1997 Churchill Bowl: uOttawa 44, Waterloo 37

We've just reached 1997 in recording uOttawa's football results and in some ways, it feels like a waste of time to include this season. 

It's not for lack of success. The team was quite good, generating a 6-2 regular season record and reaching (though losing) the Vanier Cup. But at the conclusion of the season, they came under scrutiny for accusations of running a "dirty" program.

A complaint against them had been submitted to rival Carleton, who then passed it on to the CIAU, and it triggered an investigation of the program. They'd recently had players suspended for steroid use so it was believed that the complaint revolved around that sort of activity.

Ultimately, six months later, head coach Larry Ring was cleared but the school was slapped with sanctions for using two academically ineligible players. The players are not identified in the April 26th, 1998, Ottawa Citizen, but it is stated that one participated in three games and the other in less than half the season.  All 1997 victories were forfeited, including the playoff games, and the team became ineligible for top ten rankings for the next two seasons, among other forms of punishment.

Too bad because the 1997 Churchill Bowl was an exciting back and forth affair in the snow that might well have become a classic. 

Head Coach Larry Ring resigned in July 1998 but it was claimed that the sanctions had nothing to do with his decision to leave. He would be replaced by Marcel Bellefeuille who would not only maintain the level of quality of the program but surpass it by leading his team to a national championship in 2000.