Lions off to Guelph to face No.4 Gryphons

The York University Lions football team will head back out on the road this week to face the No. 4 nationally-ranked Guelph Gryphons on Friday night (Oct. 4).

Kick-off is set for 7pm at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont. The game can also be seen live online. The young Lions squad will be in tough against the undefeated Gryphons, who were Yates Cup finalists last year and have posted five straight victories to start this season.

Friday’s game pits York’s talented offence against the stifling defence at Guelph. The Lions currently rank fifth in the OUA with 413.6 yards per game, compared to the ninth-ranked Gryphons and their 348.6 yards per game. However, on the other side of the ball the Gryphons boast the conference’s best defence, allowing 269.4 yards per game, nearly 100 less than the next best team. The Lions, meanwhile, are seventh in the OUA allowing 423.0 yards per game.

York’s offence has been rolling thanks in large part to running back Errol Brooks (Toronto), who has surprised the OUA while rumbling to a conference-best 114.8 rushing yards per game. He has put up a sparkling average of 8.4 yards per carry, amassing 574 yards on 68 rushes and scored two rushing touchdowns.

The Lions, who hold a 2-3 record and are tied with Toronto and McMaster for sixth place in the OUA standings, will be looking for an upset to give themselves a chance at qualifying for the playoffs. They are coming off a tough 46-16 loss to the Ottawa Gee-Gees in their Homecoming game last weekend.

The Gryphons still have their eyes on top spot in the conference and an undefeated season. The only other unbeaten team is the No. 1 nationally-ranked Western Mustangs, and the two squads will not meet in the regular season this year.

Guelph has already won two nailbiters this season. They defeated Windsor 24-23 after a final-minute, 91-yard drive that ended with a field goal for the victory in Week 2, and two weeks ago held on to defeat the Marauders 24-22 in a rematch of last year’s OUA final. The Gryphons are coming off a dominant 41-19 win over the Waterloo Warriors in their most recent outing last Saturday.

Quarterback Jazz Lindsey (Markham, Ont.) has been stellar leading the offence this season, ranking sixth in the OUA with 1031 passing yards, to go with 10 touchdowns as well as five interceptions.

The last meeting between these two teams came in the regular-season finale last year and ended in a 39-18 Gryphons victory. The game was close at the half, with Guelph holding a slim 12-9 advantage, but the Gryphons opened it up in the second after multiple turnovers by the Lions and cruised to the 18-point wins.

After this weekend, the Lions will return to York Stadium for their final home game of the season. They will host the rival Toronto Varsity Blues in the 44th annual Red & Blue Bowl under the lights on Thursday, Oct. 10 beginning at 7pm.

Photo credit:  Foster Chan

Source: Alyson Fisher, York Lions Sports Information