March 21, 2006
OUA RELEASES 2006 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
HAMILTON - The 2005 football season will go down as one of the most memorable campaigns in the history of Ontario University Athletics. When a poised, veteran-laden Laurier Golden Hawks team defeated Canada West's Saskatchewan Huskies 24-23 with a dramatic last-minute field goal off the foot of fifth-year kicker Brian Devlin, it marked the first time in 11 years that an OUA team had hoisted the Vanier Cup. On the first weekend of this coming September, the 10 conference programs will begin their journey towards the 99th Yates Cup and beyond, as the OUA football season officially kicks off.
Week one action gets underway Saturday, September 2, with two games on the slate. Windsor first-team all-Canadian running back Daryl Stephenson (London, ON) led the nation in rushing with 1,306 yards and 12 touchdowns but his season ended prematurely when he was knocked out of the Lancers playoff tilt with the McMaster Marauders last fall. Stephenson and the rest of the Lancers will be eager to get 2006 started as they head to Waterloo to face the Warriors in the opener for both teams. McMaster, with new head coach Stefan Ptaszek at the helm, travels to York to face the Lions for a match-up that could pit a pair of potential league MVPs in the backfield. Ptaszek will get what he can from Jordan Kozina (Brantford, ON), who ran wild ran on opposing defences as a rookie, churning out 1,191 yards (third in the nation) and seven touchdowns. The Lions would love to see their star back Andre Durie (Mississauga, ON) toting the rock on September 2. Durie, a pre-season Hec Crighton favourite in 2005, was primed for a massive year but he suffered torn ligaments in his knee in just his second game, putting him on the sidelines for the remainder of the year. The dynamic back hopes to be ready for September.
The most intriguing game in week one features a rematch of the 2005 OUA semi-final, as the Western Mustangs go to Ottawa to face what is expected to be a powerful Gee-Gees team on Sunday, September 3. Western won the playoff battle between the two 18-10 back on November 5, avenging a dramatic 27-24 OT loss to the Gee-Gees in Ottawa just three weeks earlier. This one could be a shootout as two of the OUA's best quarterbacks compete. The Mustangs' Michael Faulds (Rockwood, ON) threw for 1,294 yards and 11 touchdowns in just five games, while Ottawa's Josh Sacobie (Fredericton, NB) was unstoppable in his second year, finishing second in the nation in both passing yardage (2,094) and passing touchdowns (18). The opening week wraps up Monday when the Golden Hawks begin their Yates Cup and Vanier Cup defences with a visit to Guelph to take on the Gryphons. Laurier will undoubtedly have a new look with all-Canadian seniors like Devlin, running back Nick Cameron and quarterback Ryan Pyear having departed (Pyear has stayed with the team as the new offensive coordinator). The Gryphons also begin a new era that afternoon as Kyle Walters takes over the reins in his first game as the new head coach of the Guelph program after being promoted from his defensive coordinator post. Also on September 4, two of the oldest and most storied institutions in league history do battle when the Toronto Varsity Blues visit Richardson Stadium in Kingston, ON to take on the Queen's Golden Gaels, led by quarterback Danny Brannagan (Burlington, ON), the 2005 Norm Marshall Trophy winner as rookie of the year.
Queen's and Guelph will have an interesting match-up in week two. The September 9 game will likely feature two of the brightest young quarterbacks in the league as Brannagan leads the Gaels into Guelph to face Justin Dunk (Guelph, ON) and the Gryphons. Brannagan finished second in the OUA and third in the nation with 1,860 yards through the air, while Dunk literally ran with his opportunity when he got the call over centre midway through the season. The rookie passed for 1,367 yards in just five games and rushed for another 182, scoring three touchdowns on the ground. Ottawa will play their second tough game out of the gate as they face the Golden Hawks and the merciless crowd at University Stadium in Laurier's home opener. Other week two games include Waterloo at McMaster, Toronto at Windsor and York at Western.
