Guelph, ON - On Saturday, November 7th the No. 5-ranked Guelph Gryphons will play host to the No. 10-ranked Carleton Ravens in an OUA Semi-final matchup. Kickoff is set for 1pm at Alumni Stadium. The winner will advance to the 108th Yates Cup. Listed below is all of the information you need to get you set for Saturday's game.
 

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TICKETS

Tickets for Saturday's game at Alumni Stadium can be purchased online at gryphons.ca/tickets or in person at the Client Services desk of the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre.

Children (6 and under): FREE

Youth (ages 6-17): $10.00 U of G students: $10.00

Non U of G Students: $10.00

Adult/General Admission: $25.00

*non-refundable*
 
 

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FAN ATTRACTIONS

Taking in a football game at Alumni Stadium is an experience unlike any other in the CIS, not just because of the tremendous product the Gryphons have put on the field over the last several years, but also because of the fan friendly experience off of the field as well.

Throughout the game on Saturday, fans will be able to choose from three different food trucks on location. Dominos Pizza, "Home Plate" & U of G's very own "Gryphon Grille" will be on hand to keep fans well-fed and ready to cheer on the Gryphons.

New this year, Adult refreshments can be enjoyed while watching the game at our GryphFan Zone located above the hill overlooking the field. Must be 19-years of age to enter. Area is free of charge to access.

Fans will also have the authentic college football feel as a live marching band will be on hand from Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute.

All fans will have a chance to win a $500 travel voucher from Golliger's Travel. Just head to the GryphFan Zone (atop the hill) to find out how you can win. Free to enter!

Finally, the OUA Quest for the Cup will be located behind the main bleachers giving fans photo opportunities with game-worn equipment, a chance to take part in some interactive games and take home some free handouts.
 
 

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BROADCAST DETAILS

Saturday's OUA Semi-final game between Guelph and Carelton will be televised live on CHCH-TV. Listed are below the channel numbers for CHCH-TV for viewers in the Guelph area. All channels listed are available in HD.

Rogers: Channel 10 & 121

Bell Fibe: Channel 211

Bell Satellite: Channel 218

For more information on the CHCH-TV broadcast, click here.

The game can also be seen live online at OUA.tv.

 

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HOW THEY GOT HERE

Guelph Gryphons: The Gryphons earned a spot in the OUA Semi-finals after finishing 2nd in the OUA and earning a first-round bye thanks to a 7-1 regular season record. This marks the fourth straight season the Gryphons have posted a 7-1 record during the regular season. Over the last four years, no team in the OUA has more regular season wins than the Gryphons.

Carleton Ravens: After finishing the regular season with a 5-3 record, the Carleton Ravens entered the OUA playoffs as the No. 5 seed. In their OUA Quarter-final matchup, they traveled to Kingston and defeated the No. 4 seed Queen's Gaels 39-8. The victory marked Carleton's first playoff win for their football program since 1986 (the Ravens football program was started up again in 2013 after a 14-year hiatus).
 

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RECENT HISTORY

The key word here is "recent." The last time the Gryphons took the field they faced the Ravens back on October 24th when Guelph traveled to Ottawa for the final week of the OUA regular season.

In that game, Guelph was dominant, winning 44-12 on the strength of a defensive effort that kept Carleton from recording an offensive touchdown in the game. Gryphons QB James Roberts threw for 4 touchdowns as the Gryphons locked up a first-round bye and 2nd place in the OUA standings.

Since Carleton joined the OUA in 2013, the Gryphons have won all three meetings:

Oct. 11, 2013:  Guelph 48 - Carleton 12
Oct. 10, 2014:  Guelph 44 - Carleton 24
Oct. 24, 2015:  Guelph 44 - Carelton 12
 

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GAME PREVIEW

At the beginning of the 2015 season, the Gryphons set the goal of winning a Yates Cup, something that hasn't been accomplished at the University of Guelph since 1996. Now, they are one more win away from getting that opportunity. First thing is first however, the Gryphons need to take care of business on Saturday in their OUA semi-final matchup against a Carleton Ravens team that boasts plenty of explosive, play-making athletes.

