Dinos ranked the top football team in the nation
 Dinos made it to the Vanier Cup final game in 2009, but lost to Queens University. Photo credit: Yan DoubletFor the first time in 17 years and only days before the season, the University of Calgary Dinos were voted the top university football team in the country.
Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Tuesday that the Dinos received 21 of 32 possible first place votes in a poll conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada.
Although the poll may be a confidence booster, head coach Blake Nill isn’t cleaning out the trophy case just yet.
“It really doesn’t mean anything,” says a blunt Nill. “It’s just the opinion of a number of sports writers. The one thing it does indicate is this program here is regarded as one of the top ones in the country. That, in itself, is good news for us.”
The Dinos face off against the third ranked team in the country, the Saskatchewan Huskies, Saturday night at 7 p.m. at McMahon Stadium. Calgary and Saskatchewan were the only western Canadian teams to crack the Top 10.
 The Dinos were ranked first in the Canada West coaches' poll. Photo credit: Yan DoubletThe Huskies were listed second in the Canada West pre-season coaches’ poll, with the Dinos taking first place.
Unable to vote for his own team because a coach can’t vote for his own squad Nill did not hesitate to mark the Huskies on his ballot.
“We know what kind of game we’re in for this weekend,” says Nill. “It wouldn’t matter if we were both ranked or both unranked—this is probably the toughest game we’re going to have in the regular season.”
CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10
1. Calgary
2. Laval
3. Saskatchewan
4. Saint Mary’s
5. Ottawa
6. Wilfrid Laurier
7. Montreal
8. Queen’s
9. Western
10. McMaster
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September 2, 2010