Is the seventh time the charm?
Carleton University students have not experienced a win at the annual Panda Game since 2017.
That’s almost two graduating classes who have come and gone without ever seeing a Ravens homecoming victory during their time at Carleton.
The cross-town rivalry between the Carleton Ravens and uOttawa GeeGees returns Sunday, Oct 5 at TD Place for the 56th Panda Game. The Ravens hope to finally break a six-year losing streak in the biggest Rivalry Series in Canadian university sport.
Let’s break down their chances:
LAST YEAR’S PANDA GAME RESULT:
The 55th Panda Game was not just any old loss for the Ravens, who fell 35-32 in heartbreaking fashion.
In a back-and-forth game that saw the lead change three times, the Ravens found themselves down three points with seconds remaining and a chance to tie things up.
The game started with the Ravens opening a 7-0 lead on their first possession and carrying a 24-11 advantage into halftime — but the third quarter belonged to the GeeGees, who outscored Carleton 14-3 to take the lead heading into the fourth.
Late in the final quarter, the Ravens lined up for a 54-yard field goal attempt to tie the game, but Brandon Forcier’s kick fell just metres short of the goalposts.
Ravens quarterback Elijah Barnes went 19-for-28 for 329 yards, throwing four touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss.
THIS SEASON:
Both Carleton and uOttawa are currently in playoff spots in the OUA, where the top seven teams qualify. A Panda Game win would be valuable for either team beyond school pride, helping to solidify their position in the OUA football standings ahead of playoffs, which begin in late October.
Carleton: (2-3), 6th place
The Ravens have had an up-and-down season so far, with their two wins coming Sept. 6 against Waterloo and Sept. 20 against York — both teams below Carleton in the standings.
Carleton has struggled most defensively, allowing 210 points in five games — an average of 42 points per game, which is the worst mark in the league.
The toughest results came in a 63-26 shelling versus an undefeated Western and, most recently, a 55-28 defeat to Guelph on Saturday, where four interceptions thrown by Ravens quarterback Tristan Lefebvre proved costly, adding to their league-leading 11 interceptions thrown this season.
If they want a chance against uOttawa, Carleton will need to stick to clean, low-turnover football and build on their league-leading 344 passing yards per game — without the ball ending up in the hands of a GeeGee.
Offensively, they’re middle of the pack, ranking sixth in the league with 28.8 points per game.
uOttawa: (3-2), 5th place
The GeeGees also enter this year’s Panda Game following a loss; they haven’t played since Sept. 20, falling 30-24 to Laurier.
Their only other defeat came against Western on Sept. 6 in a 55-29 loss that saw them give up their most points in a game this season.
Overall, uOttawa definitely has the edge defensively between the two teams, allowing 14.6 fewer points per game than Carleton, with an average of 27.4 points against.
uOttawa is only slightly better offensively, scoring an average of 29.8 points per game (one higher than Carleton) across five games.
Both teams lean more heavily on the pass than the run, with uOttawa averaging 302 passing yards per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Elijah Barnes, Ravens quarterback: The Ravens’ starting quarterback for this year’s game has not been announced, but after Tristan Lefebvre’s four-interception performance on Saturday, the Ravens may turn to Barnes to get it done. Barnes averages 165 passing yards per game with a 60.6 per cent completion rate. He’ll be hoping to replicate his strong start to the season, when he threw 423 yards in the season opener against Toronto.
Josh Janssen, GeeGees quarterback: With 296 passing yards per game (third-best in the league), Janssen will be a key target for the Ravens’ defense. He has also thrown nine touchdowns with a 67.9 per cent completion rate and only two interceptions through five games in his first year as starting quarterback for the GeeGees.
Tristan Ready, Ravens wide receiver: GeeGees players will need to keep a close eye on veteran player Ready downfield, who has been finding time and space to rack up 111.6 yards per game this season — third in the league and more than any player on either roster. Ready also leads the OUA in yards per catch at 23.3 and has three touchdowns this year.
Zachary Copeland, GeeGees kicker: The last two Panda Games have all come down to field goals, a factor that can’t be overlooked again this year. UOttawa’s Copeland has been reliable all year in that category, converting 14 attempts (second-most in the OUA) at an 82 per cent rate. Unless the Ravens can come up with a Will McDonald style block, be ready to watch Copeland rack up key points for the GeeGees.
PANDAMONIUM:
An estimated 23,000 fans will make their way to TD Place on Sunday to watch what should be a mostly even matchup, with uOttawa holding only a slight advantage.
The GeeGees lead the all-time Panda Game series 38-17.
Will this year’s game be a continuation of uOttawa’s Panda Game dynasty, or will Carleton finally lift the Pedro the Panda trophy again?
Kickoff is set for Oct. 5 at noon.
Featured Image by Murray Oliver