The quarterbacks will be the focus in week three when McMaster and their veteran pivot Adam Archibald (Kingston, ON) travel to the nation's capital to face Sacobie and the Gee-Gees on Sunday, September 17. Archibald missed three regular season games because of injury but exploded after returning to the lineup. He finished the year atop the CIS in passing yards per game, averaging 298.20 yards in his five outings. While Sacobie is the leader for the high-powered Ottawa attack, head coach Denis Piche knows his defence can do the job, as well. Archibald and the Marauders will need to be sharp when they face the Gee-Gees, the only team in the OUA that allowed an average of under 300 yards per game to the opposition. Four games take place on Saturday, September 16 - Guelph at Western, Waterloo at Toronto, Laurier at York and Windsor at Queen's, for the Gaels annual homecoming celebration.
Week four features two rematches from the 2005 OUA playoffs. Western head coach Larry Haylor will have clear memories of his team's 29-11 loss to the Hawks in the 98th Yates Cup back on November 12. That victory was the Hawks second over the Mustangs in just over a month - Laurier also beat Western 32-17 in London on October 8. The other rematch pits the Marauders and the Lancers in Windsor. With Stephenson hurt after his first carry, Windsor had no answer for a hungry McMaster team as they dominated the 2005 quarter-final 49-19 on October 29. With the two bruising star backs like Stephenson and Kozina, the game should be played in typical smash-mouth football style. The remainder of the week four schedule includes Queen's at Waterloo, Toronto at Guelph and Ottawa at York.
Local rivalries highlight week five, beginning with an all-Waterloo meeting when the Warriors take on the Golden Hawks Saturday, September 30. The day also features the Red and Blue Bowl between Toronto and York. The annual meeting between the two rivals is always hotly-contested, with last year's game proving to be a thriller. Toronto could almost taste their first win since the 2001 season but an 18-yard touchdown grab by wide receiver Ricardo Hudson in overtime was the difference, securing a 40-33 win for the Lions. Windsor travels to London to take on the Mustangs that weekend, while Guelph visits Ottawa. Week five concludes on Sunday, October 1 when Ottawa travels to Hamilton for a game with McMaster at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
The premier match-up of week six pits two very familiar foes as Laurier takes on the Marauders in Hamilton. The game marks the first ever meeting between the three-time defending OUA Coach of the Year Gary Jeffries and his disciple Ptaszek, the Hawks former offensive coordinator. The two are the best of friends and when Ptaszek was introduced to local Hamilton media back in December, he was open about his respect and admiration for his mentor Jeffries. The new McMaster boss also commented on how he expects a lot of ribbing from his old colleagues and fans in his initial return wearing the maroon and grey colours. Laurier dominated the semi-final between the two on November 5, winning 43-21. The rivals, who have combined to win the past six Yates Cup games, also met back on Sept. 24, with Laurier surviving a late Mac rally to win 33-26. Elsewhere that weekend, Western goes to Toronto, Ottawa visits Queen's, York travels to Windsor and Guelph makes the short drive to Waterloo.
The Gryphons will host an eagerly-anticipated game on October 14 as they take on the Lancers in week seven. The two teams put on a show in front of a national audience in week seven last season, with Guelph pulling out a 22-19 comeback win on The Score Television Network's University Rush broadcast. Windsor established a 10-0 lead but the Gryphons answered with a 39-yard touchdown catch from explosive tailback Chris McIntyre (Guelph, ON). McIntyre added a six-yard touchdown on the ground with just minutes remaining in the game to give the Gryphs a satisfying road win. In other action, Toronto plays at Laurier, Queen's goes to York, Waterloo visits Ottawa and McMaster hooks up with Western in London. The Mustangs shocked the Marauders in their only meeting last season, overcoming a 28-3 deficit to win 55-31 in the Score's University Rush opener on September 17. Hec Crighton winner Andy Fantuz caught four consecutive touchdown passes from Faulds in under nine minutes to lead Western past McMaster.
All five week eight match-ups on October 21 could have potential playoff implications as each of the 10 teams look to finish strong. Laurier visits Windsor, Ottawa is at Toronto, York goes to Waterloo, Western travels to Queen's and McMaster will host its homecoming game as Guelph comes to town.
