Bishop’s Gaiters top annual AUS pre-season coaches’ poll

(HALIFAX, NS) The Bishop's Gaiters and the Saint Mary's Huskies are the teams to beat heading into the 2021 season according to AUS's head football coaches.

The Atlantic conference's newest team, the Gaiters, who joined the conference in 2017, placed first in the fourth annual poll released today, receiving 14 points.

The Huskies followed closely in second place with 12 points.

The Mount Allison Mounties, Acadia Axemen and STFX X-Men finished in a three-way tie for third place, with eight points each.

This marks the fourth year for the AUS football pre-season coaches' poll, which is voted on by the league's five head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

Since joining the AUS conference, the Bishop's Gaiters have climbed from the bottom—finishing in last place in their first two seasons—to second place in the regular season standings in 2019 with a 4-4 record. The Gaiters then earned a win the conference semifinal to face the Acadia Axemen in the 2019 Subway AUS Loney Bowl, where their successful run was ultimately ended.

The Gaiters received two first-place votes in the coaches' poll.

Big things are expected from the Saint Mary's Huskies this season, who also received two first-place votes in the poll. The Huskies narrowly missed the postseason in 2019, finishing in a tie for third place with a 3-5 record but were edged out of the playoffs by the Mount Allison Mounties due to AUS tie-breaking rules.

The Mount Allison Mounties received one first-place vote in the poll. After finishing third in the 2019 regular season standings with a 3-5 record, the Mounties' season was ended by the Gaiters in the AUS semifinal game.

The defending AUS champion Acadia Axemen return to the pitch after having managed an undefeated 8-0 regular season in 2019, followed by a commanding 31-1 win over the Gaiters in the conference's championship game.

The STFX X-Men are looking to redeem themselves after placing last in the 2019 season with a 2-6 record. Prior to their 2019 challenges, the X-Men captured three of the past five AUS championship titles in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

2021 AUS Football Pre-season Coaches' Poll

(First-place votes in parentheses):

The 2021 regular season gets underway this weekend with a pair of games. The Huskies play host to the X-Men in the season opener Friday evening at 7 p.m. ADT in Halifax, N.S., while the Mounties host the Acadia Axemen Saturday at 2 p.m. ADT in Sackville, N.B.

The Bishop's Gaiters have a bye in week 1.

For the full 2021 AUS football schedule, click here.

All games will also be webcast live at www.AUStv.ca.