“This is our year!” — It’s a phrase that will be shouted at all 27 U SPORTS football training camps this August. 2025 will be the year of redemption, retooling, or revitalisation, with every team’s slate wiped clean and every player hoping to capture the eyes of the nation. However even with a clean slate in the record column, each team will have questions to answer in 2025. Below are those questions.
Laurier Golden Hawks
2024 Regular Season: 8-0
OUA Offence: 2nd (306 PF)
OUA Defence: 2nd (180 PA)
Playoffs: 3-1 (Yates Cup Champions, Uteck Bowl Champions, Vanier Cup Finalists vs. Laval)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: T-7th
Opponents 2024 Record: 30-34
Can the Golden Hawks repeat their 2024 dominance in a post-Elgersma world?
Certainly every Golden Hawks fan will have the same question on their mind this August, what will the Hawks look like without their MVP? Initial reports indicate that QB Isaac Willis has been taking first team snaps for the Hawks this offseason. Entering his fourth year in the Golden Hawks program, he is much more mature than his third year eligibility status would seem. There is also Mississauga native Callum Wither who recently transferred to Laurier from Ohio University. Like Willis, Wither has spent the last few seasons on the bench (albeit at the NCAA level) and is looking to make his first post-secondary starting bid in 2025. Whoever wins the job out of camp will have a healthy amount of pressure and expectation as the Golden Hawks look to remain in the national conversation.
How do you take over from a Hec Crighton caliber QB? Marshall Ferguson post Kyle Quinlan’s career comes to mind as a successful way to do it. Like Ferguson in 2013, Willis or Wither will now gets their chance to step into the limelight. A new starting quarterback will not be alone in the quest to establish their name as an OUA star. With many of last year’s stars graduated, look for the Hawks to lean on returnees like WR Layomi Ojutalyo and RB Tayshaun Jackson.
It seems unfair, but many will pick Western to win the OUA in 2025. Even as defending champions, Laurier will remain an OUA underdog to the Mustang machine. As Head Coach Michael Faulds would say, “Good,” that’s just the way they like it. Look for Laurier to incorporate a more traditional run heavy offence especially early in the season as they find their offensive footing. The beginning of the season will be key to the Hawks’ overall standing heading into the OUA playoffs as I fully expect this team to improve every single week.
Western Mustangs
2024 Regular Season: 7-1 (Loss @ Laurier)
OUA Offence: 1st (396 PF)
OUA Defence: 1st (129 PA)
Playoffs: 2-1 (Yates Cup Finalists @Laurier)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 2nd
Opponents 2024 Record: 36-28
Are the Mustangs ready to retake the throne, or is this the beginning of the end of Western dominance?
The Western Mustangs are the living embodiment of consistency. In the last twelve years, they have finished the regular season in the OUA’s top spot nine times. They have made it to 10 of those 12 Yates Cups, reaching the OUA championship in each of the last nine seasons. They have a winning record in the game of 6-4. They also have three Vanier Cup appearances during that time, winning the national championship twice.
For the most part, this was done primarily behind names like Finch, Merchant, and Hillock. 2025 will be the final chapter of the latter’s OUA career and before he rides off into the sunset of Western greats, I’m sure Evan Hillock feels like he has unfinished business. Coming off of a year in which Laurier beat them twice, the Mustangs will have the opportunity to make a statement with a veteran QB and many returning weapons.
There is also the career of head coach Greg Marshall to consider. As a player and a coach, the man is a twenty-three time Yates Cup champion and a four-time Vanier Cup Champion. He has been the bench boss at Western since 2006 and while there is no sign of slowing down, Mustang fans must wonder how long Marshall will want to continue his legendary career. Will he look to retool for another four to five years with whoever the next starting QB will be or will he hit the country with a legendary mic drop at the end of the Hillock era? Only time will tell, but in the meantime look for Western to power their way near the top of the OUA this season.
Guelph Gryphons
2024 Regular Season: 6-2 (Losses @ Laurier, @ Queens)
OUA Offence: 3rd (276 PF)
OUA Defence: 5th (200 PA) Playoffs 1-1 (Loss @Western)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 1st
Opponents 2024 Record: 37-27
Is Tristan Aboud poised to take the Gryphons to the Yates Cup?
Guelph has not been to the Yates Cup since 2018, and they haven’t won the trophy since 2015. Since that last championship, the program has gone 32-30 in the regular season. They have translated that into six playoff appearances and hold a postseason record of 6-5. There are certainly worse places to be in terms of the OUA pecking order, but there are also better. All indications are that Tristan Aboud will enter the season as the starting quarterback, a title that he has now held for a second straight year.
Now in his third year of eligibility, Aboud has certainly introduced himself to Gryphons’ fans with his exciting level of play. Last season the Gryphons earned the third ranked OUA scoring offence with a total of 276 points, and Aboud was a big part of that. He finished the eight game regular season with a 68.2 completion percentage, 1,959 yards passing, 292 yards rushing, 13 passing touchdownss, three rushing touchdownss, and six interceptions.
