Football | 9/4/2026 4:00:00 PM
The York University Lions football team will look to keep the good times rolling on Sunday night as they face one of the ultimate tests in the U SPORTS football landscape, the Western Mustangs. Things have changed over the last couple years for both programs, making for an interesting matchup this weekend.
York has been building a competitive culture ever since the hiring of Dexter Janke in 2024. In his first year, the Lions went 2-6 to secure their first multi-win season since 2018. Janke built on it again last year with yet another multi-win season. Now in his 3rd year with the program, the Lions are building for the future and looking to improve even further, and have their eyes set on the playoffs.
The Lions got off to a hot start in their search for a postseason berth last week, as they were able to win arguably the game of the week in the OUA in Week 1 against the Carleton Ravens to open the season. York jumped out to an early 12-0 lead in the first and appeared to be cruising to their 2nd straight season-opening win. However, the Ravens fought back quickly, taking a 17-15 lead into the halftime break. Carleton would continue building on that lead in the 3rd quarter, extending it to a 31-25 advantage heading to the final frame. York was able to take the lead on an 8-yard passing TD from Maurice Sodja to C.J Vincent with Nathan Walker making the point after to make it 32-31. Carleton would respond with a field goal with 5:33 left to go up 34-32. Carleton had a chance to close the game out with 45 seconds left on a 3rd and 1 but Elijah Barnes' pass went incomplete, giving the Lions the ball back and a chance at victory. Walker promptly took full advantage of that opportunity five plays later and drilled a 47 yard field goal, his 4th of the day and 3rd from 40+ yards, with zeros on the clock to give the Lions a 35-34 victory and move to 1-0 on the season.
Western has been the class of the OUA for decades, more recently winning 5 of the 6 Yates Cups from 2017 to 2023, including a 3-peat in 2021, 2022, and 2023. However, in 2024 they did not win the Yates for the first time since 2019, losing to the Laurier Golden Hawks, and last year, the Mustangs were bounced in a shocker to an underdog Guelph Gryphons team in the OUA Quarterfinal 18-17. Western failed to return a kick out of the endzone as time expired, resulting in a game-winning rouge for Guelph and giving them the decisive final point and upset win.
In addition to losing the game, they also lost their long-time head coach Greg Marshall, who retired in November after 19 seasons as bench boss. However, his replacement would turn out to be the same man on the opposing sideline during that 2024 Yates Cup (and the one prior) in former Mustang quarterback and London native – and former York OC (2010-12) Michael Faulds.
Now, Faulds is ready to begin his first year as Mustangs head coach against the Lions on Sunday after his time enjoyed the Week 1 bye. The game is a rematch of last year's senior night game at York Lions Stadium, a game in which, though York fell 65-28, they equalled the second-most points in a single game against the Mustangs in program history (1991), eclipsed only by the Lions lone win over Western all-time, a 30-23 triumph in 1980.
The Lions will look to spoil the Mustangs party and make it two wins all-time against the powerhouse program. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST on Sunday night under the lights at Western's Alumni Stadium in London. You can stream the game live on OUA TV.
