MONTREAL –Quarterback Dimitri Morand rushed for one touchdown and passed for two others as the No. 3 ranked Montreal Carabins exploded for 25 points in the opening quarter and cruised to a 31-7 victory over McGill in RSEQ university football, Saturday, before a sold-out crowd of 2,445 at Stade CEPSUM.
 
The Carabins, who improved to 3-1 atop the RSEQ conference, held their 25-0 lead through halftime and were outscored 7-6 in the second half.

U de M registered 19 first downs and 430 yards on offence, compared to 17 and 230, respectively, by McGill, which fell to 1-2. It marked Montreal's 28th consecutive victory over their cross-town rivals dating back to the last McGill win, a 58-0 decision in 2002.
 
Morand came on in early relief of starter Jonathan Senecal and promptly scored on a three-yard run just 3:58 after the opening kickoff. Then he found Carl Chabot for a 25-yard touchdown pass, to put his troops ahead 16-0 with 5:50 left in the first stanza. Morand also connected with receiver Hassane Dosso for a 12-yard TD toss on the final play of the first quarter. Dosso ended up with 88 yards on seven receptions.
 
Morand, a senior  from Aylmer, Que., completed 19 of 26 attempts for 148 yards and one interception, by freshman Agostino Giagnacovo. It was the first career pick for the defensive back from Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que.
 
That turnover led to McGill finally breaking the goose-egg on the last play of the third quarter, when rookie Benjamin-Venel Bergeron of Brossard, Que., scored his first career TD on a one-yard run, narrowing the gap to 25-7.  The speedy, 5-foot-6 running back who was making his first appearance of the season, finished with 23 yards on seven carries.
 
Redbirds quarterback Dimitrios Sinodinos had a rough day at the office. He was shaken up twice on hard hits and was sacked once, completing only five of 15 passing attempts for 81 yards.

The Redbirds offence was best portrayed by a 10-play drive midway through the second stanza, that started on the Carabins 43.  McGill ran six plays from inside the six-yard line against a dogged Carabins defence and eventually turned the ball over on downs, one yard shy from the endzone.

Sinodinos was replaced by Jacob Samuels, who directed a five-play, 39-yard drive that led to the team's only touchdown at the end of the third quarter. Samuels passed for 89 yards, completing eight of 13 attempts.
 
Carabins kicker Michael Arpin rounded out the scoring with nine points. He went 2-for-2 on field-goals, making them both in the final quarter from distances of 28 and 23 yards.

Montreal also added a couple of safety touches, both in the first quarter.
 
McGill kicker Antoine Couture converted the Redbirds lone TD. He averaged 56.0 yards on a pair of kickoffs, 38.2 on five punts and went 0-for-1 on field-goals, missing a 42-yarder.
 
The game featured a combined 21 penalties for 141 yards, including 16 infractions charged to the Carabins for 106 yards. McGill committed five turnovers, all on third-down attempts. The Carabins had two on fumbles and one on the aforementioned interception.
 
Montreal (3-1) will host Sherbrooke (1-3) on Oct. 2, while the Redbirds (1-3) will host Laval (2-2) next when they tango at Percival Molson Stadium on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. In that game, McGill will pay tribute to the late Michael Soles, a Hall of Fame running back who passed away in July.
 
REDBIRDS RAP: WR Darius Simmons reached the century mark for the second time in three outings this season. He registered 100 yards on seven receptions… RB Elijah Williams led the team in rushing with 52 yards on 10 carries. He added another 20 yards on two receptions...  Tristan Fleury paced the defence with seven tackles, including five solos, and was credited with one knockdown… Anthony Leclerc registered six tackles, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery… McGill had a 2-1 edge in QB sacks with Nicholas DeFrancisco-Paul and Jacob Lavoie collecting one apiece. The Redbirds continue to lead the league with a dozen sacks in four games… Among the scratches from the lineup due to injuries suffered in last week's Shaughnessy Cup game were three key starters, including DL Joshua Archibald, DB Benjamin Carre and OL Ludovic Morin... A 14-year-old league record held by former McGill quarterback Matt Connell, finally fell on Saturday, when Concordia pivot Olivier Roy passed for 580 yards (and five TDs) in their 42-39 overtime victory Sherbrooke. He surpassed Connell's single-game RSEQ record of 557 yards on Oct. 20, 2007. Connell's mark still ranks as the highest in a non-overtime affair.

BOXSCORE

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS


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