HAMILTON - The Western Mustangs ended a 23-year Vanier Cup drought Saturday afternoon with a 39-17 victory over the Laval Rouge et Or in the U Sports football championship.
Running back Cedric Joseph scored two touchdowns and quarterback Chris Merchant ran in for a pair of TDs as the Mustangs completed a perfect 12-0 season.
Receiver Cole Majoros had the other touchdown for Western on a breezy, overcast afternoon at Tim Hortons Field.
Laval, the 2016 champion, had the best defence in the country this year but was no match for Western's top-ranked offence.
Merchant mixed things up nicely from the start, finding Joseph on a screen for a 17-yard gain and moving into the red zone with a 28-yard pass to Majoros. The QB called his own number for a 13-yard TD run at 11:28.
The Mustangs' defence held Laval quarterback Hugo Richard to just 13 passing yards in the opening quarter.
