In response to the University of Waterloo’s announcement of the suspension of its football program from competition for the 2010 season, Ontario University Athletics (OUA) has updated its original schedule to ensure competitive balance among the nine remaining schools. As a result, the York Lions will begin play at home on Monday, Sept. 6, against the University of Guelph Gryphons.
Right: The York Lions begin play at home on Sept. 6
The original eight-week regular season schedule has been expanded to nine weeks, with opening day slated for Wednesday, Sept. 1. Games against original 2010 non-combatants will take place on this date. This ensures that every school will play an eight-game regular season schedule while keeping the current playoff structure of two quarter-finals, two semifinals and the Yates Cup championship intact. The top six teams make the post-season, with the top two teams earning byes into the semifinals.
The vast majority of the original schedule will remain the same, with the exception of a pair of location changes in games involving the York Lions. York will now host the Guelph Gryphons on Monday, Sept. 6, and visit the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks on Saturday, Sept. 25. Teams playing the University of Waterloo Warriors in the original schedule will now receive byes on those weeks. York and Waterloo were originally scheduled as non-combatants in 2010, and as a result, York will receive its bye on opening week.
“The nine OUA football institutions made the best of a difficult situation by keeping the student-athlete in mind,” said OUA executive director Ward Dilse. “By having a balanced regular-season schedule while keeping our current playoff structure, it gives all of our players a fair opportunity to win football’s oldest trophy, the Yates Cup.”
Schools will have the choice to begin training camps on Friday, Aug. 20, or Saturday, Aug. 21, with medicals for student-athletes taking place the day before.
“This has been a unique situation for OUA,” said OUA president Gord Grace. “I salute our football universities for coming together to resolve this scheduling issue quickly and in the best interest of our student-athletes.”
The OUA quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, Oct. 30 followed by the OUA semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 6. The OUA football season concludes at the 103rd Yates Cup presented by Pioneer Petroleums on Saturday, Nov. 13.
Revised 2010 York Lions Football Schedule
- WEEK 1 – Monday, Sept. 6
Guelph at York,1pm - WEEK 2 – Saturday, Sept. 11
Ottawa at York,1pm - WEEK 3 – Saturday, Sept. 18
York at Toronto,1pm - WEEK 4 – Saturday, Sept. 25
York at Laurier,1pm - WEEK 5 – Saturday, Oct. 2
McMaster at York,1pm - WEEK 6 – Saturday, Oct. 9
York at Windsor,1pm - WEEK 7 – Saturday, Oct. 16
Western at York ,1pm - WEEK 8 – Saturday, Oct. 23
York at Queen’s,1pm