After a long off-season, the McMaster football team will open the 2018 OUA season at home versus their arch-rivals, the Guelph Gryphons on Sunday, August 26 with kick-off at 3 p.m.

Tickets for the game will be on sale at the Ron Joyce Stadium box office on gameday, with the contest also available on radio on TSN 1150, on television on Cable 14 in greater Hamilton and YourTV in Halton region, or via livestream on OUA.tv.

The theme of the Marauder training camp has been the turnover on defense with nine starters from last season gone, and several new faces eager to fill those positions.  Head Coach Greg Knox is happy with the talent that has joined the roster, but understands that building a cohesive unit will take some time and the OUA season doesn't wait around.

An intriguing battle for the starting quarterback position has been another key part of the training camp narrative, with returning sophomores Jackson White and Andreas Dueck, joined by transfer Liam Putt in the competition for snaps.

In terms of importance, it's fair to say this early season clash will impact the playoff aspirations for both teams, as McMaster and Guelph have regularly been fighting to stay high in the standings over the last several seasons.

MCMASTER FOOTBALL GAME NOTES, GAME ONE, AUGUST 26th VS. GUELPH

• OPENING WEEK:  The Marauders host the Guelph Gryphons to open the 2018 league schedule. Guelph travelled to Laval last week for a pre-season tilt and lost a 46-3 contest to the QUFC Champs. McMaster went to Windsor last Saturday for a controlled scrimmage and got some reps for the entire dress squad that made the trip.
• LAST SEASON:  McMaster finished in 3^rd-place in the OUA with a 6-2 record, while Guelph ended up 5^th in league standings at 5-3.  Both teams won quarter-final games with Mac beating Queen's and Guelph over Ottawa, before dropping semi-finals to Laurier and Western respectively.
• LAST MATCH-UP:  McMaster travelled to Guelph in 2017 and spoiled the Gryphon Homecoming with a big 29-9 win.
• NEW COACH:  There is a new head coach on the Guelph sideline as Todd Galloway has assumed the position on an interim basis, after the departure of Kevin MacNeil, who left the program last April.  Coach Galloway has been on the Gryphon staff for seven seasons and was previously the offensive coordinator.
• HISTORY: Since the OUA started in 1971, McMaster leads the head to head match-up with Guelph, having won 29 games and losing 19.  McMaster and Guelph have met six times in the post-season with the Marauders holding a 4-2 edge in victories.  The Marauders and Gryphons have met twice in the Yates Cup OUA Championship, with McMaster winning in 2014 by 20-15 and in 2012 by a margin of 30-13.

• GRADS: McMaster sent five players to the CFL ranks after the 2017 season.  Eric Mezzalira (Calgary), Dan Petermann (Winnipeg), Hassan Barry (Toronto), Cody Speller (Winnipeg), and Mitch O'Connor (Hamilton) all managed to catch on with the big league, bringing the total number of Marauders in the CFL to 16.  Guelph also replaces some talent lost from last season, notably guard Andrew Pickett and safety Nick Parisotto.
• HALL OF FAME:  McMaster Athletics & Recreation has announced the 2018 inductees to the McMaster Athletic Hall of Fame, and a Marauder gridiron great of the past is among those being enshrined.  Running back Jesse Lumsden, who had one of the most decorated careers in Maroon was part of McMaster Yates Cup titles between 2001, 2002 and 2003; while being honoured as the recipient of the Hec Crichton trophy in 2004.  The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is being held on Saturday, September 15th as part of the annual HOMECOMING festivities. The inductee will join the Hall of Fame at a special brunch being held at the CIBC banquet hall on campus.  Visit Marauders.ca for more information.