LONDON, Ont. - In front of a sold out crowd of 8,750 fans at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont., the Gryphons lost a heartbreaker to the Western Mustangs, 41-39. 

The Mustangs continue their undefeated season, advancing to 4-0, while Guelph falls to 2-2. The game featured the No. 1 and No. 2 nationally ranked offences in the Gryphons and Mustangs, respectively. It was fitting that the teams would trade the lead eight times before a last second, 16-yard field goal by Mustang kicker Darryl Wheeler iced the game. 

The Western offence continued its dominant performance this season, with most of the heavy lifting being handled by running back Nathan Riva. He accumulated 122 yards on 21 carries, and added 86 more off of 8 receptions. He scored two touchdowns receiving, bringing his total touchdowns on the season to 10. 

Mustangs quarterback Michael Faulds enjoyed a phenomenal day as well, setting an OUA record for career completions with 641. The previous record holder was Ottawa Gee-Gee Josh Sacobie, with 637. Faulds scored four touchdowns passing and one rushing on the day, completing 34 of his 55 attempts for 415 yards. 

The scoring in the game started off quickly, with Guelph quarterback Justin Dunk scrambling into the endzone from 11 yards out, putting the Gryphons ahead 7-0 with 13:02 to play in the first quarter. They scored again on Western's following drive, when a snap intended for Wheeler soared over his head and through the back of the field, scoring a safety and bringing the Gryphons' lead to 9-0. 

The Mustangs offence, undaunted, stormed right back. Faulds led his team on a 73-yard drive, capping it off with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Riva in the flats. They added a Wheeler field goal on their following possession to take the lead for the first time, 10-7. 

Guelph quarterback Justin Dunk (Guelph, Ont.), who passed for 335 yards and one touchdown on 22 completions out of 39 attempts, then scored his first of three rushing touchdowns in the game. Western later conceded a safety after a beautiful punt by Guelph kicker Rob Maver (Brampton, Ont.) pinned the Mustangs inside their own 5-yard line. 

Another Guelph drive ended with Maver in field goal range, but he missed wide left. This was his first missed field goal of the season, however it still scored a single point and the Gryphons led 19-10 with 9:11 left to play in the half. The Mustangs fought back, scoring 14 unanswered points: Faulds passing for scores to both Riva and linebacker Jerod McCrory. 

A Maver field goal sent the teams into their locker rooms for halftime with the score 24-22 for Western. Western's first possession of the second half seemed to seal the game for the Mustangs, and put Michael Faulds into the record books. Facing a 3rd down situation and needing six yards to convert, Faulds and the offence daringly took the field. He completed a short pass to Riva, who raced for a 32 yard gain. 

Faulds' 21st completion of the game gave him the record for most completions in OUA history. Faulds later scored with a 10-yard pass to receiver Jesse Bellamy, who caught the ball short of the goal line but scored with the help of a superb block by Riva. Western now led by nine points (31-22) and seemed to have taken the momentum. 

A great defensive stop had Guelph punting the ball away to the Mustangs, but on the ensuing drive Faulds was intercepted in the endzone by Gryphons defensive back Jordan Duncan. Quarterback Justin Dunk then drove the ball down to the Mustangs goal line and threw a touchdown pass to receiver Dave Harrison on a left bootleg, putting Guelph within two points (31-29) with 5:13 remaining in the third quarter. 

Another Dunk touchdown scramble gave the Gryphons the lead again, 36-31. 

Faulds responded with a touchdown run of his own, marking the sixth lead change of the football game. However, a Maver field goal gave Guelph a slim, one-point lead, 39-38. On the last drive of the game, the Mustangs were stopped on a 3rd down with 1 yard to go. 

Faulds went over the top, fumbled, but the ball was recovered by Riva. Three plays later, the Mustangs found themselves in field goal range and, with five seconds left on the clock, Wheeler booted through a 16 yard attempt for a final score of 41-39, and a Mustangs win. Next week, the 2-2 McMaster Marauders visit TD Waterhouse Stadium for the Western Mustangs' homecoming game.