GUELPH, Ont.- The tiebreaking procedure to determine seeding in OUA football's West Division may not have been the most straightforward process for the general public to wrap their heads around. But from here on out, everything is as clear as day in the OUA football landscape: win or go home.
 
The Gryphon football team, ranked No. 7 in the country in the latest polls, will begin their playoff journey on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 6) when they head to Knight-Newbrough Field in Waterloo to battle the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in an OUA quarterfinal. The Gryphons and Golden Hawks did not face each other during the six-game regular season, but finished the regular season with identical 3-3 records, putting them in a four-way tie alongside Waterloo and McMaster (also at 3-3). When the dust settled on the OUA's tiebreaking procedure, it was Laurier who emerged as the No. 2-seed in the conference followed by the Gryphons as the No. 3-seed.
 
A key factor in leading them to that No. 3-seed this year has been the unbelievable play of Guelph's defence. Holding their opponents to just 14.3 points per game, each and every week the Gryphons always seem to have themselves in a position to try and win a football game.
 
Having only allowed eight touchdowns all season, the Guelph defence has been as stingy as they come in 2021. A big reason for their success this year has been the Gryphon's ability to rush the quarterback. Led by their linebacking core of Saskatchewan Roughrider's draft pick, A.J. Allen (4 sacks), Jared Beeksma (1 sack) and Justin Lauzon (4 sacks), and a defensive line that features Kristian Stewart (4.5 sacks) and Josh Campbell (2.5 sacks), the Gryphons have made a habit all season of flustering the opposing quarterback. As a team, Guelph finished second in U SPORTS in total sacks with 24, nearly surpassing Montreal (25) for first despite having played two less games.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Gryphon's senior receiver Kiondre Smith is hitting his stride at the right time of year. Having been a reliable option all season, Smith has turned it up an extra notch over the past couple of weeks doing everything in his power to make sure his varsity career does not end any sooner than it has to. Finishing 2021 with 35 receptions for 472 yards and four touchdowns, the Markham, Ontario product has gone on an absolute tear over the past two weeks recording 22 catches for 297 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also accumulating over 300 yards in returns as well.
 
Making his playoff debut, Gryphon's quarterback Shawn Lal will be going up against a very opportunistic defence. All season, the Golden Hawks have given up yardage to opposing offences, surrendering nearly 400 yards per contest. However, just because you move the ball on them does not mean you're going to come away with points. Laurier has been incredible at taking the ball away and snuffing out their opponent's promising drives. The Golden Hawks intercepted a league-high 13 passes in 2021 which certainly helped make up for some of the yardage surrendered. Also, their defence is fully capable of getting to the quarterback having tallied 16 sacks, while using that pressure to lead to some of the aforementioned turnovers as well.
 
Offensively for Laurier, they have their own receiving threat that causes all kinds of headaches for defensive coordinators. Ente Eguavoen, the 5th-year Mississauga product has put together one of his best campaigns in his final year, which featured a stunning ten catch, 222 yard and two touchdown performance just two weeks ago against Windsor. Laurier quarterback, Connor Carusello will be looking to find Equavoen early and often against the Gryphons.
 
On Saturday, the Gryphons and Golden Hawks will meet in the postseason for the first time in 11 years with the last playoff meeting between the two coming way back in 2010 (which was also an OUA quarterfinal game played at Laurier, won 42-10 by the Golden Hawks).
 
Although Laurier owns bragging rights for the most recent playoff matchup between these two, it is the Gryphons who have dominated in the head-to-head series with WLU, with Guelph winning seven of the past eight meetings versus the Hawks dating back to 2012.
 
Despite the fact that the two schools are separated by a mere 30-minute drive, Saturday afternoon's meeting between the Gryphons and Golden Hawks will actually mark the first head-to-head meeting in just over three years. Guelph and Laurier were non-combatants during the regular season in both 2019 as well as in 2021 (with the 2020 football season, of course, cancelled due to the pandemic). That means that Saturday's matchup in Waterloo will be the first head-to-head meeting between the Gryphons and Golden Hawks since September 29, 2018, a game in which Guelph left University Stadium with a 27-24 victory.
 
The winner of Saturday's game will advance to the OUA semifinals to face the winner of the other OUA West Division playoff game between the Western Mustangs and the Waterloo Warriors.