Between 2014 First Team All-Canadian receiver Nate Behar and running back Jahvari Bennett, the country's fifth-leading rusher in 2015, the Carleton Ravens have the ability to beat you both through the air as well as on the ground. When you consider the amount of talent the Ravens possess at their skill positions, it becomes even more impressive that the Gryphon 'D' was able to keep them out of the endzone during their October 24th meeting.

In that game, which the Gryphons won 44-12, Behar was limited to just 42 yards receiving on 5 catches, but Jahvari Bennett did some damage on the ground, carrying the ball 17 times for 143 yards (8.4 yards per carry). Carleton comes rolling into Alumni Stadium this week fresh off of their impressive 39-8 win over Queen's in the OUA quarter-finals in Kingston. In the win, Carleton QB Jesse Mills threw for 337 yards and 3 TDs. As a team, Carleton had 519 total yards of offence to just 315 for the Gaels. Combine that performance with the fact that Queen's was the only team this season to beat Guelph, and the Ravens enter this OUA semi-final with plenty of confidence. The Gryphons should be feeling pretty confident themselves.

Second-year quarterback James Roberts is in his first full year as a starter. He just looks like a senior out there. In 2015, Roberts set a single-season school record for touchdown passes with 18 (surpassing Justin Dunk's 17 in 2006). His 152 completions and 2,236 yards passing also rank him 2nd on the school's all-time list for single-season records. While most second-year QBs would enter the playoffs wide-eyed, Roberts has the luxury of knowing he has already performed well on this stage. Last seaosn as a rookie, Roberts saw significant time in the OUA playoffs while filling in for the then-injured Jazz Lindsey. If Roberts could come close to repeating his performance in last year's OUA semi-final, Gryphon fans will be going home happy. In 2014, Roberts helped the Gryphons book a spot in the Yates Cup by throwing 3 TDs against Western in a 51-26 win over the Mustangs. Two weeks ago against Carleton, Roberts matched a career-high with 4 TD passes.

The favourite target for Roberts this year has been third year receiver Jacob Scarfone. Scarfone had a monster year (57 catches, 940 yards, 10 TD) and is sure to be drawing the attention of the Carleton defensive coaching staff heading into this game. While Scarfone has been one of the best receivers in the CIS this season, it's far from a one-man show in the U of G receiving core. A'dre Fraser and James Ingram are just a few of the other talented, proven receivers that Roberts will have the option of going to on Saturday afternoon. When it is time to keep the ball on the ground, the Gryphons have a pretty nice option there as well.

Third year running back Johnny Augustine ran for 814 rushing yards in 2015 to go with a single-season school record 12 rushing touchdowns. After backing up Rob Farquharson in each of his first two years, Saturday's game against Carleton will be Augustine's playoff debut in a lot of ways. In four playoff appearances as a backup in his career, Augustine has 9 carries for 51 yards.

Defensively, a lot was expected of the Gryphon linebackers heading into this season. They didn't disappoint. Fifth year senior linebacker John Rush has set the tone for a Gryphon defence that finished in the CIS Top 10 in almost every major defensive category. Individually, Rush led the CIS in total tackles in 2015 with 60, while also recording three sacks and a pair of interceptions. Thanks in part to standout performances from fellow linebacker Curtis Newton, sophomore sensation Nick Parisotto at half and 2014 OUA All-Star free safety Tristan Doughlin, the Gryphons have once again produced one of the top defences in the league.

Return specialist Ryan Nieuwesteeg may just be the Gryphons x-factor heading into the postseason. Nieuwesteeg lead the country in punt return yards this season (846) and is a threat to take it back all the way every time he touches the ball. Carleton has a dangerous returner of their own in Tunde Adeleke who led the CIS in total return yards (kickoff returns & punt returns) with 1,126 yards. Adeleke also had a 90-yard punt return for a TD against Guelph in their meeting two weeks ago.

With dynamic players on both teams, Saturday's game promises to be a must-see affair as the Gryphons, who have not lost a game on their homefield since October of 2011, try to book a spot in the Yates Cup for the third time in the last four years.

 

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