Alberta Golden Bears football

The Alberta Golden Bears football team represents the University of Alberta in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Golden Bears have been in competition since 1910 and the team has won three Vanier Cup national championships, in 1967, 1972, and most recently in 1980. The Golden Bears have also won 18 Hardy Cup conference titles, second only to the Saskatchewan Huskies who have won 19 of them. The Golden Bears have also had three players win the Hec Crighton Trophy, with Mel Smith winning in 1971, Brian Fryer winning in 1975, and most recently Ed Ilnicki winning the award in 2017.

The Golden Bears vs the Saskatchewan Huskies football team in 2008.

In the 2000s, the Golden Bears had seen mixed results as the team made the playoffs in five of ten seasons between 2001 and 2010. In four of those seasons, Alberta reached the Hardy Cup, but came away with losses each time. Despite playing in the Hardy Cup in 2010, the Golden Bears finished winless in 2011 following the resignation of longtime head coach Jerry Friesen. UBC defaulted two wins to Alberta that year, but the following season was once again winless as the Golden Bears finished at the bottom of the standings. The Golden Bears saw improvement in 2014 by posting a 3-5 record, but finished fifth and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The program saw further regression in 2015 and 2016, posting just two and one win seasons, respectively.

In 2017, the Golden Bears returned to the playoffs following a six-year absence by qualifying in the last week of the season by defeating the powerhouse Calgary Dinos and finishing 3-5. Because UBC and Manitoba finished with 2-6 records, the Golden Bears finished in fourth place and in playoff position, led by the strong play of Hec Crighton Trophy winner, Ed Ilnicki. The team lost the Canada West Semi-Final to the same Dinos by a score of 39-22. In the following year, the team was once again out of the playoffs, finishing 2-6, which included a default win after the Regina Rams had to forfeit a victory due to the use of an ineligible player.

Alberta is 4-1 in national semi-final games and 3-3 in the Vanier Cup.

• Hec Crighton Trophy: Mel Smith (1971), Brian Fryer (1975), Ed Ilnicki (2017)
• J. P. Metras Trophy: Gerry Inglis (1976), Dave Willox (1978), Garret Everson (1998)
• Presidents' Trophy: Mark Singer (1989), Josiah Schakel (2021)
• Peter Gorman Trophy: Jeff Funtasz (1984)
• Russ Jackson Award: Sam Stetsko (1997), Carlo Panaro (1999, 2000), Chevy Thomas (2025)
• Frank Tindall Trophy: Jim Donlevy (1971), Jerry Friesen (2004)

As of the end of the 2025 CFL season, 12 former Golden Bears players were on CFL teams' rosters:

• Ty Anderson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

• Mack Bannatyne, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

• David Beard, Edmonton Elks

• Tyshon Blackburn, Toronto Argonauts

• Rodeem Brown, Calgary Stampeders

• Jayden Dalke, Saskatchewan Roughriders

• Mark Korte, Edmonton Elks

• Justin Lawrence, Montreal Alouettes

• Carter O'Donnell, Edmonton Elks

• Matthew Peterson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

• Morgen Runge, Saskatchewan Roughriders

• Josiah Schakel, Edmonton Elks

• Official website