SHERBROOKE – McGill quarterback Matt Connell broke a Canadian university passing record and rookie kicker Austin Anderson went 5-for-5 on field goals but it wasn't enough to help the Redmen celebrate their 107th season opener.

Sherbrooke's Alain Dorval had three touchdown receptions and running back Pascal Fils rushed for two more as the Vert & Or dumped visiting McGill 45-17 before 6,132 in university football action at Sherbrooke, Saturday. Dorval snared six passes for 176 yards and Fils carried 17 times for 161 yards.

McGill led 11-7 at halftime but Sherbrooke rallied to go ahead 24-14 after three quarters. The two teams combined for 1,147 yards of net offence, including 605 to Sherbrooke.

"We're not yet at the point where we can answer back after allowing a scoring play," said second-year McGill head coach Sonny Wolfe, who is still looking for his first victory behind the McGill bench. "We moved the ball real well but I was disappointed that we allowed big plays from sloppy tackling, on plays where they appeared to be stopped."

Connell, from St. Bruno, Que., entered the game needing just five completions to break the CIS career record of 611, held since 1983 by Calgary's Greg Vavra.

Connell completed 35 of 59 passes, to destroy the CIS all-time completions mark in just 30 career contests, eight fewer than Vavra. The 59 attempts tied his own conference record for most attempts in a game. He amassed 487 yards in the air – the sixth time he has surpassed the magical 400-yard barrier – but threw a pair of costly interceptions to snuff out drives in the red-zone. 

"The record is bittersweet," said a frustrated Connell, who was sacked six times. "It means nothing if you don't win. I'd like to end my (university) career on a positive note and that means making the playoffs."

Connell's favourite receivers were Charles-Antoine Sinotte of Trois-Rivieres and Erik Galas of Ottawa. Sinotte caught eight balls for 139 yards and Galas had eight for 113.

Anderson, the 19-year-old son of NFL kicking legend Gary Anderson, accounted for 15 of McGill's 17 points and just missed the team's single-game record of six field goals, set by Glenn Miller in 1984. Anderson, who measures 5-foot-10 and 145 pounds, hit on distances of 27, 43, 21, 42 and 32. He also averaged 47.5 on two kickoffs. Last year, the Redmen became the first CIS team in 28 years to go an entire season without attempting a field goal.

Sherbrooke pivot Jean-Philippe Shoiry also put on an aerial show, passing for 414 yards and three TDs. He completed 18 of 33 attempts. Joseph Mroué tallied Sherbrooke's other major. He rushed three times for 54 yards, caught one pass for 11 yards and added 86 more yards on three kickoff returns.

McGill (0-1) will host Concordia (1-0) next Friday (Sept. 12) in the 34th annual Shaughnessy Cup game, while Sherbrooke (1-0) travels to Sackville, N.B., to play Mt. Allison (0-1).

REDMEN RAP: McGill committed six turnovers (2 interceptions, 1 fumble, 3 on downs), while Sherbrooke committed four (3 fumbles, 1 on downs)….. The game featured 92 passing attempts and took three hours and 13 minutes to play… McGill's 45-man dress roster featured a school record 21 freshmen, plus 10 sophomores, five juniors and nine seniors… The previous team high was 14 freshmen in a game last year, which McGill lost 30-25 at Bishop's… Freshman kicker Sebastien Saunders punted six times for an impressive average of 39.8... He also handled two of McGill's four kickoffs and averaged 52.0 yards per kick…  Redmen RB David Friedman, a sophomore from Westmount, Que., had 105 all-purpose yards, including 71 on six receptions and 32 more on five carries… Anthony Lukca, who led the nation in tackles last year, was tops on McGill's defensive chart with five solos... Sophomores Ben Thompson and Nicholas Intscher each registered their first-ever sack in CIS play.