GUELPH, Ont. – A sold out crowd of 8,500 fans were in attendance under mainly sunny skies on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 24) at Alumni Stadium for the 2022 edition of the University of Guelph homecoming football game. Unfortunately for the Gryphons, the homecoming celebrations were silenced following a dominant performance from the visiting Queen's Gaels. The Gaels, Yates Cup finalists a season ago and currently the No. 4-ranked team in the country, cruised to a 62-3 win over the Gryphons. With the loss, the Gryphons fall to 1-4 on the season, while Queen's improves to 4-1.
Saturday's game marked the first time in three years in which the Gryphon football team have been able to hold an official homecoming game, with the 2020 season cancelled due to the pandemic, and the shortened 2021 season not featuring an official homecoming game. The Gryphon students and supporters came out in full force, with the 2022 Homecoming festivities complete with a live halftime performance from country music artist, Nate Haller. The Gryphon highlights on Saturday afternoon came courtesy defensive backs
Anakin Guthrie and
Harrison Bagayogo, both of whom collected first half interceptions on Queen's quarterback James Keenan. But the turnovers were the only missteps for the Gaels in an other wise flawless opening half, with Queen's getting big plays both on the air and on the ground to take a 33-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Queen's lead would grow in the 2nd half, and when the dust settled, it would be the Gaels leaving Guelph with a 62-3 victory. The Gryphons (1-4) now have a bye week coming up, and will look to bounce back on Friday, October 7 when they host the McMaster Marauders (1-3) under the lights at Alumni Stadium.
