Gryphs to start football campaign at Western Aug. 27
GUELPH – After playing in COVID regional divisions last year and not playing at all in 2020, Ontario university football is to return to its usual single-division format this year.
OUA released its 2022 schedule Thursday and each team is to play the usual eight games in the regular season, two up from last year.
And the season is to start the weekend before the Labour Day weekend and finish the weekend before Halloween. Each team will also have a bye week during the season.
For the Guelph Gryphons, they’re to start their season Aug. 27 with a game against the defending national Vanier Cup and league Yates Cup champion Western Mustangs at Western’s Alumni Stadium.
The Gryphs had both their first and last games of 2021 against the Mustangs. Guelph won 23-21 at Guelph’s Alumni Stadium Sept. 25, Western’s lone loss of the season, and the locals lost 33-12 in an OUA semifinal Nov. 13 at Western.
The 2022 home opener for the Gryphs is set for Labour Day Monday (Sept. 5) when they’re to host the Windsor Lancers at Alumni Stadium at 2 p.m.
Other home games for the Gryphs are to be Sept. 24 against the Queen’s Gaels at 2 p.m., Oct. 7 against the McMaster Marauders at 6 p.m. and Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. against the Carleton Ravens on the final day of the regular season.
Other road games for the Gryphs are Sept. 10 at 2 p.m. against the Waterloo Warriors at Warrior Field, Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. against the Ottawa Gee-Gees at TD Place and Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. against the Laurier Golden Hawks at University Stadium.
Not on the Gryphon schedule this year are games against the Toronto-based teams, the Toronto Varsity Blues and York Lions.
Using the 2021 records of opponents to determine the strength of schedule of the 11 teams in the league, the Gryphs have the toughest schedule in 2022.
Gryphon opponents this year had a cumulative 27-21 record in 2021 and 35-29 in 2019.
They’re followed by Western at 26-22, Laurier, McMaster and York at 25-23, Ottawa and Toronto at 24-24, Carleton at 23-25, Queen’s and Windsor at 22-26 and Waterloo at 21-27.
- Guelph Sports Journal