Still having yet to notch their first win of the 2025 football season, the 0-3 McMaster Marauders will host the 1-3 Guelph Gryphons for their homecoming game this Saturday at 1 p.m.
It has been a rough first half of the season for both schools. The Marauders have lost their first three games of this year by a combined score of 98-41 in performances against York, Queen's, and Windsor.
The Gryphons have not fared much better this year, despite entering 2025 with high expectations to be a true Yates Cup contender, given their marvellous talent.
Their first game was a close 33-28 road loss to the reigning champions, Laurier, before Western blew them out 53-33. A 31-17 win over Windsor in Week 4 put them in the win column before a brutal 30-23 loss to Ottawa this past weekend.
This game presents a vital opportunity for each team. For the Marauders, a win, in their homecoming game no less, would mean a confidence booster, which could in turn lead to a boost in quality of play, as they enter their easy stretch of the schedule, save for next week against Western.
For the Gryphons, these next two games, against Mac and Carleton next week, are massive for their season before their second-last regular-season game against a tough 2-2 Queen's team.
Yes, Guelph has experienced an incredibly negative first half of the season, but they can realistically still finish 4-4 and sneak into the playoffs.
The most significant question mark in this game concerns the defences.
Both McMaster and Guelph rank in the bottom half of the country for points per game given up, as they each allow over 30 points per game and over 400 yards of total offence to their opponents. Their defence against the run has also been the weak link of both teams' defensive sides.
Donavin Milloy will return from injury to make his second start of the season for the Gryphons.
Isaiah Smith joins Milloy in a backfield which ranks among the best in the country. The importance of limiting them to paltry rushing totals is immensely important for the Marauders.
Smith has had a good year so far, even though he has split carries with Guelph's other rushers, as he has accumulated 240 yards on the ground with two touchdowns and an additional 150-plus yards receiving and a touchdown through the air. He is efficient as well, gaining about eight yards per carry in 2025.
The Marauders have yet to have a 100-yard rushing performance in a game in 2025, with Brayden Kelly and Micah Duchene mostly alternating snaps between themselves.
This game and the current circumstances that revolve around Guelph's defensive weaknesses could pose as the best opportunity for the Marauders to have a dominant performance on the ground.
Quarterback Luke Thalman is also an effective runner as the team's leading rusher so far, and often makes good decisions for when to slide or get out of harm's way.
Quarterbacking, in general, has been a bit of a hit-or-miss deal with both of these teams over the course of this season.
Thalman is a poised and stoic thrower of the football who commands his offence well and can go through his progressions quickly. He doesn't possess the biggest arm or a traditional frame for a signal-caller, but is an intelligent and accurate passer that has been hampered by subpar offensive line play.
On the season so far, Thalman has accounted for 547 passing yards, three touchdown passes, and one interception, all at an efficient 68.9 per cent rate.
This will also be one of the lesser defences that he will face all year after going up against the mauling defensive sides of Queen's and Windsor in the last two games.
If his offensive line can give him a few seconds to read the defence and go through his reads, he may be able to establish a rhythm earlier in a game than he ever has in 2025.
Tristan Aboud, Guelph's ace, boasts a tall frame, is athletic, strong, and has been blessed with a wonderful throwing arm that can leave spectators wowed.
His numbers are a little more raucous with 1214 yards, four touchdown passes, six interceptions, and a completion percentage in the low sixties through four games thus far.
He is coming off his roughest individual performance of his season, where he threw four interceptions in Guelph's loss to Ottawa last weekend. This can be a get-right game for Aboud if he ends up torching the Marauder secondary, which will not be as easy as it seems.
With three pass breakups, the uber-talented Sean Underhill ranks in the top half of the country and has the required athleticism to hang tight with just about anyone he is covering. Ethan Stuart is one of the most reliable halfbacks in the province, and, of course, Carter Blad is an excellent playmaker at free safety.
If Aboud comes out firing and spreading the ball all around to his receivers, then the Marauder secondary will have to be on their toes, as he is not afraid to take off with the ball either.
Of course, Mac will need to account for Marshall McCray's appearances in the game, as the Gryphon backup quarterback is one of the most dynamic runners in the entire province, regardless of his position.
He has not seen rushing success that can equal his Week 2 performance against Western, where he rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Aboud, but he remains a constant threat.
These two slingers will need to be smart in their decision-making to come out on top in this game. Taking advantage of the easy plays the defence gives up will be key to adding extra yards on their offensive drives.
Overall, there is no clear frontrunner as to who currently employs the better passing attack. Skill-wise and based on previous accomplishments, it is likely more logical to lean towards Guelph's way with the likes of Willem Arseneau (seven catches, 152 yards), Jarrod Tessier (20 receptions, 296 yards, one touchdown), and Harry Varty (15 catches, 252 yards, two touchdowns) making up that positional group.
McMaster has some dangerous playmakers as well with Jackson Taylor (nine catches, 143 yards, two touchdowns), Everett Reid (17 catches, 120 yards, one touchdown), and Joel Burch (four catches, 57 yards).
Aidan Nemeth looks to be available for Saturday's game. If he is okay to go, it will be a much-welcomed return.
Players to watch out for
Brayden Kelly, RB, McMaster: I love the type of grit that Kelly brings to the Marauders' rushing attack. He fights hard for every single yard that he wants and is begging for a game where he can turn loose this season. Guelph's defence is shaky this year, and with them also having to account for Duchene running the ball, Kelly may be able to force the Gryphon defence to adjust on the fly if he goes on a tear.
Tristan Aboud, QB, Guelph: After last weekend's terrible four-interception performance in Guelph's 30-23 loss to Ottawa, the landscape is ripe for Aboud to bounce back in his play against Mac. McMaster's defence has proven to be a far cry from the likes of Ottawa, Western, and Laurier, which is a good thing for Gryphon fans this week. As the leader of the second-last placed team in Ontario, Aboud can start to reverse his team's fortunes with a big win over McMaster before heading to Carleton to play the Ravens.
Aaron Lavers, LB, McMaster: Lavers will likely be a busy man on Saturday, having to account for the rushing ability of Isaiah Smith while patrolling the middle of the field for mid-routes. He has been a stud in 2025 as Mac's second leading tackler and one of only three others to have notched a sack as well on the roster.