The Queen's Gaels (2-2) will head on the road for the second consecutive week to take on the No.10 Guelph Gryphons (2-2). With potential playoff implications on the line, the Gaels will look to shake off a heart-breaking loss to Carleton with a strong performance in Guelph. You can catch all the action this Saturday at 1pm live on OUA.tv.

GUELPH PREVIEW
Last weekend's double-overtime loss to Carleton was a tough pill to swallow for the Gaels but with four more games remaining the road to the playoffs is still well within reach. Now they must turn their focus to the Gryphons who are coming off a 26-20 nail biting win over the Windsor Lancers last Saturday.

The Gryphons are no strangers to close games as both of their losses to McMaster and Ottawa have come within a combined three points. Despite the tough losses and the .500 record the Gryphons are still ranked among the U SPORTS Top 10 for one reason, their defence.

Guelph is second in the league in points allowed with 16.5 points per game. They have a hard-hitting defence which won't allow teams to drive down the field holding offences to an average of 359.5 total yards per game, third in the conference. Don't expect many turnovers by this Guelph defensive core but you can expect a dominant pass rush as they lead the OUA with 15 sacks, five more than second place Ottawa.

If this team does have a weakness it's their offence. They average 21 points per game which puts them in the middle of the pack, seventh in the OUA. They rely heavily on their running game as nearly 57% of their total offence comes on the ground. This will be a particularly important aspect for the Gaels defence who allowed 311 rushing yards to Carleton last weekend.

In the passing game, Gryphons' quarterback Theo Landers has two favourite targets in Zeph Fraser and Kade Belyk. Both receivers are around the 200-yard receiving mark for the season with the next highest receiver sitting at just 51 yards. Watch for the matchups on the outside and if the Gaels can limit Fraser and Belyk they might just have a successful afternoon.

"They've got a couple of big plays guy so you can't let them run rough shot on you," said head coach Pat Sheahan. "What we need to do is come up with a similar effort [from last week] minus a couple of blunders and we'll be fine."

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
WR Matteo Del Brocco (Kingsville, Ont.) – Queen's: In his fifth year as a Gael, Del Brocco is on pace to have his best season to date. Through four games, Del Brocco has already matched his career-high five touchdown receptions which was aided by a three touchdown performance against Carleton. If Del Brocco continues to find open space in the red zone, Gaels' quarterback Nate Hobbs will keep throwing the ball his way.

DB Zackary Kealey (Almonte, Ont.) – Queen's: In his first season as the full time starter at free safety, Kealey has shown his pursuing ability to chase down tackles. Out of nowhere Kealey has grabbed the team lead with 24.5 tackles. If the Gaels want to have a successful day stopping the Gryphons offence, Kealey will have to play a key role in both stopping the run and controlling the air game.

QB Theo Landers – Guelph: Landers is the definition of a dual-threat quarterback in the OUA. Completing nearly 60% of his passes, Landers is always a threat to keep the ball himself and run and often times that's exactly what he does. He has 33 rushes and 298 yards on the ground this season which are both team-highs. Whether the Gaels can keep Landers in the pocket will speak volumes as to how successful they'll be on Saturday.

LB Luke Korol – Guelph: With how good the Gryphons defence has been it's hard to pick just one defensive player to watch, however Korol's performance has been unmatched. Korol currently leads the OUA with 38.5 tackles and is tied for second with three sacks. Expect Korol to be all over the field defensively as the linebacker is a serious threat to both passing and running games.

ALL-TIME SERIES
The two teams did not meet last season but in recent history it's been back-and-forth between the two sides. Both teams have traded wins since 2013, with the Gryphons coming out victorious in their 2016 matchup 38-29. The Gaels do have the all-time edge however as they boast a 13-7 record since their first meeting in 1973.