There are some games that cause this feeling in the pit of you stomach, games that feel different.
It’s the type of feeling that promises something different, something unique, maybe the kind of game that years from now you’ll remember because if offered up something special.
That’s the kind of feeling that this Saturday’s Ontario university football semifinal between the Western Mustangs and McMaster Marauders is brewing up.
It’s not anything that one can put their finger on. It’s simply a convergence of forces that promises to provide value for the dollar for those who show up to watch.
The Mustangs did a 50-19 number on McMaster early in the season.
Forget that one. It was a combination of many things, most of them good for the Mustangs and bad for the Marauders.
You just have to like how this one shapes up.
Both teams are healthy.
Both have athletic quarterbacks that can run.
The Mustangs have a pounding running game with Jermimy Hipperson, Nathan Riva and quarterback Donnie Marshall.
Marauder quarterback Kyle Quinlan can throw the ball. If there’s one place the Mustangs can still be attacked, it’s in the secondary. Quinlan has receivers Matt Perissini, Michael DiCroce and Londoner Kevin D’Hollander. In fact, Quinlan has thrown passes to 18 different receivers this year.
Marshall has his own bushel full of receivers to throw to. But his most recent close connection has been with deep threat Andrew Thibaudeau.
In the last three weeks Thibaudeau has proven he can score from anywhere on the field. It was the one missing piece of the puzzle for the Mustang offence.
The Mustangs have only given up 53 points this season at home while scoring 165.
The defence can make plays and cause turnovers, but the Mustang offence is also prone to putting the ball on the ground.
That makes things unpredictable.
Regardless how hard everyone is trying to call this game even, the Mustangs are considered favourites. That will put extra pressure on the Mustangs and quarterback Marshall.
This is the first playoff game Marshall has started. How well he handles the pressure and how composed he is when the Marauders come after him will go a long way in determining who will win.
“Donnie’s played well but he is a young quarterback and these are the playoffs,” coach Greg Marshall said.
As underdogs, the Marauders probably won’t hesitate to throw a few wrinkles at the Mustangs. As the Toronto Varsity Blues proved in the last game of the regular season, the Mustangs might bite.
Oh yes, Western hasn’t had an easy time of it with McMaster. Western has lost seven of its past 10 games against the Marauders.
The Mustangs have won 17 of their last 18 games at TD Waterhouse Stadium including six-in-a-row in the playoffs.
Must all good things come to an end?
The Marauders played a quarterfinal against Queen’s that amounted to a pretty good warmup for this contest.
The Mustangs have been sitting for two weeks and while they really liked the time off to get healthy, the last month of the season hasn’t been rife with stiff competition . . . bye week, York, Toronto, bye and now McMaster.
The Mustangs better not start slowly or they’ll be chasing McMaster and chasing the Marauders is not the same as chasing Toronto.
So you see, there’s a lot about this game that points to the teams lighting each other up, especially if the weather is decent.
It’s that gut feeling you get when you talk about this game. Once you rule out indigestion, the only thing it can be is a premonition that strange things may happen.
morris.dallaista@sunmedia.ca
