Panda Game Preview

A couple of my biggest regrets over the past few years were missing the 2014 Panda Game and missing the 2015 Panda Game.  What horrible mistakes if you call yourself an Ottawa sports fan.  The 2014 game ended on a hail mary, and one year later the teams played an OT thriller.  Both of those games went Carleton's way, but the Gee-Gees are undefeated this season and look to even the Panda Game Series 2-2, since Carleton brought back their football program four years ago.  I am not going to miss this one.

The Gee-Gees and Laurier are the only two undefeated teams left in the OUA, both are 4-0, halfway through the 8 game schedule.  Ottawa enter the game ranked 7th in the country, Carleton (3-2) are ranked 10th.

The only opponent both teams have played so far this season is the McMaster Marauders.  Carleton lost in Hamilton on August 28th, 40-10.  The Gee-Gees beat the Marauders at home a couple of weeks later by a score of 30-8.  The Ravens have played well against other top teams in the province though, knocking off Western and losing to Laurier by 1 point.  

Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm on Saturday at TD Place.  Last year's attendance for the game was 17,596.  The Gee-Gees lead the all-time Panda Game series 33-14.  

2013 - Ottawa 35    Carleton 10
2014 - Carleton 33    Ottawa 31
2015 - Carleton 48    Ottawa 45    (OT)

OUA Standings
                                        W       L
Ottawa                           4        0
Laurier                           4        0
Western                         4        1
McMaster                      3        1
Carleton                         3        2
Guelph                           2        3
York                                2        3
Queen's                         1        3
Windsor                         1        3
Toronto                          1        4
Waterloo                        0        5

CIS Top 10
1. Montreal       4-0
2. Laval              3-1
3. Western        4-1
4. Regina           3-1
5. Calgary          3-1
6. Laurier           4-0
7. Ottawa           4-0
8. McMaster      3-1
9. Manitoba       2-2
10. Carleton       3-2

Gee-Gees quarterback Derek Wendel is 3rd in the country in passing yards per game (379.5) and is tied for most passing touchdowns (14).  The Ravens Jesse Mills is tied for 4th with 9 touchdowns.  

Carleton's Jayde Rowe is 3rd in the country in both rushing yards per game (142.6) and rushing touchdowns (5).  

Gee-Gees receiver Mitchell Baines is 2nd in the nation in yards per game (114.3) and tied for 4th with 4 touchdowns.  The Ravens Nathaniel Behar is tied for 2nd in receiving touchdowns with 5.  

Lastly, Ottawa's Sam Randazzo is 4th in the country in sacks with 4.5.