Manitoba Bisons football

The Manitoba Bisons football team represents the University of Manitoba in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The program was the first of four U Sports football teams to have won back-to-back Vanier Cup championships, having won in 1969 and 1970. In total, the Bisons have won three Vanier Cup national championships and 11 Hardy Trophy conference championships.

Manitoba Bisons
Manitoba Bisons logo
First season	1920
Athletic director	Coleen Dufresne
Head coach	Stan Pierre 1st year, –
Other staff	Vaughan Mitchell (OC)
Home stadium	IG Field
Year built	2013
Stadium capacity	33,234
Stadium surface	Turf
Location	Winnipeg, Manitoba
League	U Sports
Conference	CWUAA (1964 - present)
All-time record	196–233–4 (.457)
Postseason record	–
Titles
Vanier Cups	3, (1969, 1970, 2007)
Mitchell Bowls	1, (2007)
Churchill Bowls	3, (1969, 1970, 2001)
Hardy Cups	11, (1923, 1924, 1927, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 2001, 2007, 2014)
Hec Crighton winners	0
Current uniform
Colours	Brown and Gold
Outfitter	Nike
Rivals	Saskatchewan Huskies
Website	gobisons.ca

Notable history

In 2007, the Bisons' football team won the Vanier Cup as the national champions in Canadian Interuniversity football, the first for the school in 37 years. Pat Gill, the manager then, was the manager for 40 years and was with the team during the 1969 and 1970 Vanier Cup teams. A big factor in the 2007 Vanier Cup was the injury to running back Matt Henry, who suffered a broken femur in three places and severe muscle damage. However, in the end, kicker and punter Scott Dixon converted on all but one of his field goals and pinned the Saint Mary's Huskies deep several times. Dixon, in his rookie year, was tied for second all-time for most field goals in a game.^[1]

Maya Turner became the first woman to play in any U Sports regular season football game, on September 23, 2023, as a Manitoba Bisons kicker. She kicked the game winning field goal in overtime for the Bisons in their game against the Regina Rams.^[2]

The Bisons were led by head coach, Brian Dobie, who served as the team's head coach from 1996 to 2024.^[3] Stan Pierre, who served as the team's defensive coordinator since 1999, was named head coach on January 16, 2025.^[4]

Recent season results

Season	Games	Won	Lost	T/OTL	PCT	PF	PA	Standing	Playoffs
2000	8	6	1	1	0.813	279	138	1st in CW	Defeated UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 14–4 Lost to Regina Rams in Hardy Cup 25–22
2001	8	7	1	0	0.875	302	91	1st in CW	Defeated Calgary Dinos in semi-final 31–10 Defeated Regina Rams in Hardy Cup 23–17 Defeated McMaster Marauders in Churchill Bowl 27–6 Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in 37th Vanier Cup 42–16
2002	8	8	0	0	1.000	271	119	1st in CW	Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 37–18
2003	8	3	5	0	0.375	172	249	6th in CW	Out of playoffs
2004	8	3	5	0	0.375	191	237	5th in CW	Out of playoffs
2005	8	4	3	1	0.563	228	172	3rd in CW	Lost to Alberta Golden Bears in semi-final 33–24
2006	8	8	0	0	1.000	363	143	1st in CW	Defeated Regina Rams in semi-final 44–29 Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Hardy Cup 32–15
2007	8	8	0	-	1.000	206	110	1st in CW	Defeated Calgary Dinos in semi-final 27–5 Defeated Regina Rams in Hardy Cup 48–5 Defeated Western Ontario Mustangs in Mitchell Bowl 52–20 Defeated Saint Mary's Huskies in 43rd Vanier Cup 28–14
2008	8	3	5	-	0.375	126	160	5th in CW	Out of playoffs
2009[A]	7	2	5	-	0.286	164	203	6th in CW	Out of playoffs
2010	8	2	6	-	0.250	160	295	5th in CW	Out of playoffs
2011	8	3	5	-	0.375	214	218	5th in CW	Out of playoffs
2012	8	4	4	-	0.500	282	306	4th in CW	Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 57–18
2013	8	5	3	-	0.625	335	274	2nd in CW	Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 37–36 Lost to Calgary Dinos in Hardy Cup 43–28
2014	8	4	4	-	0.500	290	247	3rd in CW	Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 47–39 Defeated Calgary Dinos in Hardy Cup 27–15 Lost to Montreal Carabins in Uteck Bowl 29–26
2015	8	5	3	-	0.625	284	253	3rd in CW	Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 52–10
2016	8	3	5	-	0.375	276	323	5th in CW	Out of playoffs
2017	8	2	6	-	0.250	180	289	6th in CW	Out of playoffs
2018	8	3	5	-	0.375	195	225	4th in CW	Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 37–13
2019	8	4	4	-	0.500	221	242	4th in CW	Lost to Calgary Dinos in semi-final 47–46
2020	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	6	4	2	–	0.667	138	124	2nd in CW	Defeated Alberta Golden Bears in semi-final 43–17 Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in Hardy Cup 45–17
2022	8	4	4	–	0.500	232	217	4th in CW	Lost to Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 37–9
2023	8	3	5	–	0.375	203	272	4th in CW	Lost to UBC Thunderbirds in semi-final 29–21
2024	8	7	1	–	0.875	251	204	1st in CW	Lost to Regina Rams in semi-final 28–25

