SHERBROOKE -- Pier-Olivier Cadoret scored on a 40-yard touchdown run up the middle with nine seconds remaining to cap an eventful fourth quarter as Sherbrooke rallied for a 21-13 victory over visiting McGill in a key RSEQ football matchup before 3,152 at Stade de l'Université de Sherbrooke, Saturday.

It was the second TD in the final six minutes for the Vert & Or, who are now in the driver's seat for a playoff berth in the five-team Quebec conference. With only two games remaining before post-season play, Sherbrooke has a 2-4 record and owns the point-differential tie-breaker should they finish tied with McGill (1-5). However, if the Redbirds win their final two games, they can still qualify if they finish tied with Concordia (3-2) or end up in a three-way tie with the Stingers and Sherbrooke, which would be settled by point-differential.

McGill led 13-7 with just over seven minutes remaining in the game but began to unravel when Sinodinos was picked off by former teammate Jean-Philippe Hudon, who transferred to Sherbrooke after graduating from McGill last year. Five plays later, Émilio Jaimes-Leclerc hauled in a 10-yard TD pass from pivot Anthony Robichaud to give the Vert & Or a 14-13 lead with 6:01 left on the clock. Robichaud went 21-for-37, passing for 179 yards, one TD and three picks.

McGill has now suffered  three heart-breaking losses down the stretch in winnable games, including the season-opening 17-11 setback at Laval and a 36-33  overtime collapse against Concordia.

Both teams traded field-goals and safety touches in the first half, with McGill leading 3-2 after the opening quarter and Sherbrooke taking a slim 5-3 advantage into the intermission.

The Redbirds seemed in control after running back Zacharie Magnan scored on a two-yard TD scamper with 9:05 remaining in the third stanza. But then the fourth quarter blues struck McGill again as Sherbrooke outscored the visitors 16-3 down the stretch.

"We were in complete control of the game. In the first half, with only five minutes left, Sherbrooke didn't have a first down. Our offence didn't produce, we made some big plays, but we weren't able to get them into the end zone. That's what cost us the game," Redbirds head coach Ronald Hilaire told La Tribune. "We dropped some balls, including in the end zone. Credit to the Vert & Or, who stayed in the game, but we helped them stay in the game a lot. We were in control, we controlled their offence, but our offence gave them the win."

McGill generated a season-high 405 yards and collected 19 first downs but committed a costly eight turnovers, four on interceptions and four others on failed third-down gambles. By comparison, Sherbrooke mustered only 239 yards and 15 first downs along with three turnovers, all of them interceptions.

McGill receivers also dropped seven passes, two of them in the end zone. That highlighted a difficult afternoon for Redbirds quarterback Dimitrios Sinodinos, who completed 26 of 52 attempts for a career-high 393 yards but was intercepted four times. His favourite targets were Pearce Dumay (8 rec., 140 yards) and Darius Simmons (6 rec. 149 yds).

The game featured a plethora of penalties, with the Redbirds called for 13 infractions totaling 105 yards of real estate, compared to Sherbrooke's 11 flags for 100 yards.

Rounding out the scoring for the Vert & Or was place-kicker Louis Tardif, who made a 28-yard field-goal and added a pair of conversions. McGill kicker Antoine Couture tallied seven points, going 2-for-2 on field-goals from distances of 14 and 30 yards, respectively.

Sherbrooke improved to 19-10 lifetime versus McGill, including a 10-3 mark at home. The Vert & Or (2-4) play at Laval (4-2) on Oct. 17. McGill has a bye week to prepare for their revenge match with the Stingers on Oct. 23.

REDBIRDS RUMBLINGS: McGill had a 3-0 advantage in QB sacks against Sherbrooke... After six games, the Redbirds continue to lead the league in most sacks for (17) and fewest against (6)... Leading the sack attack in this game was DL Josh Archibald, LB Anthony Leclerc and LB Costa Papanikolaoua... Both Leclerc and Papanikolaoua registered interceptions along with DB Brendon Francois... DB Ryan McNally led the McGill defence in tackles with four.

BOXSCORE

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS


SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca