GUELPH, Ont. – On Thursday, March 26, 2026, Ontario University Athletics (OUA) released the 2026 football schedule. The Gryphon football team will officially get their 2026 season underway on Saturday, August 29, 2026 when they make the short trip down Highway 7 to Waterloo to play the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. The Gryphons 2026 home opener takes place on Sunday, September 6, 2026 against the McMaster Marauders from the University of Guelph's Alumni Stadium. Tickets will go on sale in June at www.gryphons.ca/tickets.
The eight-game regular season schedule remains in tact for the 2026 OUA football season with the Gryphons playing host to four games. The 2026 schedule sees McMaster (Sept. 6), Carleton (Sept. 12), Waterloo (Sept. 26) and Windsor (Oct. 24) all making a trip to Guelph. The 2026 edition of the University of Guelph's Homecoming football game is set to take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026 against the Waterloo Warriors. The Gryphons 2026 road schedule will see them play under the lights in their regular season opener when they travel to Waterloo to take on the reigning Yates Cup champion Laurier Golden Hawks (Saturday, Aug. 29 – 6pm). The Gryphons remaining 2026 road games sees them travel to Ottawa for a Week 4 clash against the Gee-Gees (Sept. 19), Toronto for a Week 6 matchup against the Varsity Blues (Oct. 3) and a Week 8 battle in Kingston against the reigning Yates Cup champion Queen's Gaels (Oct. 17). Sandwiched in between their road games in Toronto and Kingston is the bye week for the Gryphons, which falls during Week 8 (Thanksgiving Day weekend). The Gryphons will host the Windsor Lancers in their regular season finale on October 24.
With 11 different schools across the province making up the OUA football conference, each season there are two teams within the conference who the Gryphons will not face during regular season play. The non-combatants for the Gryphons during the 2026 football regular season are the Western Mustangs and York Lions. The 2026 OUA football playoffs kickoff on October 31, with the Yates Cup (OUA championship game) scheduled for November 14, 2026. The winner of the 2026 Yates Cup will host the 2026 Mitchell Bowl with the Ontario champions welcoming the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) champions in a national semifinal bowl game on Saturday, November 21. The 2026 national championship game will take place in Québec City, Québec, with Laval University set to host the 61st Vanier Cup at Stade Telus on Saturday, November 28, 2026.
2026 Gryphon Football Schedule
Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026 | 6pm @ Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Week 2: Sunday, September 6, 2026 | 1pm vs McMaster Marauders
Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 | 1pm vs Carleton Ravens
Week 4: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 | 1pm @ Ottawa Gee-Gees
Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 | 1pm vs Waterloo Warriors (Homecoming Game)
Week 6: Saturday, October. 3, 2026 | 1pm @ Toronto Varsity Blues
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 | 1pm @ Queen's Gaels
Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026 | 1pm vs Windsor Lancers
2026 Playoffs
OUA Quarterfinals --- Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026
OUA Semifinals --- Saturday, November 7, 2026
Yates Cup --- Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026
Mitchell Bowl --- Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026 (AUS champion @ OUA champion)
Vanier Cup --- Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026 (Québec City, QC)
