The No.1 CIS ranked Mustangs will be returning to the gridiron this Saturday, November 2, to face off against the McMaster Marauders. If there is one thing that Western football fans know, it is the history that these two teams have with each other. Last season the Mustangs and the Marauders went head-to-head at this very same time, battling it out in the Semi-Final match for a spot in the 2012 Yates Cup Final and a chance to capture the prestigious Vanier Cup title.
Although it seems that history may be repeating itself with the two OUA semi-finalists matching up against each other once again, this season couldn't be more different. The Marauders went undefeated in the 2012 season and defeated the Mustangs 42-28 in the Semi-Final match, preventing the Mustangs from advancing to the Yates Cup for the first time in six seasons. However, the tables have turned in 2013 as the Mustangs led a perfect 8-0 regular season campaign to climb atop the OUA standings and earn the CIS No. 1 ranking for the first time since 2011.
The Mustangs will be rested and ready going into Saturday's contest as the purple and white's top spot in the OUA advanced the team straight into the semi-finals, while Windsor, Guelph, Ottawa, and McMaster all battled it out in the quarterfinals.
The Mustangs ended their 2013 season with a very impressive 50-10 victory over the York Lions, where fifth-year kicker Lirim Hajrullahu set or tied three new CIS and OUA records, while sophomore quarterback Will Finch also racked up an OUA and CIS record in the game.
It was evident that Hajrullahu was kicking, punting, and scoring his way into the CIS and OUA record books this season, as his numbers were on the rise each game, and the talented veteran was able to wrap up his intercollegiate career as the all-time scoring leader with 422 points, the OUA career field goal record with 77, and tying the OUA single season record of 22.
Finch wrapped up his sophomore season as one of the nation's top passers, breaking Mustangs legend Mcihael Faulds CIS single-season passing record, finishing the season with 3,047 yards. Finch's mark was broken only seven days later by Bishop's quarterback Jordan Heather, however Finch's incredible accomplishment still stands as an OUA record. And it wasn't the only OUA milestone that Finch claimed this season as he set a new single-season mark for highest completion percentage, connecting on 69.7 percent of his passes this season.
With the Marauders losing some of their key players from the 2012 season, the team went 5-3 this season and held the fourth place spot in the OUA standings. After matching up against the Marauders for the first time since their crushing Semi-Final defeat, the Mustangs proved just how much they had improved when they travelled to McMaster's home turf to defeat the Marauders 58-15 in early September.
Saturday's action is sure to be a nail-biter as the Mustangs and the Marauders return to the field to battle it out for a spot in the Yates Cup Final. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 2 at Western's TD Stadium. Fans can watch the action live on Sportsnet 360, or listen on CHRW or CJBK with Tom McConnell and legendary Mustangs coach Larry Haylor calling all the action.