In their 30-19 playoff loss to Western, Aboud threw for 304 yards and one touchdown, while tacking on another 33 yards on the ground. Now let’s be honest, these are not Hec Crighton numbers. However, they were good enough to secure the Gryphons a 6-2 record and a home playoff win. Look for second year head coach Mark Surya to take the training wheels off of his now experienced starting QB and unleash his full offence onto the OUA in 2025. If the trajectory of his growth continues, Aboud could be looking at a very big season.
Windsor Lancers
2024 Regular Season: 5-3 (Losses @ Guelph, vs. Laurier, @ Western)
OUA Offence: 6th (216 PF)
OUA Defence: 3rd (183 PA)
Playoffs: 0-1 (Loss vs.Queens)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 3
Opponents 2024 Record: 35-29
Is year six under head coach Jean-Paul Circelli finally the year that the Lancers take a leap into the upper echelon of the OUA?
Windsor is now a consistent playoff team in the OUA. After years of mediocrity, they have quietly made the playoffs the last three seasons under head coach Jean-Paul Circelli. The former Western Mustang offensive line coach, Circelli has occupied the Windsor job for the last five seasons and has helped bring a legitimacy to the Lancer’s program that it was desperately lacking.
They have not however, been able to turn this legitimacy into championship level success. Their postseason record of 1-3 over the past three seasons hardly screams OUA powerhouse. In year six of the Circelli era, will the Lancers become a threat in the OUA playoffs or will they have another early playoff exit on their hands? Their path will not be easy, they hold the OUA’s third ranked strength of schedule based on opponent’s 2024 record with games against all four teams who beat them last season: Guelph, Laurier, Western, and Queens.
Look for the Lancer’s to lean on fourth year running back Joey Zorn, who has twice in his career rushed for over 800 yards in a season, as Circelli continues to try to implement a Western-style ground attack in the Rose City. For Windsor, a successful season will follow a strong running attack and a stout defence.
Queens Golden Gaels
2024 Regular Season: 5-3 (Losses @ Windsor, @ Western, @ Laurier)
OUA Offence: 4th (261 PF)
OUA Defence: 6th (201 PA)
Playoffs: 1-1 (Loss @ Laurier)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 4th
Opponents 2024 Record: 33-31
Can the Golden Gaels beat Western?
A proud and historic program in the OUA. Queen’s University is one of the oldest football playing schools in the country. They do not however, have a great amount of recent success. Since the Golden Gaels won the Vanier Cup back in 2009, the program has made it to the Yates Cup only three times and are 0-3 in their quest to bring the OUA championship back to Kingston.
All three of these Yates Cup bids (2013, 2021, 2022) fell short against the same dreaded OUA rival, the Western Mustangs. This postseason point brings to light a bigger issue in tri-colour land: the Golden Gaels have not beaten the Western Mustangs since Sept. 15, 2012. Since that date, including regular season and playoff matchups, the Queen’s Golden Gaels are 0-14 against their Mustang counterparts.
Now, football is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ game. A 13-year drought has nothing to do with what will happen in the 2025 season, but recent OUA history tells us that if you want to win the Yates Cup you must beat the purple ponies. If Queen’s is to make a run in the OUA standings, look for fifth-year QB Alex Vreeken, fifth-year RB Jared Chisari (113 carries/785 yards/7 touchdowns), and fifth-year WR Nathan Falconi (36 catches/497 yards/7 touchdowns) to all play a pivotal part.
Ottawa Gee-Gees
2024 Regular Season: 4-4 (Losses vs. Western, vs. Queens, @ Windsor, @ Laurier)
OUA Offence: 8th (206 PF)
OUA Defence: 4th (187 PA)
Playoffs: 0-1 (Loss @ Guelph)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: T-5th
Opponents 2024 Record: 31-33
Can Ottawa’s offence score more points and rocket themselves into the upper half of the OUA?
The Ottawa Gee-Gee’s scored 206 points in 2024. It was good enough for the eighth ranked scoring offence in the OUA, the lowest amount produced by any of the playoff teams. They managed a 4-4 record with steady play by their fourth ranked OUA defence, but they failed to take down any of the conference’s big dogs, with losses to Western, Queens, Windsor, Laurier, and finally, Guelph in the Yates Cup quarterfinals.
If Ottawa is to make a push in 2025, they’re going to have to develop a more consistent offence and play better complimentary football. Look for the Gee Gees to feed fourth year RB Charles Asselin (138 carries/809 yards/8 touchdowns) as he will most likely be the workhorse of their offence. Improved QB play will also be a big part of Ottawa’s 2025 game plan. Look for third-year starter Josh Janssen to take a step forward if teams start to stack the box to slow the Gee Gees’ ground assault.
McMaster Marauders
2024 Regular Season: 4-4 (Losses vs. Laurier, @ Queens, @ Guelph, vs. Western)
OUA Offence: 7th (212 PF)
OUA Defence: 8th (238 PA)
Playoffs: 0-1 (Loss @ Western)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 11th
Opponents 2024 Record: 23-41
Does head coach Stefan Ptaszek have the horses to resurrect the Marauder glory years?
