Being a football junkie means that I believe every chance to watch a football game is a great opportunity. However, even I can appreciate that people are busy and won’t have the time to watch every single second of U SPORTS football this fall. Below are my picks for game of the week for the upcoming 2025 OUA season.
Week 1: Western @ Queens (Saturday, Aug. 23, 3:00 p.m. EST, Richardson Stadium, Kingston)
When two of the most historic programs in U SPORTS, let alone the OUA meet, it's always of interest. The only issue for Golden Gaels fans is that they haven’t beat the Western Mustangs since Sept. 15, 2012. Could this be the year that Queens finally surpasses their dreaded rival? History tells us that If you’re going to take down a giant, you have a better chance if you get them early and on the road. Both are the case in this game, but Hec Crighton candidate Evan Hillock might have something to say about that.
Last season the Mustangs took down the Golden Gaels in a 39-14 contest in London. Look for Western to bring their signature rushing attack up the 401 and try to grind the Golden Gales into submission. Queens will have to play complimentary football on all three sides of the ball to pull this one off, but what better way to open the OUA season than with a chance to send a statement to the rest of the country.
Week 2: Windsor @ Laurier (Saturday, Aug. 30, 7:00 p.m. EST, Knight-Newbrough Field, Waterloo)
The Laurier Golden Hawks are defending OUA champions and were one win away from Vanier glory last season. However, they graduated the reigning Hec Crighton award winner, Taylor Elgersma, last season, and will be looking to retool quickly under the command of a new quarterback. The Windsor Lancers are now a consistent playoff team, making the playoffs in three of the five years since head coach John-Paul Circelli was hired. The Lancers, however, have only one playoff win to show for in those three years.
This tilt in Waterloo will showcase a program who has reached national notoriety and a team who is looking to take a step into that conversation. Last season these two met in Windsor, where the Golden Hawks hung on to a 33-26 victory after a ten-point Lancer fourth quarter comeback fell short. In 2023, another Lancer fourth quarter blitz ended in a 21-14 Laurier victory in the OUA semi-final. If these past two matchups are any indication, this will definitely be must-see TV early in the OUA season.
Week 3: Guelph @ Windsor (Saturday, Sept. 6, 7:00 p.m., Alumni Field, Windsor)
Week 4: Western @ Carleton (Saturday, Sept. 13, 1:00 pm, TAAG Park, Ottawa)
Week 5: Guelph @ McMaster (Saturday, Sept. 20, 1:00 p.m., Ron Joyce Stadium, Hamilton)
Week 6: York @ Queens (Saturday, Sept. 27, 3:00 p.m., Richardson Stadium, Kingston)
Week 7: Panda Game (Sunday, Oct. 5, 12:00 p.m. EST, TD Place, Ottawa)
No explanation is needed as to why you should tune in for the Panda Game, a classic rivalry between the Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Gee-Gees held at the neutral TD Place. I am however going to lay out the reasons why you should tune in anyways. The Panda Game is everything that university football should be; a great rivalry between two cross-town schools, a sellout crowd (≈24,000), and a coveted mid-season trophy that is awarded to the winner no matter what the team’s records are.
Since its inception in 1955, there have been 55 Panda Game matchups between Carleton and Ottawa. The Gee-Gees hold a 38-17 record in the game all time and are on a six-year win streak. This however is far from a one-sided affair. Before this current streak, Carleton had held on to Pedro the Panda (the name of the game’s coveted trophy) for four straight years. No matter what the team’s records are at this point in the season, this will be a must watch kind of game, which has had major playoff implications more recently.
Since the re-inception of the game in 2013 (Carleton did not have a football program from 1998–2013), Ottawa and Carleton have provided many instant classics, providing bragging rights to whichever side of the stands gets to storm the field in victory. Six of the last 11 have ended in one score games, with four even coming in walk off fashion. Circle your calendar, Oct. 5 will be a great day to be a football fan.
Week 8: Windsor @ Ottawa (Saturday, Oct. 11, 1:00 p.m., Gee-Gees Field, Ottawa)
Week 9: Laurier @ Western (Saturday, Oct. 18, 1:00 p.m., Western Alumni Stadium, London)
Laurier vs. Western is a classic OUA matchup that has provided many great games over these program’s histories. Although usually the Mustangs are playing the role of Goliath to the Golden Hawks’ David, last season was different. Laurier, led by Hec Crighton winner Taylor Elgersma, defeated the Mustangs in Week 2 of the 2024 season (43-28) and also in the Yates Cup (51-31). Both games were played on Laurier turf in Waterloo.
With Elgersma gone, Laurier will be searching for their new offensive identity this season. It is presumed that Western will not. The Mustangs will be returning a number of offensive starters this season including a potential Hec Crighton nominee in fifth-year QB Evan Hillock. Another positive for the Mustangs is that they are still coached by Greg Marshall, who is regarded by many as the gold standard in the OUA coaching world.
The good news for Laurier is that this game will occur in the very last week of the OUA regular season, so it stands to reason that two-time U SPORTS Coach of the Year Michael Faulds will have led the Golden Hawks to whatever identity they are searching for by then. This Week Nine clash between two OUA giants could potentially have first-round playoff bye and home field Yates Cup implications. It is sure that neither of these teams will be looking this far in advance when there are quality opponents throughout their 2025 schedules. However, it is definitely worth noting the potential drama that has been set up by the scheduling of this Yates Cup rematch.