  The cosmological implications of the Covariant Canonical Gauge Theory of
Gravity (CCGG) are investigated. CCGG is a Palatini theory derived from first
principles using the canonical transformation formalism in the covariant
Hamiltonian formulation. The Einstein-Hilbert theory is thereby extended by a
quadratic Riemann-Cartan term in the Lagrangian. Moreover, the requirement of
covariant conservation of the stress-energy tensor leads to necessary presence
of torsion. In the Friedman universe that promotes the cosmological constant to
a time-dependent function, and gives rise to a geometrical correction with the
EOS of dark radiation. The resulting cosmology, compatible with the
$\Lambda$CDM parameter set, encompasses bounce and bang scenarios with graceful
exits into the late dark energy era. Testing those scenarios against low-z
observations shows that CCGG is a viable theory.