The two OUA quarter-finals are slated for Saturday, October 28 at 2:00 pm, while the two semi-finals take place Saturday, November 4 at 1:00 pm. The OUA season comes to a close when the two playoff survivors compete to have their names etched into the Yates Cup. The 99th edition of the provincial championship gets going Saturday, November 11 at 1:00 pm, with the winner going on to host the Canada West champion in the Mitchell Bowl one week later
2006 OUA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date - Time - Home - Away
WEEK 1
02/09/2006 - 14:00 - Queen'S vs Toronto
02/09/2006 - 14:00 - Waterloo vs Windsor
02/09/2006 - 14:00 - York vs McMaster
03/09/2006 - 19:00 - Ottawa vs Western
04/09/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Laurier
WEEK 2
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Waterloo
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - Windsor vs Toronto
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Queen's
09/09/2006 - 19:00 - Western vs York
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Ottawa
WEEK 3
16/09/2006 - 19:00 - Western vs Guelph
16/09/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs Waterloo
16/09/2006 - 14:00 - Queen's vs Windsor
16/09/2006 - 14:00 - York vs Laurier
17/09/2006 - 13:00 - Ottawa vs McMaster
WEEK 4
23/09/2006 - 19:30 - Waterloo vs Queen's
23/09/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Western
23/09/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Toronto
23/09/2006 - 14:00 - York vs Ottawa
23/09/2006 - 19:00 - Windsor vs McMaster
WEEK 5
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Waterloo
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs York
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Western vs Windsor
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Ottawa vs Guelph
01/10/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Queen's
WEEK 6
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs Western
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Queen's vs Ottawa
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Laurier
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Windsor vs York
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Waterloo vs Guelph
WEEK 7
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Toronto
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - York vs Queen's
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Windsor
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Western vs McMaster
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Ottawa vs Waterloo
WEEK 8
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Windsor vs Laurier
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs Ottawa
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Waterloo vs York
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Queen's vs Western
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Guelph
OUA Quarter-Finals
28/10/2006 - 14:00 - TBA vs TBA
28/10/2006 - 14:00 - TBA vs TBA
OUA Semi-Finals
04/11/2006 - 13:00 - TBA vs TBA
04/11/2006 - 13:00 - TBA vs TBA
99th Yates Cup
11/11/2006 - 13:00 - TBA vs TBA
Mitchell Bowl
18/11/2006 - TBA - OUA champion vs Canada West champion
Visit http://oua.ca/sports/football/ for all the latest OUA football news.
- O U A -
(Photo: CIS rushing leader and all-Canadian back Daryl Stephenson will try and build on an impressive sophomore campaign as the Windsor Lancers kick off their 2006 season aginst the Waterloo Warriors. Photo by Craig Glover.)
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
Week one action gets underway Saturday, September 2, with two games on the slate. Windsor first-team all-Canadian running back Daryl Stephenson (London, ON) led the nation in rushing with 1,306 yards and 12 touchdowns but his season ended prematurely when he was knocked out of the Lancers playoff tilt with the McMaster Marauders last fall. Stephenson and the rest of the Lancers will be eager to get 2006 started as they head to Waterloo to face the Warriors in the opener for both teams. McMaster, with new head coach Stefan Ptaszek at the helm, travels to York to face the Lions for a match-up that could pit a pair of potential league MVPs in the backfield. Ptaszek will get what he can from Jordan Kozina (Brantford, ON), who ran wild ran on opposing defences as a rookie, churning out 1,191 yards (third in the nation) and seven touchdowns. The Lions would love to see their star back Andre Durie (Mississauga, ON) toting the rock on September 2. Durie, a pre-season Hec Crighton favourite in 2005, was primed for a massive year but he suffered torn ligaments in his knee in just his second game, putting him on the sidelines for the remainder of the year. The dynamic back hopes to be ready for September.
The most intriguing game in week one features a rematch of the 2005 OUA semi-final, as the Western Mustangs go to Ottawa to face what is expected to be a powerful Gee-Gees team on Sunday, September 3. Western won the playoff battle between the two 18-10 back on November 5, avenging a dramatic 27-24 OT loss to the Gee-Gees in Ottawa just three weeks earlier. This one could be a shootout as two of the OUA's best quarterbacks compete. The Mustangs' Michael Faulds (Rockwood, ON) threw for 1,294 yards and 11 touchdowns in just five games, while Ottawa's Josh Sacobie (Fredericton, NB) was unstoppable in his second year, finishing second in the nation in both passing yardage (2,094) and passing touchdowns (18). The opening week wraps up Monday when the Golden Hawks begin their Yates Cup and Vanier Cup defences with a visit to Guelph to take on the Gryphons. Laurier will undoubtedly have a new look with all-Canadian seniors like Devlin, running back Nick Cameron and quarterback Ryan Pyear having departed (Pyear has stayed with the team as the new offensive coordinator). The Gryphons also begin a new era that afternoon as Kyle Walters takes over the reins in his first game as the new head coach of the Guelph program after being promoted from his defensive coordinator post. Also on September 4, two of the oldest and most storied institutions in league history do battle when the Toronto Varsity Blues visit Richardson Stadium in Kingston, ON to take on the Queen's Golden Gaels, led by quarterback Danny Brannagan (Burlington, ON), the 2005 Norm Marshall Trophy winner as rookie of the year.
