Sit back and relax!

So, I'm going to forego the standard 'introductory blog' submission and just get right down to it. We don't have much time after all - the OUA season is already a week in!

Saturday already seems to promise an outstanding match-up between two of the league's best, with Western travelling east to take on McMaster. It's being broadcast nationally and is being touted as the game that could potentially determine home field advantage for the Yates Cup.

While that could very well turn out to be good and true, can we not take the foot off the gas pedal a little bit and get a better perspective of what's out there first?

First off, Ottawa looked surprisingly excellent in shredding the experienced Guelph defence for over 600 yards in total offence. If they pick up another win on home turf against Queen's this week, they might very well have to something to say who gets to play in the OUA final. Even as bad as Guelph looked giving up 186 yards rushing to Gee-Gees running back Brendan Gillanders, the motivation they will carry with them will only add to emotion that will be encompassing Warrior Field - as UW takes to the field in front of their own supporters for the first time in almost two years.

The Laurier Golden Hawks took a little longer in producing the lopsided victory everyone expected over York, but what they showed by producing 31 fourth-quarter points is that, when their offence is clicking, it's just plain scary. One would expect their match-up against the fellow 1-0 Windsor Lancers, led by talented running back Shomari Grant, to be a cake-walk for the Hawks. Led by first-year head coach Joe D'Amore though, the Lancers of the last few years this team ain't.

Finally, how many outside of the GTA actually knew that the OUA had its own bowl game? It's the 42nd annual Red and Blue Bowl between York and U of  T tomorrow afternoon! The Blues currently hold the advantage in the series (25-16) since it started in 1970 (highlights from the 2010). Granted, both teams were eventually beat pretty good last week. But you know what happens when the only chance at victory for either squad is by pitting them against each other? It could turn out to be the shoot-out at the OK-Corral!

So, with as much parity in the league as there is, let's make sure we all take a deep breath and let the leaves change colour first before we start looking too far ahead on what's bound to be a great OUA season!