixon 32 (11:59)

;Fourth Quarter

:MAN - FG Dixon 33 (00:54)

:SMU - TD White 8 pass from Abraham (Two-point convert failed) (3:35)

:MAN - Team Safety (10:26)

=Notable game facts=

  • The Manitoba Bisons became the 11th team in CIS history to claim the Vanier Cup after an undefeated season.
  • The Vanier Cup and the Grey Cup were played two days apart in the same stadium, with both games featuring teams from Winnipeg.
  • This was the seventh consecutive Vanier Cup game that featured a team nicknamed "Huskies."
  • Manitoba CB Mike Howard had three interceptions and won the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as game defensive MVP award.
  • Manitoba QB John Makie finished the game passing 16-of-31 for 261 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, and also scored on a six-yard touchdown run, and was awarded the Bruce Coulter Trophy as game offensive MVP award.
  • Manitoba RB Matt Henry suffered a grotesque leg injury in the first quarter. It was later diagnosed as a broken femur.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS8AdZNlKoI|title=Ouch - Football Broken Leg|date=November 24, 2007|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}

References

{{Reflist}}