Queen's and Guelph will have an interesting match-up in week two. The September 9 game will likely feature two of the brightest young quarterbacks in the league as Brannagan leads the Gaels into Guelph to face Justin Dunk (Guelph, ON) and the Gryphons. Brannagan finished second in the OUA and third in the nation with 1,860 yards through the air, while Dunk literally ran with his opportunity when he got the call over centre midway through the season. The rookie passed for 1,367 yards in just five games and rushed for another 182, scoring three touchdowns on the ground. Ottawa will play their second tough game out of the gate as they face the Golden Hawks and the merciless crowd at University Stadium in Laurier's home opener. Other week two games include Waterloo at McMaster, Toronto at Windsor and York at Western.
The quarterbacks will be the focus in week three when McMaster and their veteran pivot Adam Archibald (Kingston, ON) travel to the nation's capital to face Sacobie and the Gee-Gees on Sunday, September 17. Archibald missed three regular season games because of injury but exploded after returning to the lineup. He finished the year atop the CIS in passing yards per game, averaging 298.20 yards in his five outings. While Sacobie is the leader for the high-powered Ottawa attack, head coach Denis Piche knows his defence can do the job, as well. Archibald and the Marauders will need to be sharp when they face the Gee-Gees, the only team in the OUA that allowed an average of under 300 yards per game to the opposition. Four games take place on Saturday, September 16 - Guelph at Western, Waterloo at Toronto, Laurier at York and Windsor at Queen's, for the Gaels annual homecoming celebration.
Week four features two rematches from the 2005 OUA playoffs. Western head coach Larry Haylor will have clear memories of his team's 29-11 loss to the Hawks in the 98th Yates Cup back on November 12. That victory was the Hawks second over the Mustangs in just over a month - Laurier also beat Western 32-17 in London on October 8. The other rematch pits the Marauders and the Lancers in Windsor. With Stephenson hurt after his first carry, Windsor had no answer for a hungry McMaster team as they dominated the 2005 quarter-final 49-19 on October 29. With the two bruising star backs like Stephenson and Kozina, the game should be played in typical smash-mouth football style. The remainder of the week four schedule includes Queen's at Waterloo, Toronto at Guelph and Ottawa at York.
Local rivalries highlight week five, beginning with an all-Waterloo meeting when the Warriors take on the Golden Hawks Saturday, September 30. The day also features the Red and Blue Bowl between Toronto and York. The annual meeting between the two rivals is always hotly-contested, with last year's game proving to be a thriller. Toronto could almost taste their first win since the 2001 season but an 18-yard touchdown grab by wide receiver Ricardo Hudson in overtime was the difference, securing a 40-33 win for the Lions. Windsor travels to London to take on the Mustangs that weekend, while Guelph visits Ottawa. Week five concludes on Sunday, October 1 when Ottawa travels to Hamilton for a game with McMaster at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
The premier match-up of week six pits two very familiar foes as Laurier takes on the Marauders in Hamilton. The game marks the first ever meeting between the three-time defending OUA Coach of the Year Gary Jeffries and his disciple Ptaszek, the Hawks former offensive coordinator. The two are the best of friends and when Ptaszek was introduced to local Hamilton media back in December, he was open about his respect and admiration for his mentor Jeffries. The new McMaster boss also commented on how he expects a lot of ribbing from his old colleagues and fans in his initial return wearing the maroon and grey colours. Laurier dominated the semi-final between the two on November 5, winning 43-21. The rivals, who have combined to win the past six Yates Cup games, also met back on Sept. 24, with Laurier surviving a late Mac rally to win 33-26. Elsewhere that weekend, Western goes to Toronto, Ottawa visits Queen's, York travels to Windsor and Guelph makes the short drive to Waterloo.
