It's a big weekend for the York University Lions football team as the squad will travel to Waterloo, Ont., on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 19) to face the Waterloo Warriors in an important game for both teams.
 
Kick-off is set for 1pm at Warrior Field and the game can also be watched online on OUA.tv.
 
Both squads will be looking for their first wins of the season and the Lions will also be trying to avenge a heartbreaking loss in the season finale last year, a game in which they came back from 24-7 down at the half only to lose by a single point on a missed conversion at the end of the contest.
 
The Lions and Warriors have played a number of close games since head coach Warren Craney took over the reigns. In 2012 the Warriors also won by a single point at York Stadium, and in 2011 the Lions won in overtime in Waterloo after overcoming a 17-0 halftime deficit.
 
The Lions are coming off a hard-fought game against the No. 5 nationally-ranked Guelph Gryphons last Saturday. After a slow start in which they trailed 28-0 after the first quarter, the Lions outscored the Gryphons 22-21 the rest of the way in a 49-22 loss. They were also strong against the Laurier Golden Hawks in the season opener, falling 38-21.
 
Their biggest improvement has come on offence, where they are averaging 86 yards per game more than they did throughout last season. That is thanks in large part to a number of key pieces added to the mix on that side of the ball, with new faces playing at quarterback, receiver and running back.
 
First-year starting quarterback Eric Kimmerly (Oshawa, Ont.) has been under centre for the last two contests and has gone 42-for-68 for 447 yards and one touchdown. He has also rushed for 131 yards and scored a pair of TDs on the ground.
 
Rookie running back Jesse Amankwaa (Toronto) had a breakout game against the Gryphons last week and is now the team's leader with 138 rushing yards on 27 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per rush.
 
Jahmari Bennett (Mississauga, Ont.) a versatile, do-everything player who has lined up at quarterback, receiver and running back over the first three weeks of the season, is coming off his best game in red and white, where he amassed 291 return yards, including a 115-yard missed field goal touchdown, to earn the OUA and CIS special teams player of the week awards.
 
On defence the focus for the Warriors will have to be defensive end Hussein Hazime (Toronto), who leads the team with 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
 
Like the Lions, the Warriors are also coming off a strong game in their most recent outing, a 47-24 loss to the Queen's Gaels in which they trailed just 21-14 at the half. Prior to that they were on the wrong end of a pair of lopsided results, falling to the Gryphons 78-7 and the Carleton Ravens 57-0.
 
Waterloo's starting quarterback is Luke McConnell, who threw for more than 400 yards against the Gaels and for the season has gone 47-for-100 for 713 yards and three passing touchdowns. On defence, the Warriors have been led by Lucas Merlin, who has 16 tackles.