LONDON, Ont. - Riding a 16-game losing streak, the York Lions are hungry and have no pressure on them coming into TD Waterhouse Stadium tonight. They are expected to lose - and lose big.

Riding a rare losing skid of their own - albeit a one-game streak - the Western Mustangs are looking to get back to their winning ways tonight at 7 p.m. against the Lions.

The Lions (0-5, 10th OUA) may be walking into a monster.

The Mustangs (4-1, 2nd OUA) control their destiny for the rest of the way. A win tonight, Oct. 8, against the Lions, and they're in the playoffs. Win out against the Lions, Queen's Gaels and Toronto Varsity Blues, and the Mustangs earn home-field advantage for the playoffs. 

It would be understandable to look past this game as a Mustangs player, coach or fan. But that's exactly what Greg Marshall is concerned about - he remembers a near shock two years ago around this time in October, when the Mustangs nearly lost, escaping the GTA with an 11-9 win over York. Western went on to win the Yates Cup that season after starting the season 0-4.

"Last week, we didn't play very well. We will have to play well and execute," Marshall said. "York does a lot of things well. As a team we have to get better. There's some things offensively we need to do to get more consistency on and work them in this game. We're working hard to get better." 

"On defence we have to get better. On special teams we have to get better," Marshall said. "I told our players let's not worry about the score - let's worry about executing and getting better."

"We're working hard this week to get better as a football team."

With a short turnaround week, Marshall is also concerned about his team's health.

"We have a quite a few injuries from the game on Saturday. With the short week and trying to prepare, we practiced on Monday which is normally a day off. We ended up with a couple of muscle pulls," Marshall said.

"As far as preparation, we are far enough in the season where we have enough of our offensive and defensive schemes in but it's still tough with a short week."

They have a good young quarterback and have some athletes they can get the ball to. It's difficult when you have very young players.

With Mike Van Praet gone for the season, the Western coaching staff will be adding new faces for the depth chart against York. Van Praet's injury is hard to swallow, in addition to the unexpected loss of Vaughn Martin to the NFL's San Diego Chargers, the Mustangs are now thin at the position.

"(With Vaughn Martin and Mike Van Praet) When you have two players of that calibre, it's difficult to recruit defensive tackles when those two are playing there," Marshall said. "We're getting our defensive line pushed. We're young at defensive end. When you're strong in the interior you can make up for it."

The defence, coached by Paul Gleason, does not have that luxury and this week will move defensive ends inside.

"We're young in the secondary and have a couple of freshman starting in the secondary," Marshall added.

York coach Mike McLean has also faced his share of challenges this year. The Lions had an even shorter prep week with the turnaround from the weekend and a decision to take Monday night for academics.

"Some of the kids put in a lot of time and effort last week with (York) homecoming. We made a conscious decision that study hall was important on Monday night, we are working on a two-day work week," McLean said. 

The Lions will be in tough against the nationally No. 5 ranked Mustangs.

"In all honesty we have to look at the big picture. We're a young team.," he said. "Last year we came in and we didn't really have time to bring in a recruting class... we did bring in some strong kids this year. We're trying to put four quarters together and it's a growing process."

"The big thing is that the scores have not been indicative of the style of play and what is happening," McLean said. "If we make a mistake, it's six points. If we catch the opposition in a set or they miss a set, it's a first down."

"In time and with another full year of recruiting that will help. Everyone here fully understands where we're at and the growing pains."

"As long as we prepare the kids to win and prepare them in practice, good things will come out of it."

York's 16-game losing streak at a glance:
2009
Oct. 3
Toronto 45 York 27 (H)
Sept. 26
Queen's 67 York 0 (A)  
Sept. 19
McMaster 49 York 8 (H)  
Sept. 12
Guelph 66 York 8 (A)
Sept. 7
Windsor 17 York 14 (H)
2008
Oct. 18
Laurier 50 York 13
Oct. 11
Guelph 48 York 2
Oct. 4
Queen's 80 York 0
Sept. 26
McMaster 53 York 0
Sept 20
Western 71 York 0
Sept. 13
Toronto 58 York 7
Sept. 6
Ottawa 71 York 3
Sept. 1
Windsor 40 York 7
2007
Oct. 20
Laurier 31 York 10 (H)
Oct. 13
McMaster 40 York 16 (A)
Oct. 6
Western 11 York 9 (H)
Sept. 29
York 21 Toronto 10 (H)
York's last road win came Sept. 17, 2005, 40-33 over Toronto in OT. Their last regulation road win came on Oct. 16, 2004, in a  42-14 win at Windsor