If you’re a passionate believer in the importance of B.C.’s annual crosstown university football rivalry, you’re no doubt thirsty for the return of the Shrum Bowl.
Well, the dryspell continues, and as both the UBC Thunderbirds and Simon Fraser Clan officially released their 2017 schedules Tuesday, that drought reached a record-setting seventh straight season since the series began with a 32-13 Clan win on Oct. 16, 1967 at old Empire Stadium.
Not that anyone needed an official schedule release to confirm the absence of the game, but seven straight years of no Shrum Bowl eclipses the six straight years the games was not played from 1972-77. The Shrum Bowl was also absent for four straight seasons from 1983-86, and cancelled in 1994.
This season, both teams will open their seasons over the Labour Day weekend.
UBC will play at Regina on Sept. 1 in its Canada West U Sports opener, while NCAA Div. 2 SFU travels to Phoenix on Sept. 2 to meet the NAIA’s Arizona Christian in a non-conference clash.
Both teams play their home opener on Sept. 9, each kicking off at 1 p.m.
Manitoba plays UBC at Thunderbird Stadium while across town, Simon Fraser stays out of conference against Texas A&M Kingsville in the first of its five home games. The Clan will play all of its home games this season at Terry Fox Field on the Clan’s Burnaby Mountain campus, making a full-time return from Swangard Stadium.
When could a potential Shrum Bowl have been played this season, providing the Clan were able to gain an exemption from the NCAA?
The Aug. 25-26 weekend could have opened the season for both teams, giving SFU the option to have taken a bye week in one of two weekends which followed prior to the start of Great Northwest Athletic Conference league play on Sept. 16.
NCAA Div. 1’s FBS and FCS ranks both open their seasons on Aug. 26, although no one from Div. 2 of Div. 3 plays until the following week.
UBC for the past two seasons under head coach Blake Nill, has played an exhibition game the weekend before its conference opener.
UBC’s conference-wide bye week happens Oct. 7, while Simon Fraser takes its bye week on Oct. 14.
Here’s the full regular-season schedules for both teams:
UBC THUNDERBIRDS
Sept. 1 — UBC at Regina
Sept. 9 — Manitoba at UBC
Sept. 16 — Saskatchewan at UBC
Sept. 23 — UBC at Alberta
Sept. 29 — Calgary at UBC
Oct. 7 — bye
Oct. 14 — UBC at Saskatchewan,
Oct. 21 — UBC at Manitoba
Oct. 28 — Regina at UBC
SIMON FRASER CLAN
Sept. 1 — Simon Fraser at Arizona Christian*
Sept. 9 — Texas A&M Kingsville at Simon Fraser*
Sept. 16 — Simon Fraser at Humboldt State
Sept. 23 — Azusa Pacific at Simon Fraser
Sept. 30 — Simon Fraser at Central Washington
Oct. 7 — Western Oregon at Simon Fraser
Oct. 14 — Simon Fraser bye
Oct. 21 — Simon Fraser at Azusa Pacific
Oct. 28 — Humboldt State at Simon Fraser
Nov. 4 — Central Washington at Simon Fraser
Nov. 11 — Simon Fraser at Western Oregon
(x-indicates non-conference game)
COMBINED UBC-SFU SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 — UBC at Regina, Simon Fraser at Arizona Christian*
Sept. 9 — Manitoba at UBC, Texas A&M Kingsville at Simon Fraser*
Sept. 16 — Saskatchewan at UBC, Simon Fraser at Humboldt State
Sept. 23 — UBC at Alberta, Azusa Pacific at Simon Fraser
Sept. 29 — Calgary at UBC
Sept. 30 — Simon Fraser at Central Washington
Oct. 7 — Western Oregon at Simon Fraser, UBC bye
Oct. 14 — UBC at Saskatchewan, Simon Fraser bye
Oct. 21 — Simon Fraser at Azusa Pacific, UBC at Manitoba
Oct. 28 — Regina at UBC, Humboldt State at Simon Fraser
(x-indicates non-conference game)
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