The young players on the McMaster football team will have to grow up quickly on Saturday, September 9th as the perennial contenders from Western University make the trip from London to Hamilton for an important early season match-up. It's a clash of top-ten teams as the Western Mustangs enter play with a 2-0 record and ranked No.4 in the national rankings, while McMaster will bring its record of 1-0, and a 7th-place ranking into the contest.
Playing at McMaster is always something of a homecoming for Mustang coach Greg Marshall, as he was the McMaster head coach from 1997 to 2003. During that period, he brought the Marauder program to prominence and directed the team to four straight Yates Cup championships. He returned to Western in 2006, where he had been a player and assistant coach, after spending three seasons with the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2003-06).
The Marauders will look to build on last week's season-opening win at Carleton, in which the Mac defense only allowed a single field-goal by the Raven offense and forced six turnovers, including a pick-six interception by Robbie Yochim. The key for McMaster will be to generate some more offense against the Mustangs, in order to keep the vaunted Mustang attack off the field.
Kick-off is set for 1-pm at Ron Joyce Stadium. Tickets can be purchased online at MARAUDERS.CA or at the stadium box office after 11-am on gameday.
McMASTER VS WESTERN GAME NOTES
- LAST WEEK: The Marauders defeated the Carleton Ravens 23-9 in the season opener and moved to a 1 and 0 record in the OUA. Western worked overtime to defeat Guelph 41-34 to improve to 2 and 0.
- LAST MATCH-UP: McMaster went to London in 2016, and the Marauders were defeated by the Mustangs 19-18 in a defensive battle that decided first-place in the OUA. Western finished with a 7 and 1 record, while McMaster went to 6 and 2 and slipped into third-place in the standings.
- HISTORY: Since the formation of the league in 1971 Western leads the head to head OUA series with McMaster, having won 32 games, losing 11, with one tie. In eight post-season clashes between the Marauders and Mustangs, each team has won four times.
- TOP-TEN: McMaster's win over Carleton saw the Marauders move up to the No. 7 spot in the weekly national top-ten, while the Mustangs hold the No. 4 slot. McMaster and Western are two of four OUA teams that make up the top-ten, including: Laurier (#6), and Ottawa (#9).
- RECORD PACE: Marauder receiver Dan Petermann (Hamilton, ON) is primed to break the McMaster record for career receptions. Petermann will enter today's game with 147 career grabs, just three behind McMaster Hall of Famer Ryan Janzen, who holds the record with 150.
- GROUND GAME ASSERTED: The Marauders got a solid effort from 3rd-year tailback Jordan Lyons (Burlington, ON), who rushed for a career high 94 yards vs. Carleton, while freshman Justice Allin (Etobicoke, ON) continued to impress by picking up 31 yards on six carries.
- SHARED CELEBRATION: The first McMaster touchdown of the season came with 5:59 left in the first quarter of last week's game at Carleton. Rookie quarterback Andreas Dueck (Winnipeg, MB) tossed a 5-yard scoring strike to fellow frosh, receiver Tommy Nield (Guelph, ON). Being the first touchdown completion for Dueck and reception for Nield, the two McMaster freshmen were able to simultaneously celebrate a career-starting milestone for both.
- HALL OF FAME: McMaster Athletics & Recreation announced the 2017 inductees to the McMaster Athletic Hall of Fame this week, and a Marauder gridiron great of the past is among those being enshrined. Defensive back Kwame Aidoo had a terrific five-year career in Maroon and, among many highlights, helped McMaster win four consecutive Yates Cup titles between 2000 and 2003. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner is being held on Friday, September 29th in the Quigley Sport Hall.
