OUAâ??s University Rush returns for 10th Season on theScore

HAMILTON, Ont. - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) football returns to theScore on Sat. Sept. 10, marking the 10^th season of University Rush coverage.

Again this year, theScore will broadcast six regular season and four playoff games, culminating with the 104th Yates Cup presented by Pioneer Energy in High Definition (HD) on Nov. 12.

“For the 10th season, University Rush will share the accomplishments of our talented student-athletes with the entire nation,” said Ward Dilse, Executive Director, Ontario University Athletics. “It is an honour to be able to reach this milestone with theScore; we are thankful for their contribution to the development and growth of Ontario university sport.”

It all gets underway in the second week of the OUA season, when the McMaster Marauders play host to the 2010 Yates Cup champion Western Mustangs in a rematch of last season’s semifinal. The then nationally ranked No. 7 Marauders dominated the time of possession battle over the No. 2 Mustangs, but 21 unanswered points by Western gave them a big enough cushion to survive their seven turnovers to hold on for the 34-28 victory, advancing to their fourth straight Yates Cup game.

Sept. 17 finds the Guelph Gryphons visiting the Toronto Varsity Blues. The Blues suffered a heart-breaking loss in the first week of 2010 after a Gryphon field goal was kicked with six seconds remaining in the game to give Guelph the two-point win. This marks Toronto’s first nationally televised game since the 2006 season when they faced the York Lions in the 37^th Annual Red & Blue Bowl.  

The first of two University Rush Homecoming games featured on theScore has McMaster visiting Guelph on Sept. 24. The following week Ottawa will travel to University Stadium in Waterloo, Ont. to take on Wilfrid Laurier.

Coach JP Asselin and the Gee-Gees will be without 2010 Hec Crighton winning quarterback Brad Sinopoli (Peterborough, Ont.) when they take on the Golden Hawks on Oct. 1. Last year’s semifinal between the two teams came down to one point with Ottawa narrowly escaping 32-31.

After a break for Thanksgiving, Laurier plays host again as 2010’s third and fourth place teams, McMaster and the Golden Hawks, meet in Week 7 on Oct. 15. When the two teams played each other last year the Marauders took the 26-24 decision. With only a few key losses on either roster, fans can expect another close game. McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan (South Woodslee, Ont.) will need to keep his head up for Laurier’s defence with the departure of Justin Glover, Michael Warner, and Michael Hoy from the Marauders’ offensive line. The Golden Hawks return Mitchell Bosch (Langley, B.C.) who led the defence last season with 35 solo tackles, 22 assisted tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions, but will be without 2010 OUA Presidents' trophy nominee Giancarlo Rapanaro (Niagara Falls, Ont.) who played out his eligibility with the purple and gold.  

The OUA regular season concludes on Saturday, Oct. 22 with five games that will no doubt have playoff implications. Last season, even after the final games were played, a three-way tie had to be broken to determine playoff seeding. Week 8 will feature a key game for post-season positioning.

“We're very proud of our partnership with OUA football over the past decade. University students make up a significant portion of theScore's core audience and broadcasting University Rush allows us to connect with them in a unique way,” said Greg Sansone, vice president of television, Score Media Inc.

Returning for another season is theScore’s play-by-play announcer Tim Micallef. He’ll be calling all the action and will be joined during each broadcast by former Western football star Donnovan Bennett, who moves up from the sidelines for his rookie season in the booth.