The reigning national champion Western Mustangs are one win away from advancing to back-to-back Vanier Cups. The only thing standing in their way: a resilient Saskatchewan Huskies football team looking for their first finals appearance since 2006.
After destroying the Guelph Gryphons 63-14 in the OUA Yates cup final last weekend, the undefeated Mustangs (10-0) will play host to the Canada West champion Huskies (7-3) at TD Stadium in London, Ont., with kick-off set for 4:00 PM Eastern on Saturday.
Coach Greg Marshall’s Mustangs will look to advance to their second-straight Vanier Cup – a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by the storied program since 1994 and 1995.
If Western were to win back-to-back championships, it would make them the first school to do so since Laval in 2012 and 2013. They defeated the Laval Rouge et Or 39-17 in last year’s Vanier Cup.
On the other hand, it has been a treacherous road to the Mitchell Bowl for this year’s Huskies football program, but they roll into southern Ontario this weekend red hot, playing great late-season football.
The Huskies, who missed the playoffs last year, have won four straight games, including a 43-18 win over the previously undefeated Calgary Dinos in the Hardy Cup championship game, where they rushed for an impressive 263 yards.
But it’s been the Huskies’ defence that has been the pillar of its team success.
Saskatchewan led the conference in interceptions (10), sacks (17) and against the run (125.3 yards per game). The team even came up with four interceptions against league-MVP Adam Sinagra in the Hardy Cup, who had thrown only five picks all season prior to that game.
So, it should make for an interesting game when the Huskies take on the Mustang’s No. 1 nationally ranked offence.
Riding a 22-game win streak overall coming into Saturday’s tilt, Western has showed no signs of a championship hangover in 2018 after most of their main weapons on offence returned — including quarterback and reigning Vanier Cup MVP Chris Merchant.
“I am excited to represent Western and the OUA in what should be a great matchup between two historic football programs,” Merchant told upsports.ca. “There is nothing better than playoff football!”
It’ll be interesting to see if the Huskies are able to tame Merchant and the mighty Mustangs on Saturday. Both the Mitchell Bowl and the Uteck Bowl will be televised live on Sportsnet 360 or available online through Sportsnet NOW.
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