A classic argument among U SPORTS coaches, players, and fans is; which conference is the best? Because the U SPORTS football schedule only includes inter-conference games during the final two weeks of the national playoffs, it’s also a question that we don’t always get answered. Below is my ranking of the four U SPORTS conferences based on three variables since the year 2000; number of CFL draft picks, Vanier Cup championships, and Hec Crighton Trophy winners.
1. OUA (Ontario University Athletics)
CFL Draft Picks: 393 (Leader: Western Mustangs, 72)
Vanier Cups: 6 (Western Mustangs, 2)
Hec Crighton Winners: 12 (McMaster Marauders, 4)
The OUA tops my list for obvious statistical reasons. Since 2000, the conference has produced the most CFL draft picks, the most Hec Crighton Award winners, and the second most Vanier Cup championship teams.
Critics may argue that the conference has an unfair advantage as the OUA houses 11 football programs, six more than both the RSEQ and AUS, and five more than Canada West. This however works to the conference's advantage in my opinion.
Although the OUA is home to some programs who haven’t seen much success over the last 25 years, it also produces some great parity. Many might think Western has dominated this conference exclusively since the beginning of time, but in fact five different programs have won a Vanier Cup since 2000 (Western: two, Ottawa: one, Laurier: one, Queen's: one, McMaster: one).
It also doesn't hurt that since the turn of the millennium the OUA has produced five more Hec Crighton Award winners than Canada West, eight more than the RSEQ, and 11 more than the AUS.
2. CW (Canada West)
CFL Draft Picks: 333 (Leader: Calgary Dinos, 78)
Vanier Cups: 3 (Manitoba Bisons, UBC Thunderbirds, Calgary Dinos, T-1)
Hec Crighton Winners: 7 (Calgary Dinos, 4)
Canada West is often described as the most competitive of the U SPORTS football conferences, and that may be because each season is so unpredictable. Since 2000 there has only been seven undefeated seasons in Canada West (Calgary: three, Saskatchewan: two, Manitoba: two).
Five of the six teams in Canada West have won at least one Hardy Trophy since 2000, with the University of Alberta being the only exception. This high level of parity hasn’t translated to as many Vanier Cup championships as the RSEQ or OUA, but Canada West has proven it is a premier developer of talent.
Although the conference has five less teams than the OUA, it has produced only 60 less CFL draft picks in the last 25 years. Canada West's 333 CFL draft selections are also 111 more than that of the RSEQ since the year 2000.
3. RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec)
CFL Draft Picks: 222 (Leader: Laval Rouge et Or, 85)
Vanier Cups: 13 (Laval Rouge et Or, 11)
Hec Crighton Winners: 4 (Laval Rouge et Or, 2)
The RSEQ is definitely my most controversial choice on this list. Many would even argue that it is the best conference in the country. I have placed it behind the OUA and Canada West for one simple reason, this is a ranking of conferences not individual teams.
The RSEQ is home to the most dominant university football program in the country over the past two and a half decades, but despite the Laval Rouge et Or’s success, the rest of the conference hasn’t managed to keep up.
The RSEQ produces the third most CFL draft picks (behind the OUA and Canada West), the third most Hec Crighton Trophy winners (again behind the OUA and Canada West), and the most Vanier Cup champions.
While 13 Vanier Cup championship teams have come out of the RSEQ (double the OUA’s total and four times Canada West’s total), Laval accounts for 11 of those championships. A lack of parity definitely hurts the conference on this list.
4. AUS (Atlantic University Sport)
CFL Draft Picks: 106 (Leader: Saint Mary’s Huskies, 47)
Vanier Cups: 2 (Saint Mary’s Huskies, 2)
Hec Crighton Winners: 1 (Saint Mary’s Huskies, 1)
There’s not much to say about the ranking of the AUS, the numbers and the history of the conference over the last 25 years says it all. The Atlantic conference only holds five teams — four before Bishop’s transferred from the RSEQ in 2017.
This makes it the smallest conference in U SPORTS football historically. Despite this, the fact remains that the conference has not produced a Vanier Cup champion since 2002 or even a finalist since 2007.
With the current national playoff format unlikely to change anytime soon — a format that guarantees the AUS champion a spot in the final four every season, U SPORTS fans are definitely rooting for the AUS as a conference to become more competitive in the next 25 years.
