The 2017 U Sports football season began on August 25 with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men visiting the Saint Mary's Huskies in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Montreal Carabins visiting the Concordia Stingers in Montreal, Quebec.
[1][2] The season concluded on November 25 with the 53rd Vanier Cup championship at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario.
It also marked the first time since 1990 that the AUS had more than four teams, when the University College of Cape Breton played for one season before disbanding.
The OUA will begin play on August 26, 2017, with the Carleton Ravens visiting the Queen's Gaels at Richardson Memorial Stadium.
The regular season will conclude on October 21, 2017, with the Yates Cup championship game taking place three weeks later on November 11, 2017.
On January 23, 2017, the schedule changes for the AUS were revealed, with the conference opening the season two weeks earlier than usual on Friday August 25 with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men visiting the Saint Mary's Huskies.
Montreal and Concordia would only play sevens games as a result and winning percentage would be counted in the standings as opposed to point totals.
If teams are tied in the standings based on win percentage, head-to-head results would be used as a second tie-breaker.
[13] On November 9, 2017, Atlantic University Sport announced that the Saint Mary's team had been disqualified due to an undisclosed eligibility violation, and that the Loney Bowl had been cancelled.
Saint Mary's wide receiver Archelaus Jack had been on the practice roster of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders until October 11, 2016.