Quick Notes: 4 Key Takeaways From Week 7 In U SPORTS Football
The 2025 Western Mustangs Rushing Attack is one of the greatest in U SPORTS history
The Western Mustangs have been winning games this season in familiar fashion — by running the ball.
This year, the star of the ground game has been third-year running back Ethan Dolby, who entered Week 7 as the nation’s leading rusher.
In Western’s 65–28 win over the York Lions on Friday night, Dolby rushed for 264 yards and three touchdowns on just 15 carries.
Business as usual, right?
Not quite.
What made this performance special was that it pushed Dolby’s season total to 1,220 rushing yards, setting a new Western program record for the most rushing yards in a single season.
The previous record, set by Mustang legend Tim Tindale in 1991, stood at 1,208 yards.
Think about all the great running backs who’ve worn purple and silver over the years — Alex Taylor, Cedric Joseph, Nathan Riva, Donnovan Bennett, Yannick Harou, Tyler Varga, and most recently Keon Edwards. Yet now, Ethan Dolby stands alone at the top.
Entering the final week of the season, Dolby continues to lead the nation with his 1,220 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns — a historic campaign for one of Western’s latest stars.
Is he the OUA MVP?
One thing that’s for sure: Dolby owes his offensive line some crazy end-of-season gifts.
The Pepe Gonzalez-Jonathan Sénécal Comparisons Continue
Let’s keep it real — no matter what, Pepe Gonzales will always be compared to Jonathan Sénécal.
He’s the successor to the 2023 Hec Crighton winner, he plays the same position, and he even wears No. 12 — Sénécal’s number.
But on Friday night against Sherbrooke, Gonzales added more fuel to that debate.
He set a new Carabins program record for most passing touchdowns in a single season with 18 — surpassing the previous mark of 15, set by Sénécal himself during his Hec Crighton season when Montréal captured its second Vanier Cup.
What makes Gonzales’ accomplishment remarkable is that he’s done it as a rookie. Sénécal set his record at the peak of his career — Gonzales is just getting started.
Now, before crowning him the next great Carabins QB, it’s worth noting that Sénécal was a true dual-threat. During that 2023 season, he added six rushing touchdowns for a total of 21.
Still, even factoring that in, Gonzales could very well surpass that mark.
He already has one rushing touchdown this season, giving him 19 total — with one game left to play, against Laval.
All comparisons aside, Pepe Gonzales is writing his own story.
He’s the clear favourite for both RSEQ Rookie of the Year and U SPORTS Rookie of the Year — but the bigger question now might be:
Could he also take home RSEQ MVP?
McGill’s hype is real
So, they beat Montréal on September 19th.
Then, almost beat Montréal again on October 4th.
And this past weekend, they trailed by only two points against Laval with five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
We see you, McGill.
This team is young, stacked up with a lot of rookies.
They might be built to make a serious run 2026.
Ottawa and Windsor have switched places
Ottawa started the season 3–1 and looked like a lock to be among the OUA’s contenders.
Windsor, on the other hand, began 0–2, leaving fans wondering if they’d fallen off.
The last two weeks told a different story for both. Ottawa lost a tight game to Laurier that came down to the final play, then suffered a stunning upset against Carleton in front of 24,000 fans at the Panda Game.
Meanwhile, since their tough start, Windsor has pulled off a three-game winning streak and nearly became just the third team since 2021 to defeat Western in the regular season.
Both teams entered Saturday’s matchup with identical 3–3 records — but Windsor made it clear they couldn’t be further apart. Yes, after being down by as much as 20-7, Ottawa did stage a comeback in the second half and bring the game to within a score, and they did have a chance to win on the last drive.
But, similarly to their loss against Laurier and their loss at Panda, the Gee-Gees couldn’t close.
The team that started hot is now cold.
And the team that started cold? They’re on fire heading into the playoffs.