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Western Mustangs logo.1929-2000
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Western University resides in London, and started playing collegiate football in 1929. Western were first part of the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU) until the end of the 1970 season and during their time within the CIRFU, Western won 10 Yates Cups, a Canadian Bowl championship, and a Churchill Bowl. Western's first championship was before they entered the CIRFU. Their first championship was in 1914, when Western won the Canadian Bowl.As stated before, Western entered the CIRFU during the 1929 season with the following universities; McGill University, McMaster University, Queen's University, the University of Toronto (U of T), and the University of Waterloo. In Western's first season of football, under then head coach, Joe Breen (1929-1934) Western went 1-5 in the season where they only scored only 24 points, and gave up 84 points.
Western's first winning season was in 1931, when Western finished the season with a 6-5 record and with that record, Western captured their first Yates Cup. In his time in Western, Joe Breen had a 15-30-1 record.
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The next head coach in Western history was Bill Storen who coached Western from 1935-1939. During his time at Western, his most successful season was in 1939 when they won their second Yates Cup by going 6-0 in conference play. Also during the 1939 season, Western scored a team record 173 and let up 44 points during that season. During his time as head coach, Bill Storen went 21-16-1.4
Western's next head coach was John Metras, where he coached from 1940 to 1969. During World War II (1940-1944), John Metras first five seasons, in which there was no CIRFU play, Western played a series of exhibition games against other schools and the military. During World War II, Western had an 11-5-1 record. Their best season during World War II was in 1944 when Western went 4-1.From 1944 to 1949, Western had six straight winning seasons, in which their best season in that time was in 1946 where Western went 6-0 in the CIRFU, and with that season captured their third Yates Cup in school history. The following season (1947), Western won their second straight Yates Cup, by going 6-0 in CIRFU play. Western's next Yates Cup victory was in 1949 when they went 4-2-1 in the CIRFU.
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Western head coach, John P. Metras.Circa 1953
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In the 1950s, Western won five championships in that decade. Their first championship was in 1950 when Western won their sixth Yates Cup in school history by being the best team in Ontario.Western's next Yates Cup victory was in 1952, in which Western had to win the Yates Cup against U of T. Fortunately for Western, they won the Yates Cup when they defeated U of T by the score of 8-1. This championship game was determined because of they had the same record at the end of the season (Western's and U of T record at that time was 5-1-1). During the 1953 season, the same scenario occurred this season as like the last season. In this championship game, Western won their second straight Yates Cup, by once again defeating U of T 12-8. The next season in 1954 Western and U of T played in their third championship game in which Western lost 9-8.
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Roster from a game during the 1952 season.11 October 1952
J.W. Little Memorial Stadium, London, Ontario, Canada
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Western's next Yates Cup was in 1957, when once again the Mustangs finished the season with another 6-0 record. In the 1959 season, the same thing happened much like the 1957 season in which the Mustangs finished the season with another perfect season in the CIRFU by once again going 6-0.With winning the Yates Cup that season, the Mustangs were invited for competition in the second annual Churchill Bowl in which they played the UBC Thunderbirds in which they defeated soundly 34-7.
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In the 1960s, the Mustangs did not compete very well in the CIRFU. Their best season was in 1965, in which the Mustangs finished the season with a 7-3 record.From 1960-1969, Western compiled a 34-43-3 with no championships, compared to the previous decade where Western had a 42-37-5 with five championships. At the end of the 1969 season, John Metras decided that will be his last season coaching, citing pressures of being the head coach and Athletic Director.
In his final season as head coach for Western, they went 5-4-1. During his time with Western, John Metras compiled a 119-80-11 record during his 30 year coaching career. Out of those 119 wins, eight were championships.
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The next coach who succeeded John Metras was Frank Cosentino who coached Western from 1970-1974. During Frank Cosentino's time coaching, Western finished their time in the CIRFU, and went to the West division of the Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA). The other two teams in their division were Waterloo and Windsor. During their time in the OUAA, Western won three championships which were all in the 1971 season.The first championship that was won was the Yates Cup, where they shutout the Ottawa Gee Gee's 13-0. This Yates Cup was Western's 11th in school history. With that win in the Yates Cup, Western went to their first national semi-final game in Halifax in which they played in the Atlantic Bowl against the Saint Mary's Huskies in which Western won 44-13 and went on to play in their first Canadian College Bowl.
In this season's Canadian College Bowl, Western went on to play the Alberta Golden Bears in which Western won 15-14, and their first Vanier Cup championship. This was the only significant year with the Mustangs in the OUAA. During Western's time with the OUAA, they went 22-7-1.
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Lineup from the Canadian College Bowl from 1971.20 November 1971
Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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The 1971 Western Mustangs.Circa 1971
J.W. Little Memorial Stadium, London, Ontario, Canada
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After the 1973 season, there was realignment with collegiate football. A new conference was made. This new conference was called the Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (OQIFC). This conference was in effect until the end of the 1979 season.While in the OQIFC, there was another coaching change. Western's new head coach was Darwin Semotiuk who was replacing Frank Cosentino at the beginning of the 1975 season. During Darwin Semotiuk's time with the Mustangs, they won 11 championships. Their first championship was in their first season in the OQIFC, still under head coach Frank Cosentino. In the 1974 season, Western was co-champions with U of T. With being co-champions of the Yates Cup, Western went on to the Churchill Bowl and faced the Saskatchewan Huskies. In front of their home crowd in London, Western went on to win their second Churchill Bowl by the score of 41-17. With that win in the national semi-final, Western went on to play in another Canadian College Bowl against Yates Cup co-champions, the University of Toronto. In this national championship game, Western went on to win their second national championship by the score of 19-15.
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The 1974 Canadian College Bowl champions.Circa 1974
J.W. Little Memorial Stadium, London, Ontario, Canada
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