GUELPH, Ont. - This Saturday (Oct. 14, 2023) the Guelph Gryphons football team (3-3) will host the U SPORTS No. 10-ranked Queen's Gaels (3-3) at Alumni Stadium in game that carries significant playoff implications for both teams with just two games remaining on the 2023 OUA regular season schedule. Kickoff is set for 1pm on Saturday afternoon at the University of Guelph, with the game streamed live online at www.oua.tv and also broadcast live on local television on Rogers TV Cable 20.
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Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
Time: 1pm
Location: Alumni Stadium (Guelph, ON)
Tickets: gryphons.ca/tickets
How to Watch: RogersTV Cable 20 and
www.oua.tv
Live Updates on X (Twitter): @guelph_gryphons
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The Gryphons enter the eighth week of the OUA season with a 3-3 record, with just two games remaining until the 2023 OUA playoffs arrive. The Gryphons are coming off of a hard-fought 30-23 road loss to the Waterloo Warriors back on Sept. 30, with Guelph entering this Saturday's game fresh off their bye week. The Gryphons find themselves in the midst of a tightly-contest playoff race with three teams sitting at 3-3 in the OUA standings.
With the Western Mustangs (6-0), Laurier Golden Hawks (6-0), and Windsor Lancers (5-1) in the driver's seat when it comes to the top 3 seeds in the conference, the battle for the remaining four playoff positions in the OUA remains wide open with the final two weeks of regular season play remaining.Â
In order for the Gryphons to head into the final week of the season with a winning record, they will need to see impactful performances from rookie quarterback
Tristan Aboud and second-year running back
Donavin Milloy on offence. The last time Gryphon fans saw Aboud at home, he set a new U of G football single-game record with 6 touchdown passes in the team's Week 5 Homecoming win over the York Lions. Despite leaving the Week 6 game in Waterloo with an injury, Aboud still ranks among the OUA's best throwers in touchdowns (4th in the OUA, with 9), completion percentage (4th with 70.4%), and passing yards (6th with 1,135). Next to him in the backfield is
Donavin Milloy who has been the catalyst for the Gryphon offence this season, racking up 711 yards on the ground (3rd in the OUA) while averaging 10.8 yards per carry (2nd in U SPORTS).Â
The Gryphon defence has been led by their linebacking corps made up rookie
Jevaun Jacobsen, sophomores
Braeden MacDougall and
Jack Cobb, and senior
Brandon Ferigo, who all average over 5 tackles per game with Jacobsen leading the group bringing down opponents 8.5 times on average.
In the secondary, All-Canadian talent
Devynn Cromwell along with
Miles La Foucade,
Malcom James,
Nathaniel Slawter, and
Anakin Guthrie will be tasked with limiting the Gaels passing attack after allowing just 103 yards through the air two weeks ago to the Warriors. The main focus for the Gryphon defence will be the Queen's running game led by running back Jared Chisari who is averaging 142.2 yards per game and 9.6 yards per carry, both which rank top 3 in the nation. Chisari is also coming off of a 231-yard performance against the Carleton Ravens in a 35-16 win.Â
The last time the Gryphons and Gaels met was just over a year ago in the University of Guelph's 2022 Homecoming game, which Queen's spoiled with a 62-14 victory. In the last 10 regular season meetings between the two teams the record is evenly split 5-5, however the Gaels have won in the two most recent meetings. The last Gryphon win over Queen's came in 2019 by way of a 27-24 overtime thriller.
Following this Saturday's game the Gryphons will travel to Ottawa for the 2023 regular season finale against the Carleton Ravens.
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