Latendresse-Regimbald breaks McGill touchdown record in Redbirds’ season-opening win

MONTREAL – Quarterback Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald etched his name deeper into McGill football lore Friday night, rushing for a pair of touchdowns to set a new school career record as the Redbirds defeated the Sherbrooke Vert & Or 38-22 in the U SPORTS season opener at Percival Molson Stadium.

The senior pivot from Montreal also passed for one touchdown but scampered for TD runs of 27 and one yards. That boosted his career total to 26 rushing majors in 25 games and moved him past McGill Sports Hall of Fame inductee Thomas Barbeau, who tallied 25 in 27 contests between 1975 and 1978.
 
Latendresse-Regimbald, known around the locker room as "ELR", also excelled through the air, completing 18 of 33 passes for 327 yards, including a 42-yard connection to receiver Fabien Turcotte, who finished with 51 yards and a touchdown. Veteran wideout Darius Simmons of Lachine, Que., was his top target with 137 yards on six catches, while rookie Charles-Olivier Cyr added 58 yards on two grabs.

"It's a good start. We have a young club, sometimes there are good plays and mistakes. We're going to build on that, there are good things to be gained from it," said Régimbald-Latendresse in a post-game interview with La Tribune. 

"At no point in the game did we think it was enough; we wanted more. The Vert & Or gave us man-to-man coverage, and we took what they gave us. It's really fun to start the season with a win."
 
Running back Jerry Momo, a highly-touted freshman from Ottawa, shone in his first taste of university ball. The 2022 MVP from the Quebec CEGEP league helped put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter with a spectacular 81-yard touchdown sprint, part of his 114-yard performance on just seven carries. That score extended McGill's lead to 38-8 and ignited the crowd of nearly 1,600 on a hot August evening.
 
McGill's offence generated 22 first downs and 516 net yards, compared to Sherbrooke, which registered 14 and 187, respectively. The host squad led 7-0 after the opening quarter, stretched that to 21-8 by halftime and held a 31-8 stranglehold heading into the final quarter. 
 
The Redbirds struck early and often, building a 21-0 cushion midway through the second quarter. Turcotte set the tone with a 16-yard TD reception, followed by Latendresse-Regimbald's 27-yard dash and a one-yard plunge. Sherbrooke briefly cut into the margin before kicker Mario Dellifraine, padded the lead with a 37-yard field-goal to make it 31-8. He added five extra points during the contest.
 
On defence, McGill's front seven overwhelmed Sherbrooke's offensive line, collecting four sacks and forcing three interceptions. Strongside linebacker Mathis Pilon picked off two passes, while adding two solo tackles and a pair of assisted tackles. 

Cornerback Thomas Raphael added another pick late in the half to stall a Vert & Or drive inside Redbirds territory. Sophomore linebacker Philippe Bouthot paced all defenders with five solo tackles and two assisted. Linebacker David Gauthier-Gonzalez, a transfer from Carleton, and sophomore defensive back Justin Perron each collected a pair of sacks.
 
Sherbrooke quarterback Samuel Goulet-Ménard endured a rough night, going 11-for-21 for 100 yards with three interceptions. Backup Jeremy Fyfe added 73 yards on 8-for-13 passing and rushed for 29yards, including a two-yard TD run in the dying minutes. Running back Freud César provided Sherbrooke's other offensive major on a three-yard carry in the second quarter.
 
Latendresse-Regimbald, who merited an invite to the Montreal Alouettes' 2025 training camp through the CFL's Quarterback Internship program, further solidified his reputation as one of the program's great dual-threat quarterbacks. His latest milestone of 26 rushing TDs also closed a historical loop in McGill football. Barbeau set the original standard with 21 career rushing majors between 1975 and 1978, a mark equalled 24 years later by fullback Nick Hoffmann (1999-2002). Last season, Latendresse-Regimbald surpassed both men with his 24th rushing score, and now stands alone atop the all-time list.
 
The victory improved McGill's lifetime record against Sherbrooke to 14-21 since the Vert & Or inaugurated their program in 2003.
 
Elsewhere around the RSEQ conference this weekend, Concordia (0-0) makes the short jaunt across town to confront the Montreal Carabins (0-0) on TVA Sports, Saturday at 2 p.m. Next week, Sherbrooke (0-1) will host the Carabins on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m., while McGill (1-0) travels to Quebec City to face Laval (0-0), the defending national champs, on Aug. 30 in a 7 p.m. kickoff televised on TVA Sports.