LONDON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs football team will be returning to TD Stadium this Saturday afternoon to kick off their postseason action in the OUA semifinals against the Carleton Ravens following a bye week.
Carleton will be heading into this weekend after earning a victory over the McMaster Marauders to advance to the second round of the playoffs this past Saturday in Ottawa, Ontario.
The Ravens entered the weekend as the No. 4 seed in the OUA and looked nearly unstoppable in the first half against the Marauders, dominating the rushing game and building up a decisive 21-5 lead heading into the second half. However, a second-half comeback sparked by a pair of rushing touchdowns from McMaster brought the Marauders back within five points with just minutes remaining in the game. But despite the late momentum from McMaster, Carleton's defence, which has carried them all season long, made key plays down the stretch to allow the Ravens to escape with the 30-25 victory and advance to the second round.
Following a perfect 8-0 season from the Mustangs, an upset from the Ravens this weekend may seem far-fetched, but Carleton is heading into the semifinals knowing they nearly got the better of the purple and white in their first game of the season.
Western just barely came out on top in their previous meeting with Carleton, winning 26-23 in overtime to cap off a back and forth affair. However, the Mustangs have come a long way since late August, winning their last three games by a margin of at least 30 points and returning to their dominant defensive form.
That defensive fortitude will be tested against Carleton quarterback Michael Aruda. Aruda torched the Mustangs in their first game of the season and has continued this level of play for nearly the entire year, throwing for an impressive 238 yards with no interceptions against McMaster. However, Aruda will be facing a Western defence that currently sits second in the OUA in defensive interceptions, third in defensive touchdowns, and second in sacks, pressuring opposing offences at every opportunity.
On the other side of the ball, Western quarterback Chris Merchant will be matching up against a Carleton defence which has been dominant in its own right and has been the catalyst for the team's success this season. In their previous matchup, the Ravens broke through Western's offensive line to force Merchant into an interception while sacking him three times on the day. The Mustangs' offensive line has come a long way over the course of the season, but this Saturday will be a true test of Western's ability to protect their star quarterback. Carleton leads the OUA in sacks and tackles for a reason and if Western turns the ball over like they did against Ottawa to end the regular season, the Mustangs could once again find themselves in a tightly contested game against the Ravens with a tri[p to the Yates Cup on the line.
The game is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 P.M. EST and fans can catch the action live on OUA.tv.
