Photos from game 4 vs. the Windsor Lancers at University Stadium in Windsor, ON, September 22, 2007.

The Gaels raised their record to 4-0 with a thorough 38-3 thrashing of the Windsor Lancers at what was purportedly Windsor's Homecoming game.

The No. 8 ranked Queen's Golden Gaels extended their unbeaten streak to four as they defeated the Windsor Lancers 38-3 in front of a national television audience on Saturday night in Windsor, Ont.
Mike Giffin of Kingston, Ont. led the Gaels with three rushing touchdowns and 120 yards on the ground keeping the Gaels undefeated in the 2007 campaign. Giffin has now collected six touchdowns in the last two games and has earned four consecutive games with 100 plus rushing yards. With the game broadcast live on theSCORE television network, Queen's fell behind 1-0 early in the first quarter. They quickly rebounded after Jimmy Allin of Corbyville, Ont., returned a punt to put the Gaels deep in Windsor territory setting up 19-yard Giffin run.

In the second quarter the Gaels erupted for 21 points which gave the Tricolour a 28-1 lead going into the half. Prior to the half, Allin had intercepted two passes, one of which resulted in a second Giffin touchdown. Danny Brannagan of Burlington, Ont. completed 11 of 22 passes for a total of 258-yards with two touchdowns. Brannagan's top play came in the fourth quarter when he hooked up with Kingston's Rob Bagg on a 67-yard touchdown to put the game out of reach at 35-3. Not to be overshadowed, the Queen's defence held reigning Hec Creighton trophy winner, Windsor running back Daryl Stephenson (London, Ont.) to just 109-yards and no touchdowns. The Lancer passing game was also less non-existent giving up a just 97-yards in the air and picking off Lancer Quarterback Dan Lumley (Windsor) three times. Stephenson was able to collect enough yards on the Gaels defence to pass 4,000 career yards rushing in his career. He became the seventh player in CIS history and only the second in OUA history to break the 4,000-yard barrier. Stephenson is just 50-yards away from breaking the all-time mark which is held by former McMaster Marauder and current CFL Hamilton Tiger Cat Jesse Lumsden (4,138).

The No. 8 ranked Gaels are now 4-0 and are tied for top spot in the OUA league standings with Ottawa and Laurier. Queen's will host Laurier next Saturday at Richardson Stadium in a battle of undefeated teams. The Golden Hawks are the No. 5th ranked team in the country and many are touting them as Queen's biggest challenge this year.

Next Saturday's game will also mark the 125th anniversary of Queen's Golden Gaels football. Special celebrations are being planned and kickoff will take place at 1:25pm. - Bill Miklas, Queen's Sports Information.

GAELS RUN RECORD TO 4-0; QUEEN'S FINALLY WINS IN WINDSOR
Claude Scilley – Kingston Whig Standard

They had a chance to do something no Queen's football team had ever done, and this particular group of Golden Gaels wasn't about to let the opportunity pass. "We definitely did not want to come down, make that 8 1/2-hour bus ride, and lose again," said Gaels linebacker Chris Smith, after his team whipped the Windsor Lancers 38-3 in an Ontario University Athletics match Saturday night. It was the first win ever for a Queen's football team at Windsor, and it stretched the No. 8-ranked Gaels' season-long unbeaten streak to four games.

Smith set the tone for a stellar performance by the Queen's defence. He had a sack and he tackled Daryl Stephenson behind the line of scrimmage in the first quarter, and he intercepted a pass and returned it to the Windsor 11-yard line early in the second. He said the fact the Gaels had never won in Windsor was talked about a lot in the week leading to Saturday's game. "It was a big factor in really wanting to beat them tonight," he said. It was not so big, however, that the players let emotion get the better of their technical preparation. "We weren't focused on it," Smith said. "We took it into account but we kept it aside. It was always in the back of our minds but we made sure we focused on No. 24 and No. 3 all week." No. 24 is Stephenson, the two-time national rushing leader who, though he rushed for 109 yards, needed 24 carries to do it. No. 3 is Glenn Mackay, the No. 4 receiver in the land a year ago, who scored three touchdowns against Queen's last year. He had just 56 yards receiving, and he didn't catch a ball after the second quarter. In total, the defence allowed Windsor just 191 yards of offence - by comparison Queen's returned 16 kicks 188 yards. Lancers quarterback Dan Lumley completed just seven passes and threw three interceptions. Gaels coach Pat Sheahan dismissed the suggestion it was one of the most complete games his team has played in years - "it was hardly a classic," he said - but there were reasons to make the claim.
Besides the splendid play of the defence and special teams - in addition to the kick returns, rookie Dan Village averaged better than 40 yards per punt, outkicking the veteran Kevin Reider by better than five yards - the offence was nicely split on almost any dimension you'd care to name. The Gaels scored three touchdowns along the ground and two in the air; Mike Giffin had a 120-yard rushing day and Rob Bagg a 182-yard day receiving. Quarterback Danny Brannagan managed the short game well, but also connected with Bagg on a plays covering 58 and 67 yards.

As coaches at this time of year are wont to do, however, Sheahan was preoccupied by the things that need to improve. Midway through the second quarter, for instance, with Queen's nursing a 7-1 lead after Smith's interception, Village missed a field goal and from first down on the Windsor 11, the Gaels got not a single point. "I was not very happy at that point," Sheahan said. Then, early in the third quarter, the Gaels took three penalties on two plays, were pushed back from their own 34-yard line to the seven, and had to surrender a safety. "They do get fired up," Sheahan said of his players. "I guess that's a good thing, but they have to keep their heads about them." In past years, those kind of episodes would have been the crucible in which opponents forged the final nails for Queen's coffin. On this night, however, from even these plays the Gaels fashioned a silver lining, as neither ultimately provided a hint of upset.


All photos are Copyright (c) Jeff Chan 2007, but may be used for personal non-commercial use, or by Queen's University or the Vanier Cup with appropriate photo credit, unless otherwise authorized.