GUELPH, ON - The defending Yates Cup champion Gryphons enter the final week of the regular season needing a win, as well as some help on the out-of-town scoreboard, to secure the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA. Gryphon fans will be keeping a close eye on what is happening in Kingston and in Waterloo on Saturday afternoon as both Queen's AND Windsor need to lose in order for the Gryphons to advance. Queen's hosts No. 9-ranked Ottawa (5-2). Windsor travels to No. 7-ranked Laurier. In the meantime, the focus for the Gryphon coaches and players will be solely on one thing: taking care of business at home against a York Lions team that is also mathematically still alive for that final playoff spot.

The Gryphons enter today 2-5 after having lost four straight games against opponents ranked in the national Top 10. The latest defeat was a 27-25 loss in Waterloo against the No. 7-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks. Of Guelph's five losses this season, three have come by four points or less. The York Lions meanwhile, who have wins over Waterloo and Windsor, enter this game with an identical 2-5 record. However, the Lions have lost by an average of 47.4 points in their five losses, with their most recent set back being a 64-2 loss at the hands of the McMaster Marauders.

Despite some lopsided results during their losses this year, the Lions have shown that they have the ability for some explosive plays on the offensive side of the ball. York's second year QB Brett Hunchak currently ranks 4th in the OUA with 270 passing yards per game to go along with an 11-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His favourite target is his younger brother, Colton Hunchak, who is tied for 3rd in the OUA with 5 TD catches on the season. It is no coincidence that York has put up some big passing numbers on offence with former McMaster QB and Hec Crighton winner Kyle Quinlan now in his 1st season as York's Offensive Coordinator.

For the Gryphons, QB James Roberts enters the final week of the season as the conference's third-leading passer at 277.4 passing yards per game. Roberts needs just 58 more yards through the air on Saturday to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark for a second consecutive season after having thrown for  2,236 a season ago. Roberts' favourite target, fifth year receiver A'dre Fraser, is coming off of an impressive performance versus Laurier in which he hauled in 9 passes for 127 yards. Roberts will be eager for some redemption after a forgettable performance last season versus York that saw him throw a career-high 5 INT's. But the Gryphons best chance for success on offence today versus the Lions may be on the ground.

York is ranked dead last in the country against the run, with opponents rushing for  an average of 329.3 yards per game. That is good news for Gryphons fourth year running back Johnny Augustine who last season racked up 3 touchdowns against the York defence while rushing for 90 yards on 14 carries. Augustine is one of several options in the Gryphon backfield capable of carving up opposing defences on the ground. Second year running back Mack Jones has emerged in 2016, this his first season dressing. Last week against a tough Laurier defence, Jones ran for a team-high 92-yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

Long story short, Gryphon fans now have the unusual task of cheering for THREE teams Saturday afternoon: the Gryphons, the Gee-Gees and the Golden Hawks.  If those three teams win on Saturday, the defending Yates Cup champions are off the to the defend their title in the playoffs.

Kickoff versus York on Saturday at Alumni Stadium is set for 1pm. The game will be televised live on Rogers TV Cable 20 for viewers in the Guelph region and can also be seen live online at www.oua.tv.

The Gryphons will also be sporting pink accents on Saturday afternoon as part of their annual "Breast Cancer Awareness" game.