GUELPH, Ont. – The No. 7-ranked Gryphon football team picked up a hard-fought, 26-15, playoff win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 26) in OUA quarterfinal action at the University of Guelph's Alumni Stadium. For the Gryphons, who entered the OUA playoffs as the conference's No. 3-seed after posting a 6-2 record during the regular season, it marked the first time hosting a home playoff game since 2019, with the University of Ottawa serving as the opponent after the Gee-Gees posted a 4-4 record during the regular season to earn the No. 6-seed in the OUA. In cool, windy conditions in Guelph, the Gryphons were able to start fast on Saturday, building up a commanding 15-4 lead at halftime. Gryphons second-year running back,
Caleb Sargeant (Kitchener, ON), produced the biggest offensive play of the opening half for the Gryphons, with Sargeant breaking off a 35-yard touchdown run late in the 1st quarter for the game's first score.
Early in the 2nd quarter, the Gryphon defence would force a turnover, with
Gianni Green helping cause a deflection that ended up in the hands of teammate
Anthony Moretuzzo for an interception. The Gryphons would capitalize on the turnover, with the ensuing drive ending with a 1-yard touchdown rush from sophomore quarterback,
Marshall McCray, to put Guelph in front 15-0.
The Gee-Gees would mount a comeback in the second half, trimming the deficit to just four points, with Guelph's lead cut to 19-15 in the 4th quarter. But the Gryphons would close out the game down the stretch, with U of G defence coming up with several key stops along the way. In the final minute of play, Guelph would officially put away any hopes of an Ottawa comeback when
Caleb Sargeant scored his second touchdown of the afternoon, this one extending the lead to 26-15. Gryphons defensive back,
Kyle Simon-Guerin, would add a late interception to help cap off Guelph's first playoff win on University of Guelph campus in exactly five years (with the last home playoff win being an OUA quarterfinal victory over Carleton on Oct. 26, 2019).
With the win, the No. 7-ranked Gryphons earn a trip to London to take on the three-time defending Yates Cup champion, Western Mustangs. The Mustangs won their OUA quarterfinal playoff game over McMaster on Saturday by a score of 46-10. The Gryphons and Mustangs have not faced each other this season, or last season, with the last head-to-head meeting coming back in August of 2022 (with Western winning 34-11). The Gryphons and Mustangs will now meet up with the winner heading to the 116th Yates Cup to face either the Queen's Gaels or Laurier Golden Hawks. Kickoff at Western's Alumni Stadium on Saturday, November 2 is set for 1pm.
