Sometimes teams find inspiration going into big games. And sometimes that inspiration is found during the game itself.
Hobbled, but somehow handling it, Western Mustangs quarterback Chris Merchant led his unbeaten team to a 47-24 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies in the Mitchell Bowl at TD Stadium in London on Saturday afternoon.
Merchant left the game in the first quarter, getting medical attention on his leg on the sidelines but kept willing himself back out onto the field to lead the Mustangs back to the Vanier Cup where they will have a chance to repeat as champions on November 24. Only five teams have ever won the Vanier Cup in consecutive seasons.
“He’s a competitor,” said Western head coach Greg Marshall. “He’s going to play every down like it’s his last. He doesn’t get down if things don’t go right. If he throws an interception, he’s going to come back with more fire the next time. He absolutely does not get rattled in big games.”
Not even by an injury.
Merchant threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns, both to Harry McMaster. He also ran for 82 yards and a touchdown on ten carries.
He and McMaster hooked up 11 times in the game for a game-high 152 yards receiving.
The Huskies scored the first points of the game and stuck with Western right into halftime. Saskatchewan was all set to lead a three-point lead into the locker room at halftime until Marc Liegghio made a 37-yard field goal to tie it 17-17.
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Saskatchewan quarterback Kyle Siemens had nearly identical statistics to Merchant. He threw for 247 yards and two TDs.
Tyler Chow chewed up yardage on the ground for the Huskies with 143 yards in total.
He seemed to go toe to toe with Western’s Alex Taylor carrying the ball. Taylor was especially key in the second half carrying the ball and ended the day with 141 yards and two touchdowns. The first came on a 58-yard run a little over four minutes into the fourth quarter. The second saw Taylor get to the end zone again from 16-yards out just over four minutes later.
Cedric Joseph added the final touchdown of the game for Western with under three minutes to play. He ran for 63 yards on ten carries.
There was only one turnover in the game and it came on a fumble by the Huskies that the Mustangs recovered.
In the Uteck Bowl, the Laval Rouge et Or demolished the St. FX X-men by a score of 63-0, creating a rematch of the 2017 Vanier Cup played in Hamilton. This time, Laval will get home field advantage. They are hosting the Vanier Cup in both 2018 and 2019. Western defeated the Rouge et Or 39-17 a year ago to win their first national championship since 1994 when they beat Saskatchewan 50-40 in overtime.
Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24.