^ A. Manitoba forfeited two wins for using an ineligible player. Simon Fraser also used an ineligible player in a Manitoba loss, so the game was declared "no contest".

National postseason results

Vanier Cup Era (1965-current)

Year	Game	Opponent	Result
1968	Churchill Bowl	Queen's	L 6-29
1969	Churchill Bowl Vanier Cup	Windsor McGill	W 41-7 W 24-15
1970	Churchill Bowl Vanier Cup	Queen's Ottawa	W 24-20 W 38-11
1973	Churchill Bowl	McGill	L 0-16
2001	Churchill Bowl Vanier Cup	McMaster Saint Mary's	W 27-6 L 16-42
2007	Mitchell Bowl Vanier Cup	Western Saint Mary's	W 52-20 W 28-14
2014	Uteck Bowl	Montreal	L 26-29

Manitoba is 4-3 in national semi-final games and 3-1 in the Vanier Cup.

Head coaches

Name	Years	Notes
Unknown	1920–1967
Henry Janzen	1968–1970
Unknown	1971–1995
Brian Dobie	1996–2024
Stan Pierre	2025–present

National award winners

• J. P. Metras Trophy: Bart Evans (1974), Jason Rauhaus (1991), Israel Idonije (2002), David Onyemata (2015), Giordano Vaccaro (2024)
• Presidents' Trophy: Joey Mikawoz (2000), D. J. Lalama (2016)
• Peter Gorman Trophy: Domenic Zagari (1991)
• Russ Jackson Award: Thomas Hall (2009, 2010), Cameron Teschuk (2016), Mark Rauhaus (2023)
• Frank Tindall Trophy: Henry Janzen (1969), Brian Dobie (2001)
• Gino Fracas Award: Richard Urbanovich (2005), Vaughan Mitchell (2023)

^[5]

Manitoba Bisons in professional football

As of the end of the 2024 CFL season, four former Bisons players are on CFL teams' rosters:

• Gavin Cobb, Edmonton Elks
• Nic Demski, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Brock Gowanlock, Montreal Alouettes
• Landon Rice, Toronto Argonauts
• Zack Williams, Calgary Stampeders

^[6]

In the 2016 NFL draft, David Onyemata became the first Bison to be drafted into the National Football League, being selected in the 4th round, 120th overall by the New Orleans Saints. As of the start of the 2024 NFL season, he is on the active roster of the Atlanta Falcons.^[7]