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Bishop's Gaiters helmet decal.1990-2000
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The University of Bishop's is located in Lennoxville, Quebec and their football program starting playing in the 1884 season, in which they were part of the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU), until they decided to leave in 1891, when they were known as Bishop's College. Bishop's career record in the QRFU was 0-4, and they decided that their students were not good enough to compete with the other schools in Quebec.3
The first significant date for the Gaiters in modern history was in the early part of the 1950s, when it was decided that their football program would now compete in the 'B' Division of the Ottawa-St. Lawrence Intercollegiate Athletic Association (OSLIAA). During Bishop's time within in OSLIAA, the university president, Mr. Odgen Glass decided to the give the athletics department the needed support to support the football program. His first order of business was to hire then McGill head coach and former Montreal Alouettes player Bruce Coulter as head coach and athletics director. With that move, the Gaiters were putting in the pieces for a successful football program. Under the guidance of Bruce Coulter, the Gaiters were finalist two times in the OSL, winning once in 1964, when they defeated Ottawa 32-12 to capture their first championship of any kind.4
Head Coach of Bishop's Bruce Coulter.1961-1987
Coulter Field, Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada
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Their next chance to win a championship was in 1966 and unfortunately for the Gaiters, the Ottawa Gee Gee's won the championship that year 36-14. Bishop's time in the OSLIAA lasted until the end of the 1966 season.After the OSLAA, a new football conference was created in 1967. Known as the Central Canada Intercollegiate Football Conference (CCIFC), this conference consisted of 12 football clubs. After the 1968 season, the 12 team conference was spilt up into an East and West division. In the East division with the Gaiters were; Sir George Williams University (SGW), Universite de Montreal, and Royal Military College (RMC) just to name a few.
Until the 1970 season, the Gaiters were 15-6, in the CCIFC. Bishop's best year in the CCIFC was in 1969 when the Gaiters were 6-0, and became the East champions for that year. In the CCIFC finals, they lost the championship game to Windsor who were winners of the West division. Nonetheless with that loss in the finals, their time in the CCIFC was a successful one.
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During the 1971 season, Bishop's University were on the move again. This time they are now part of the all Quebec football conference. Known as the Quebec University Athletic Association (QUAA), Bishop's University were part of the blue division. The other teams in that division was; Loyola, McGill, and Montreal just to name a few. In their short stay in the QUAA (Bishop stayed in the QUAA from 1971-1973), the Gaiters went 12-6 with their best season being in 1971, when the Gaiters went 6-0. Also during the 1971 season, Bishop's University entered their first ever national semi-final game known as the Western Bowl (now known as the Uteck Bowl). In that semi-final game against the Alberta Golden Bears, the Gaiters lost that game 53-2.Before the 1974 season started, the Gaiters went into their fourth conference in ten seasons. This time they were a part of the Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (OQIFC) East division. Their opponents in the East division are; Carleton, Loyola, McGill, Ottawa, UQTR, Queen's and Toronto. The Gaiters record in the OQIFC was 23-18-1, and their best season was in 1976 and in 1977 where both seasons was a 5-2 finish. In both seasons that were mentioned, Bishop's University lost to Ottawa and Queen's respectively in the championships game.
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Game roster for the 1971 Western Bowl.14 November 1971
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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In the 1980s, the East division in which the Gaiters were a part of. It is now known as the OQIFC with no division appellation. Also now in the OQIFC they have their own championship to play for now; the Dunsmore Cup.In 1984, the Gaiters went on to play for their first ever Dunsmore Cup against Queen's University, and in that championship game, Queen's held on for the victory and defeated Bishop's 37-35.
The next time in which, the Gaiters would go on and challenge for the Dunsmore Cup was two seasons later in 1986, in which the Carleton Ravens were their opponents. In that championship game, the Gaiters went on to win their first Dunsmore Cup in school history when they defeated Carleton 38-19, also this victory in the Dunsmore Cup was the school's first one since the 1964 season. With that Dunsmore Cup victory, the Gaiters next opponent was the UBC Thunderbirds in the national semi-final Churchill Bowl. In the Churchill Bowl, the UBC Thunderbirds went on to defeat Bishop's University in a close game 32-30. Even with that defeat in the Churchill Bowl, head coach, Bruce Coulter won the school's first ever Frank Tindall Award for being the best coach in CIAU football that season.
The next season in 1987 McGill and Bishop's University went on to play in the Dunsmore Cup. In the championship game McGill went on to win the Dunsmore Cup 32-16. After the game in which Bishop's University lost the Dunsmore Cup, legendary head coach Bruce Coulter retired with a 137-80-3 record.
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The following season in 1988, the Gaiters went to their third straight Dunsmore Cup. This time the Gaiters opponent was once again Queen's University. This time, not much like the previous time these two teams met in the Dunsmore Cup, the Gaiters won the Dunsmore Cup 16-7 and went on to play in the national semi-final against the Saint Mary's Huskies in the Atlantic Bowl. Much like the last time in which they were in a national semi-final game, the Gaiters lost again. This time the score was 44-10.10
Newspaper headline.11 November 1988
Credits:The Chronicle-Herald
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Roster for the 1988 Atlantic Bowl.12 November 1988
Huskies Stadium, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Bishop's next victory in the Dunsmore Cup was in 1990 when they Gaiters once again defeated Queen's University 20-9. In the Churchill Bowl that season, the Gaiters went on to play the Saskatchewan Huskies. Much like the previous two times that Bishop's University was in the national semi-final, the Gaiters lost. This time the Gaiters lost to the Huskies by a score of 41-13. The last time in which the Gaiters won the Dunsmore Cup in the 20th century was in 1994 when the Gaiters defeated McGill 14-7 and with that victory in the Dunsmore Cup, the Gaiters were once again going to the Churchill Bowl. This time their opponent in the Churchill Bowl was Western University from Ontario. Much like before, the Gaiters could not win the national semi-final. This time the Gaiters lost to Western by the score of 41-24.13
Game helmet worn in the 21st century.2000-2011
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