GUELPH, Ont. – Saturday evening (August 23, 2025) at the University of Guelph's Alumni Stadium, the Gryphon football team saw their second half comeback attempt fall just short against the defending Yates Cup champion, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, in a marquee season-opening matchup of Week 1 of the 2025 OUA football schedule. In the end, Laurier was able to withstand a late push from the Gryphons, with the defending conference champions and Vanier Cup finalists leaving Guelph with a hard-fought 33-28 victory.
It was not the start to the new season the Gryphons were looking for, as the Laurier Golden Hawks stormed out of the gates and took a 23-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. All eyes were on Laurier's new quarterback, Cal Wither (Waterloo, ON), who made his OUA debut Saturday night after having spent the previous three seasons south of the border in a backup role with the Ohio University Bobcats (NCAA Division I). Wither threw a pair of first half touchdowns, both to U SPORTS All-Canadian receiver, Ethan Jordan, to help the Golden Hawks take a commanding lead into the locker room at the half.
But the quarterback stealing the spotlight on Saturday night was on the Gryphons. And he would help his team come alive in the 3rd quarter.
Gryphons third-year quarterback,
Tristan Aboud, had a sensational night, and electrified the crowd of 1,900 in attendance with a 40-yard touchdown run early in the 3rd quarter to get Guelph on the board and trim the deficit to 23-7. Later in the 3rd quarter, Aboud would air it out for second-year receiver,
Willem Arseneau, for a 53-yard connection. The big play through the air would lead to an Aboud-to-
Harry Varty 8-yard touchdown pass, making it a 23-14 game. And the Gryphons were not done there. A phenomenal diving catch in the end zone from Jarrod Tessier capped a memorable 3rd quarter for the Gryphons, who scored 21 unanswered points to trim the Laurier lead to 23-21 heading to the 4th quarter.
In the final quarter, Laurier would push their lead back up to double digits after another Wither touchdown pass, as well as a Dawson Hodge field goal, to make it 33-21 for the Golden Hawks. But once again, the Gryphons would show tremendous resolve.
Tristan Aboud, who threw for 415 yards on the night (27-41, 415 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT), would once again get it done with his feet, breaking through tackles for a 10-yard TD run with :55 left in the final quarter to make it a 33-28 game. Aside from finishing the night with over 400 yards passing, Aboud was also Guelph's leading rusher in the game with 96 yards on the ground. With time running out in the final quarter, the Gryphons would get the ball back one last time with a chance to pull off an unlikely come-from-behind victory, but Aboud's Hail Mary attempt into the endzone on the final play of the game would fall incomplete, with Laurier hanging on to a thrilling 33-28 victory.
The Gryphons (0-1) will face another tough test next week when they return to action in a Sunday night (Aug. 31) matchup in London against the Western Mustangs (1-0). The Mustangs pulled off an unlikely comeback of their own in Week 1, with Western needing four overtimes to edge the Queen's Gaels on Saturday in Kingston. Kickoff between the Gryphons and Mustangs on Sunday, August 31 is set for 7pm and can be seen live online at www.oua.tv.
*** United Way Campaign ***
Saturday's football game between the Guelph Gryphons and Laurier Golden Hawks was part of the Gryphons "Community Day" promotion, with $1 from every adult ticket sold going toward local programs that improve lives across the region as part of the University of Guelph's United Way campaign.
