2005 – Laurier 24, Saskatchewan 23
Fifth-year kicker Brian Devlin of Sarnia, Ont. booted a 32-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining in the game to lead the third-ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (12-0) to a 24-23 victory over the No. 2 Saskatchewan Huskies (11-1) in front of a crowd of 16,827 at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Laurier, the 10th team in history and the first since Saint Mary's in 2001 to complete a perfect season, captures its second Vanier Cup in five CIS final appearances. The Hawks, first crowned in 1991 following a 25-18 victory over Mount Allison, are the first team from the OUA to claim the CIS banner since Western Ontario in 1994.
The Huskies lose in the CIS championship game for the third time in four years. Saskatchewan, which lost 7-1 to Laval a year ago, was also defeated by Saint Mary's in 2002.
Fifth-year quarterback Ryan Pyear of Belleville, Ont. claimed the Ted Morris Trophy as Desjardins Vanier Cup MVP. Pyear, who orchestrated an 11-play, 45-yard drive that took two minutes and seven seconds to set up the winning field goal, completed 20 of 30 passes for 254 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
The 2005 first-team all-Canadian pivot completes the campaign with 28 passing majors and only five interceptions in 12 outings.
"What a fantastic way for the seniors to end their careers," said Pyear. "This is a dream come true. To think that only three years ago we were 1-7, this is simply unbelievable."
Down 23-21, the Hawks got the ball back at their own 40-yard line with 2:26 left. The turning point in the game came moments later when, facing third-and-16 at midfield, Pyear completed a 17-yard pass to Dante Luciani (Oakville, Ont.) to keep the winning drive alive.
After trailing since the sixth minute of the second quarter, the Huskies took a 16-15 lead 2:19 into the fourth frame on a 41-yard field goal by Braden Suchan (Humboldt, Sask.). David Stevens increased the lead to 23-15 six minutes later when he scampered on 85 yards all the way to the end zone.
Laurier responded with a score of its own with 2:53 left on the clock on a 10-yard pass from Pyear to Bryon Hickey (Burlington, Ont.), but the ensuing two-point convert attempt failed, leaving the Hawks two points short.
However, holding the ball at its 35-yard line, Saskatchewan was only able to take 27 seconds off the clock before it was forced to punt the ball back to the Hawks.
"I am so proud of these guys," said Hawks head coach Gary Jeffries, named OUA coach of the year in each of his three seasons at the helm. "We said all season that after last year's loss in the Uteck Bowl our only goal was to win the Vanier Cup, and we made it happen."
"These guys showed so much character," continued Jeffries. "When we missed the two-point convert, we could have been down. But our defence stepped up once again, and we kept fighting."
Third-year Hawks defensive end David Montoya of Burlington, Ont. was awarded the Bruce Coulter Trophy as defensive MVP after tallying two tackles, including a quarterback sack.
Fifth-year running back Nick Cameron of Waterloo, Ont. led the ground attack with 115 yards on 24 carries. He scored on a five-yard passing play 6:29 into the third period to give Laurier a 15-7 advantage.
Andy Baechler (Ayr, Ont.) scored the other Laurier major on a 23-yard pass in the second quarter.
The Canada West Hec Crighton Trophy nominee, Stevens, who missed last year's Vanier Cup with a knee injury, was all over the field in the losing effort for the Huskies, finishing the game with 193 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He also caught four passes for 47 yards and a major.
The fifth-year back from Moose Jaw, Sask. is the seventh player in history to tally three touchdowns in the Vanier Cup, one shy of the CIS final mark. His 193 rushing yards and 240 total offensive yards both rank fourth in Vanier Cup history. Stevens ends the campaign with a CIS-high 22 touchdowns, including 19 on the ground, in 12 outings.
Fifth-year quarterback Steve Bilan of Saskatoon was 15-of-30 for 226 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.