On Saturday, the McMaster Marauders (0-1) and Queen's Gaels (0-1) are set to face off in a vital matchup for both squads at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Both teams are coming off close losses in Week 1, as McMaster fell on the road to the York Lions 31-24 in their season-opener.
At the same time, the Gaels, at home, nearly beat the Western Mustangs for the first time since 2012, but lost 45-42 in a mind-blowing four-overtime matchup that ended in a controversial no-catch call on what could've been a Queen's winning touchdown.
This has the potential to be a very close game, and if it is, it will undoubtedly fuel differing opinions on each team heading into Week 3.
McMaster's Luke Thalman and Queen's Alex Vreeken are both coming off of very respectable and similar quarterbacking performances, with Thalman passing for 272 yards and three touchdowns.
In comparison, Vreeken recorded 284 yards passing, two touchdowns, and an interception.
Both signal-callers will need to be smart in spreading the ball around and making the correct reads, as both teams also sport talented secondaries with great athletes.
One of those athletes to keep an eye on is McMaster defensive back Isaiah Shields. Shields is coming off an excellent performance against York, where he had 11 total tackles, one pass breakup, and an enormous kick return that set the offence up deep in the Lions' red zone.
Sean Underhill, Ethan Stuart, Carter Blad, and Juan Vasquez will all need to deliver dominant performances to counter Queen's aerial attack, featuring Russell Weir, Mateo Tuioti, Cedric Smith, and Nathan Falconi.
Tuioti, Weir, and Smith each recorded over 50 yards receiving against Western, while Tuioti and Weir found the endzone once each in week one.
Falconi remains a dangerous threat and is a dependable target for Vreeken to look towards in any scenario as a veteran of the Gaels.
Overall, McMaster's secondary will need to have a better game against Queen's as they gave up the fifth-most passing yards nationally in week one with 366.
On offence, Thalman's main target in week one, Jackson Taylor (four catches, 104 yards, two touchdowns), will likely be a busy man again in Week 2.
Queen's sports a tenacious defensive line, so Thalman will need to get the ball out and into the hands of his playmakers quickly.
Speaking of playmakers, fourth-year receiver Joel Burch flashed well in Mac's week one loss as he put up three catches and 49 yards against a talented York defence that saw a big talent overhaul in the offseason.
Based on his performance against York, expect quick-twitched and reliable Everett Reid to see some action, as well as tight end Nathan Denkers, who provides a big-bodied frame for Thalman to identify when going through reads.
The Marauder's ground game was effective in the loss to York, but it will need to increase its production to maintain a healthy offensive balance against Queen's.
Brayden Kelly received the majority of the carries (nine) against York and finished with 26 yards. He will face another tough defence this week.
On the defensive side for the Marauders, McMaster's linebacker corps was solid in Week 1 and has a chance to sustain their play in Week 2 by stuffing the Gaels' rushing attack while keeping pressure on Vreeken.
Anthony Sestanovic, the only Marauder to record a sack last game, and Aaron Lavers, the second leading tackler in the previous game with 8.5 behind Shields' 11, will surely enter the home opener ready to make plays and cover extensive ground.
Queen's Keegan Vanek, a five-year veteran of the Gaels, picked off a pass from Western quarterback Evan Hillock in Week 1 for his ninth career interception. His presence will be amplified for this game, especially coming off a heartbreaking loss.
Justin Pace, arguably the OUA's best player, will be another notable player to keep an eye on as the Marauders' offence will always need to be aware of where number 44 is at all times.
Offensive line play will be a crucial factor in who comes out on top. Queens' line gave up four sacks against Western, while McMaster's line gave up zero against York.
The Marauders will definitely face better competition this week with two Gaels' defensive linemen, Steven Kpehe and Eli Bennett, each getting a sack against a great Mustang offensive line in Week 1.
Oliver Jackson is another standout on the defensive line who will be hungry to reach the backfield and disrupt plays.
Queen's will enter this game with a great running back tandem in Ethan Dahl and Jared Chisari. Both players are great athletes who will likely see more combined yards in this one than the loss to Western, where they only notched 70 yards rushing between the two of them.
Five Players to Look For
Jackson Taylor, McMaster, WR: Taylor was the Marauder's best pass-catcher in Week 1, with his two touchdowns keeping Mac competitive against York. Even though he will be facing a tougher secondary than he did last week, his quarterback, Luke Thalman, will still be looking his way if the offence is caught in a jam.
Aaron Lavers, McMaster, LB: Since Sestanovic had such an outstanding performance against York, we are going to go with his fellow linebacker, Aaron Lavers, as another player to watch for McMaster. Lavers recorded 8.5 total tackles against the Lions and was all over the field. At 6'3" and 230 pounds, Lavers will be crucial in stuffing the Gaels' dynamic run game, comprised of Chisari and Dahl.
Isaiah Shields, McMaster, DB: The nation's current leader in total tackles will be a sight to behold in his team's home-opener. A fantastic athlete who transcends normality in the sport, Shields may also see reps as a returner this week, after he returned two kicks for 60 yards in the last game, while playing excellent defence in the secondary.
Alex Vreeken, Queen's, QB: This one is revenge-based. After the Gaels nearly beat Western for the first time since 2012 last week in a four-overtime epic, Vreeken will surely come into this game ready to perform well and rewrite the loss from last week.
Queen's entire defensive line: Two members of Queen's defensive line notched sacks against Western, which consistently fields top offensive lines. Eli Bennett, Steven Kpehe, and Oliver Jackson are some big-time playmakers who can be very impactful with their pressure inflicted on the backfield. McMaster's offensive line will need to have an excellent performance on Saturday.
Score Prediction:
Queen's defeats McMaster 27-21