CIS-CFB Game Preview: Guelph Gryphons (3-5) vs. Laurier Golden Hawks (8-0)

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Venue & Game Details

  • Stadium: University Stadium, Waterloo, Ontario
  • Capacity: ~6,000
  • Kickoff: 1:00 PM ET
  • Competition: OUA Semifinal (winner advances to Yates Cup)
  • Broadcast: OUA TV / CBC Gem

Weather Forecast (Waterloo, ON – Nov. 1, 2025)

  • Temperature: ~11°C (52°F) at kickoff
  • Conditions: Partly cloudy, light winds (12 km/h)
  • Impact: Mild fall weather, no major disruption to passing or kicking games

Injury Report

  • Guelph Gryphons:
    • QB Tristan Aboud – healthy, led comeback vs. Western.
    • RB Isaiah Smith – healthy, scored key TD in quarterfinal.
    • WR Jaxson Zurby – healthy, caught game-tying TD vs. Western.
  • Laurier Golden Hawks:
  • QB Taylor Elgersma – healthy, OUA’s top passer.
  • WR Ethan Jordan – healthy, leads Laurier in receiving yards.
  • RB Quinton Soares – healthy, key red-zone option.

Key Player Matchups

  • Tristan Aboud (Guelph QB) vs. Laurier Secondary: Aboud threw a clutch 20-yard TD to Zurby in the quarterfinal; Laurier’s DBs lead the OUA in interceptions.
  • Isaiah Smith (Guelph RB) vs. Laurier Front Seven: Smith sparked the comeback vs. Western; Laurier allows under 100 rushing yards per game.
  • Taylor Elgersma (Laurier QB) vs. Guelph Pass Rush: Elgersma has been nearly flawless, but Guelph’s Max Holmes had a game-changing sack last week.

Team Recent Form

  • Guelph Gryphons (3-5, 7th seed):
    • Last 5: L-L-W-L-W
    • Quarterfinal: Upset Western 18-17 on a walk-off rouge
    • Strength: Resilient defense, opportunistic offense
  • Laurier Golden Hawks (8-0, 1st seed):
  • Last 5: W-W-W-W-W
  • Bye in quarterfinals
  • Strength: Balanced attack, top-ranked defense in OUA

Series History

  • 2025 Regular Season: Laurier beat Guelph 33-28 in the season opener (Aug. 23).
  • Recent Trend: Laurier has won 3 of last 4 meetings.
  • Playoff History: Guelph has upset higher seeds before, but Laurier has been dominant at home.

Betting Trends

  • Guelph: 2-6 ATS in regular season; but covered vs. Western in quarterfinal.
  • Laurier: 6-2 ATS; 5 of 8 wins by double digits.
  • Totals: Under has hit in 3 of last 4 Guelph games; Laurier games trend Over due to offensive efficiency.

Projected Score: Laurier 34, Guelph 20

Game Odds

Guelph Gryphons                            47.5

Laurier Golden Hawks                   – 14

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 31, 2025