2000 Vanier Cup Game Recap

2000 - Ottawa 42, Regina 39

The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees captured the 36th Vanier Cup with an entertaining 42-39 victory over the University of Regina Rams in front of a crowd of 18,209 fans at Toronto's SkyDome. The Rams reached the final in only their second season in the CIS.

The game was being touted as a 'battle of the quarterbacks' and two of the nation's best, Ottawa's Phil Côté and Regina's Darryl Leason, did not disappoint.

Côté orchestrated two first quarter drives for the Gee-Gees, calling his own number both times for the score. His touchdown runs of four and three yards gave Ottawa a 14-0 opening quarter lead that they would never relinquish.

The fifth-year Ottawa pivot was near perfect for the Gee-Gees, collecting the Ted Morris Trophy as the game's MVP. Côté connected on 16 of his 18 attempts for 275 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground, Côté was his typically elusive self, scampering for another 91 yards and two TDs. Regina quarterback Darryl Leason put together some equally impressive numbers, but a 35-10 halftime deficit proved too much for his Rams.

In the losing effort, Leason rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, while going to the air for 356 yards, two TDs and two INTs. His second touchdown pass and two point conversion coming as time expired to cut Ottawa's margin of victory to three.

The 42-39 score, a combined 81-point effort, is the highest scoring regulation time game in Vanier Cup history.