After enjoying the familiar territory of TD Stadium last week, the Mustangs are back on the road for their matchup against the Laurier Golden Hawks this Saturday at University Stadium for their first meeting since their dramatic matchup during the 109^th Yates Cup.

The Mustangs enter this week after earning a convincing win against the Queen's Gaels this past Saturday during Western's Blackout night, walking away with a 48-10 victory. Decked out in all-black uniforms for the occasion, the Mustangs played what head coach Greg Marshall said was the team's most complete game of the season.

Quarterback Chris Merchant had a strong outing against the Gaels with 309 total passing yards and two touchdown passes on the night. Running back Alex Taylor also played a big role in the win, rushing for 184 yards and adding one rushing and two receiving touchdowns to the box score.

While the Mustangs are coming off a big win over a traditional rival so too are the Golden Hawks, who handed the previously unbeaten Waterloo Warriors their first loss of the season, taking a 71-24 win in the Battle of Waterloo.

Those 71 points represent the highest single game total of any team in the OUA this season, and helped give Laurier an average of 47 points per game, trailing only the Mustangs as the conference's highest scoring offence.

The Golden Hawks rank second in the country in yards-per-game, third in rushing yards and passing touchdowns, fourth in total first downs, and third in first downs per game, finding ways draw out their offensive possessions. Running back Levondre Gordon has been dominant to start the season, averaging 119.8 rushing yards per game and earning himself five touchdowns to help carry to scoring load. Receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. has also been a major factor to the team's undefeated record, recording 408 receiving yards off of 31 receptions.
 
Laurier's attack is led by quarterback Michael Knevel, who leads the nation with 353.5 passing yards per game and ranks fourth with nine touchdown passes through four games. While Knevel has no shortage of weapons to choose from on offence, his preferred target is Kurleigh Gittens Jr. whose 31receptions are the most in the nation and he also ranks in the top in both yards (408) and yards per game (102).

The Golden Hawks defence is no less impressive, allowing the sixth-fewest points per game at 19 per contest, while also ranking in the top 10 giving up only 341.6 yards per game, and tallying the third most sacks with 16.

The defence of both teams will be something to marvel at throughout the game, as both sides have locked down opponents to date. However, when it comes to defence, the Mustangs have been on another level as the team is second in the country in defensive touchdowns, fourth in points allowed per game, and first in yards allowed per game.

Already a highly anticipated matchup after last year's Yates Cup, this week's game is also a battle between the two remaining undefeated teams in the conference, with the winner sure to emerge as the favourite to lock up first place in the OUA standings and secure home field advantage throughout the conference playoffs.
 
Coach Marshall on the Golden Hawks

"We have to build on what we did against Queen's, execute on offence, and when there's plays to be made we have to make them. We have to finish our blocks, they're strong up front, they're very good defensively, and they don't give you a lot. We have to earn it. I think that defensively they present a lot of challenges.

"They have a good offensive line, they have a strong running game, and they have some very dangerous receivers. We have our work cut out for us, but it's going to be an exciting game. The thing is we're probably going to have to play them again sometime down the road so this is round one."
 
By the Numbers:

243 points this season for the Mustangs, most in the nation

478 rushing yards for Alex Taylor, fifth most in the country

16.4 passing yards per completion, ranked number one among all U SPORTS teams

1,418 passing yards for Chris Merchant, the most in U SPORTS
 
Last meeting - Laurier 43 at Western 40 - 109^th Yates Cup - November 12, 2017

The last showdown between Laurier and Western was one for the record books, with Laurier storming back from a 40-19 deficit to pull together a fourth quarter comeback and stun the Mustangs with a last-second field goal to win the Yates Cup.
 
After a back and forth first half that saw the Golden Hawks go up 19-13 after 30 minutes, the Mustangs had a dominant third quarter to take the lead heading into the fourth, extending possessions with 25 first downs on the game and 502 yards of total offence.
 
However the Golden Hawks put together an impressive comeback in the fourth, recording three straight touchdown passes from Knevel to set the stage for Nathan Mesher to claim the Yates Cup with a 26-yard field goal with no time remaining.