The Gryphons will host an eagerly-anticipated game on October 14 as they take on the Lancers in week seven. The two teams put on a show in front of a national audience in week seven last season, with Guelph pulling out a 22-19 comeback win on The Score Television Network's University Rush broadcast. Windsor established a 10-0 lead but the Gryphons answered with a 39-yard touchdown catch from explosive tailback Chris McIntyre (Guelph, ON). McIntyre added a six-yard touchdown on the ground with just minutes remaining in the game to give the Gryphs a satisfying road win. In other action, Toronto plays at Laurier, Queen's goes to York, Waterloo visits Ottawa and McMaster hooks up with Western in London. The Mustangs shocked the Marauders in their only meeting last season, overcoming a 28-3 deficit to win 55-31 in the Score's University Rush opener on September 17. Hec Crighton winner Andy Fantuz caught four consecutive touchdown passes from Faulds in under nine minutes to lead Western past McMaster.
All five week eight match-ups on October 21 could have potential playoff implications as each of the 10 teams look to finish strong. Laurier visits Windsor, Ottawa is at Toronto, York goes to Waterloo, Western travels to Queen's and McMaster will host its homecoming game as Guelph comes to town.
The two OUA quarter-finals are slated for Saturday, October 28 at 2:00 pm, while the two semi-finals take place Saturday, November 4 at 1:00 pm. The OUA season comes to a close when the two playoff survivors compete to have their names etched into the Yates Cup. The 99th edition of the provincial championship gets going Saturday, November 11 at 1:00 pm, with the winner going on to host the Canada West champion in the Mitchell Bowl one week later
2006 OUA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date - Time - Home - Away
WEEK 1
02/09/2006 - 14:00 - Queen'S vs Toronto
02/09/2006 - 14:00 - Waterloo vs Windsor
02/09/2006 - 14:00 - York vs McMaster
03/09/2006 - 19:00 - Ottawa vs Western
04/09/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Laurier
WEEK 2
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Waterloo
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - Windsor vs Toronto
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Queen's
09/09/2006 - 19:00 - Western vs York
09/09/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Ottawa
WEEK 3
16/09/2006 - 19:00 - Western vs Guelph
16/09/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs Waterloo
16/09/2006 - 14:00 - Queen's vs Windsor
16/09/2006 - 14:00 - York vs Laurier
17/09/2006 - 13:00 - Ottawa vs McMaster
WEEK 4
23/09/2006 - 19:30 - Waterloo vs Queen's
23/09/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Western
23/09/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Toronto
23/09/2006 - 14:00 - York vs Ottawa
23/09/2006 - 19:00 - Windsor vs McMaster
WEEK 5
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Waterloo
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs York
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Western vs Windsor
30/09/2006 - 14:00 - Ottawa vs Guelph
01/10/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Queen's
WEEK 6
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs Western
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Queen's vs Ottawa
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Laurier
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Windsor vs York
07/10/2006 - 14:00 - Waterloo vs Guelph
WEEK 7
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Laurier vs Toronto
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - York vs Queen's
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Guelph vs Windsor
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Western vs McMaster
14/10/2006 - 14:00 - Ottawa vs Waterloo
WEEK 8
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Windsor vs Laurier
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Toronto vs Ottawa
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Waterloo vs York
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - Queen's vs Western
21/10/2006 - 14:00 - McMaster vs Guelph
OUA Quarter-Finals
28/10/2006 - 14:00 - TBA vs TBA
28/10/2006 - 14:00 - TBA vs TBA
OUA Semi-Finals
04/11/2006 - 13:00 - TBA vs TBA
04/11/2006 - 13:00 - TBA vs TBA
99th Yates Cup
11/11/2006 - 13:00 - TBA vs TBA
Mitchell Bowl
18/11/2006 - TBA - OUA champion vs Canada West champion
Visit http://oua.ca/sports/football/ for all the latest OUA football news.
- O U A -
(Photo: CIS rushing leader and all-Canadian back Daryl Stephenson will try and build on an impressive sophomore campaign as the Windsor Lancers kick off their 2006 season aginst the Waterloo Warriors. Photo by Craig Glover.)
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
