Ontario University Athletics released the 2016 OUA football schedule today painting a brief picture of the road the McMaster Marauders will take towards their fourth Yates Cup in six years.

McMaster begins their season at home for the first time since 2013 when they take on the up and coming Carleton University Ravens on August 28th at Ron Joyce Stadium.

Carleton have rapidly improved since their re-birth in 2013 going from an 0-8 debut just three years ago, to becoming a dangerous playoff team in 2015. If you enjoy watching aerial attacks the home opener is must see football. Carleton and McMaster both sport aggressive passing attacks with elite pass catchers in Carleton’s Nate Behar (London, Ont.) and McMaster’s Danny Vandervoort (Barrie, Ont.)

Week two for the Marauders will also be at home next season. They’ll welcome back their former defensive coordinator (2013) and past CFL standout Kevin Eiben who now serves as the Defensive Coordinator at the University of Toronto. 

In week three McMaster’s defence will face one of the toughest passing attacks in all of CIS football in the Ottawa Gee-Gees. University of Ottawa Quarterback Derek Wendel (Belleville, Ont.) finished last season completing 62.4% of his passes for a weekly average of 392.0 passing yards per game. Wendel had 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions while attempting the most passes in the country (346).

The young McMaster secondary stood tall in 2015 against the likes of Western Mustang QB Will Finch and Guelph Gryphons QB James Roberts. With an extra year under their belt it will interesting to see how they rise to the challenge Wendel possesses on September 10th in the nation’s capital.

In week four McMaster will face a rebuilding Waterloo program whom they trounced last season by a final score of 55-7. The Waterloo game could provide some much needed preparation time when factoring in the following week is a bye for the Marauders. 

The timing of a bye week is never perfect but to receive a brief dip in intensity in the middle of season before the stretch drive is never a bad thing. This becomes especially true when your recent rival and 2015 Yates Cup champion comes to town the following week.

In week six the Marauders will play host on homecoming to the Guelph Gryphons whose season reached its conclusion at home in a national semifinal game in 2015. The matchup would be a marquee destination based on its X’s and O’s alone. Adding a McMaster homecoming and all the pageantry that comes with it should create an afternoon to remember.

In week seven McMaster faces Queens at home. McMaster and Queens did not compete in 2015 as the two were determined to be non-combatants in last season’s schedule by the OUA. Queens is a rebuilding, but dangerous team with many players hailing from the Golden Horseshoe region. This game will mark the end of the Marauders home schedule after hosting Carleton, Toronto, Guelph and Queens.

Week eight against York University would appear to be a lacklustre matchup on paper. The Marauders have not lost to York in quite some time and just last season the Lions were defeated 67-10 by McMaster at home behind a routine 300 yard, 4 touchdown performance from McMaster’s Asher Hastings. However this matchup will be a little bit different. 

Former McMaster Quarterback and all-time Marauder Kyle Quinlan recently accepted the position of Offensive Coordinator with the York staff. After spending his immediate post-playing years on McMaster’s staff as the running backs and quarterbacks coach Quinlan departed for Holland College in P.E.I. to become a Head Coach. Quinlan decided one year was enough on the East coast and his return to York coincides perfectly with a dynamic recruiting class for the Lions. 

The 2016 regular season will conclude on October 22nd for McMaster when they travel to London to face the Western Mustangs. McMaster played Western in the final week of the regular season in 2015 falling victim to a dominant Mustangs rushing attack which tallied 29 carries for 257 yards on route to a 46-24 victory over the Marauders. 

This matchup is sure to have playoff implications with the postseason getting underway the following Saturday. 

McMaster has a dominant passing attack, a veteran offensive line, and a deep rotation of pass rushing defensive lineman. 2016 is sure to be another exciting season with so many match-ups to look forward to. The Yates Cup will be played on November 12th with all McMaster fans, alumni and supporters hoping to see the men in maroon taking part. I have the call all season long and you can catch all of the action on TSN 1150 Hamilton or TSN1150.ca!

McMaster Football 2016 Schedule

Week 1 - H Carleton (Aug. 28) - Available on TSN 1150

Week 2 - H Toronto (Sept. 4) - Available on TSN 1150

Week 3 - A Ottawa (Sept. 10) - Available on TSN 1150

Week 4 - A Waterloo (Sept. 17) - Available on TSN 1150

Week 5 - BYE

Week 6 - H Guelph (Oct. 1) - HOMECOMING - Available on TSN 1150

Week 7 - H Queen's (Oct. 7) - Available on TSN 1150

Week 8 - A York (Oct. 15) - Available on TSN 1150

Week 9 - A Western (Oct. 22) - Available on TSN 1150