Lions host Varsity Blues in 44th Red & Blue Bowl on Thursday night (VIDEO)

TORONTO – The York University Lions football team will renew its rivalry with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Thursday night with the playing of the 44th annual Red & Blue Bowl.

Kick-off is set for 7pm at York Stadium. Fans can also watch online on LionsTV. The NFL On Campus is also at York this week, which includes NFL-themed experiences for students and fans leading up to and during the game such as such as authentic NFL Draft Combine tests, a Lambeau Leap photo opportunity and NFL kick n’ pass, QB Challenge and Bungee Run zones. In addition, the first 500 fans will receive a free commemorative tuque and there will be food trucks, face painting and more.

More than just a win in the OUA standings is up for grabs on Thursday as city bragging rights are on the line and the winner of the game will receive the Argo Cup. The Lions won the most recent match-up between the two teams at Varsity Centre last year, snapping a four-game winning streak by the Blues. Prior to that, the Lions had won 12 straight from 1996-07.

Since their first meeting in 1970, the Varsity Blues hold the upper hand with a 26-17 head-to-head record over the Lions.

“We have to own the city of Toronto,” said head coach Warren Craney. “It’s huge for our school, for our kids, for our alumni and for recruiting. Our team is going to come out swinging because it’s critical for us to win this game for our University.”

Red & Blue Bowl History and Records

 

The two squads have played each other tightly over the last three years, with the average margin of victory in that stretch sitting at less than a touchdown. The Lions won last year’s game by a score of 36-24 after jumping out to a commanding 30-9 lead at the half thanks to a 23-point outburst in the second quarter.

The Lions (2-4) and the Blues (2-4) are currently tied for seventh place with four points in the OUA standings and one game remaining after their match-up this week. The two teams each have wins over the same opponents; the Lions knocked off Laurier 33-20 in Week 3 and Carleton 50-34 in Week 4, while the Varsity Blues defeated the Golden Hawks 27-20 in Week 2 and the Ravens 50-10 in their most recent game on Sept. 27.

The Lions have the second-best rushing offence in the OUA with 215.2 yards per game and the sixth best overall at 408.5 yards per game, while the Varsity Blues have picked up most of their yardage in the air, ranking fourth in the OUA with 306.2 per game, and are just behind the Lions in total yards per game, with an average of 389.

Many of York’s yards have come courtesy of running back Errol Brooks (Toronto), who ranks second in the OUA with 113.83 yards per game on the ground with an impressive 8.2 yards-per-carry average and three touchdowns. He has also added 151 total receiving yards and one touchdown to his offensive numbers.

Toronto’s most prolific offensive weapon is fifth-year receiver Paul de Pass (Ajax, Ont.), who is third in the OUA with 583 receiving yards this season and eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark for his career earlier this year.

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