Do you remember when the McMaster Marauders were the dominant team in the OUA? If you don’t, just Google “Best Game Ever - The 2011 McMaster Football Season.” You’ll notice that the coach holding the Vanier Cup at the end is Stefan Ptaszek. Since that 2011 season, the Marauders are 3-0 in Yates Cup appearances (2012, 2014, 2019) but 0-2 in Vanier Cup tilts (2012, 2014). Excluding a small stint from 2016-2018 when he joined the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats, Stefan Ptaszek has been there through it all.
Since the cancelled 2020 season however, the long-time Mac head coach has struggled to regain Marauder dominance, posting an 11-19 record in OUA regular season play. The only playoff appearance in those four seasons was 2024, which ended quickly with a road loss to Western. With veteran QB Keagan Hall having transferred to York, Ptaszek will definitely have an interesting decision on his hands when it comes to who will take snaps in 2025. Whoever it is, Marauder fans hope that he will show shades of Quinlan, Ferguson, Hastings, and Dueck.
Carleton Ravens
2024 Regular Season: 2-6 (Losses @ Guelph, vs. Windsor, @ Western, vs. McMaster, vs. Ottawa, vs. Laurier)
OUA Offence: 5th (217 PF)
OUA Defence: 9th (245 PA)
Playoffs: (Missed Playoffs)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 10th
Opponents 2024 Record: 28-36
Can Carleton’s defence improve into the upper half of the OUA?
It’s no secret, the ninth-ranked OUA scoring defence will not be good enough to drive Carleton to a playoff run in 2025. If we’re being honest, the fifth ranked OUA scoring offence probably won’t get it done either. The silver lining is that there is fresh blood among the Ravens’ coaching staff. Joining head coach Corey Grant will be defensive coordinator Ronald Hilaire and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Griffith.
Both will bring a wealth of experience to Carleton’s facility with over two decades of U SPORTS experience between them. Hilaire was the head coach of the McGill Redbirds from 2015-2023, while Griffith has spent the last decade at York as the special teams coordinator, run game coordinator, and eventually assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. The Raven faithful are hoping that this change in coaching will be enough to revamp the bird’s chances in 2025.
York Lions
2024 Regular Season: 2-6 (Losses vs. Ottawa, @ Queens, vs. Windsor, @ Carleton, vs. Guelph, @ McMaster)
OUA Offence: 10th (131 PF)
OUA Defence: 7th (230 PA)
Playoffs: (Missed Playoffs)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: 9th
Opponents 2024 Record: 29-35
Will Keagan Hall help the Lions continue their climb from the OUA basement, or will 2025 reveal cracks in the York U foundation?
There is a buzz around York football, one that has not existed in a very long time — if ever. It stems from the hire of head coach Dexter Janke, which occurred before the 2024 season. Janke quickly revamped York’s roster by recruiting talent from the CJFL and the Lions won two more games in 2024 than they had in 2023. To be fair, those two wins were the difference between a 0-8 and a 2-6 campaign, but it was improvement nonetheless.
After another year of recruiting under Janke and the addition of veteran QB Keagan Hall (a graduate transfer from McMaster), York is hoping to take another step forward in 2025. For context, York has not won more than three games since 2002.
Toronto Varsity Blues
2024 Regular Season: 1-7 (Losses vs. Guelph, @ McMaster, vs. Carelton, vs. York, @ Windsor, vs. Western, @ Ottawa)
OUA Offence: 11th (91 PF)
Defence: 10th (331 PA)
Playoffs: (Missed Playoffs)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: T-7th
Opponents 2024 Record: 30-34
Will Toronto take steps forward in 2025?
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues have had a tough go of it lately. Between the years 2000-2019, the Varsity Blues made the playoffs a grand total of zero times and posted a regular season record of 26-134. The program seemed to be making headway after the cancelled 2020 season and even achieved two straight playoff appearances (2021, 2022).
The last two years have not been as successful however and the Blues have posted a 2-6 and 1-7 record. With the eleventh ranked OUA scoring offence and the tenth ranked OUA scoring defence in 2024, the question revolving around this program is will there be another resurrection under second-year head coach Darrell Adams or will the Blues take another step backwards in 2025?
Waterloo Warriors
2024 Regular Season: 0-8 (Losses vs. Toronto, @ Western, vs. Ottawa, vs. Laurier, @ Guelph, @ York, vs. McMaster, @ Queens)
OUA Offence: 9th (148 PF)
OUA Defence: 11th (336 PA)
Playoffs: (Missed Playoffs)
Strength of 2025 OUA Schedule Rank: T-5th
Opponents 2024 Record: 31-33
Can Waterloo bounce back from a tough season?
The Waterloo Warriors had a major program resurgence from 2017-2021 and played .500, playoff level football. Even though those Waterloo rosters were full of future CFL prospects and a number of OUA All-stars, these will probably go down simply as the ‘Tre Ford Years’. Since then Chris Bertoia’s squad has struggled with records of 1-7, 3-5 (and an ensuing 69-0 playoff loss to Laurier), and 0-8.
Much like U of T, with a low ranking 2024 OUA scoring offence and defence, the bar for growth may not be set at a playoff berth in 2025. If Waterloo can see some key growth from young talented players, this season might be a step in the right direction no matter the record.