Canada West Football: Huskies win Shaw TV nail-biter, Dinos still perfect, T-Birds sit 2nd

Canada West Football: Huskies win Shaw TV nail-biter, Dinos still perfect, T-Birds sit 2nd

#10 Saskatchewan 16 Regina 15 (Live on Shaw TV)

Huskies-Rams Stats

With files from U of Regina Sports Information

REGINA – CIS #10-ranked Saskatchewan held on for a 16-15 victory over the Regina Rams in a low-scoring, fumble-filled Canada West affair on Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium.
 
Saskatchewan (4-3) clinches a playoff spot with the victory, while the Rams (2-5) will need to finish off the Canada West schedule next Saturday with a road win over Manitoba to earn a postseason berth.
 
The final play of the game was quite fitting for a contest that saw Saskatchewan fumble the ball nine times in the victory. With the Huskies clinging to a one-point lead on third and long with just five seconds left on the clock, a bad snap got away from punter Stephen McDonald and a wild scrum ensued that saw the Rams finally recover the ball but with no time left on the clock, giving Saskatchewan the victory.
 
Chris Bodnar punted an 83-yard bomb that ranks as the second-longest in University of Regina history.
 
Coakwell opened the scoring for the Huskies with a seven-yard touchdown run. Later, Rams RB Adrian Charles finished off the drive with a one-yard plunge on third down for Regina’s lone touchdown of the game.
 
The Huskies’ lone touchdown of the second half gave them the lead for good, as Kohlert’s long reception and a Regina penalty put Saskatchewan on the Rams’ one-yard line. Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren finished it off on second down, putting the Huskies up four.
 
Saskatchewan can finish no lower than third place with a win over Alberta next weekend. A win coupled with a UBC loss to Calgary would give the Huskies second place, while a UBC win would put Saskatchewan in third. With a loss to Alberta, the Huskies will finish in third with a Regina victory over Manitoba or in fourth place with a Manitoba victory over the Rams.
 
For the Rams, the scenario is simple – a win gives them a berth in the post-season and a date with unbeaten Calgary in the Canada West semifinals, while a loss ends their season.

Cougars & Rams Athletics

#2 Calgary 41 Manitoba 24


Bisons-Dinos Stats

by Ben Matchett, U of Calgary Sports Information

CALGARY – The CIS #2-ranked Calgary Dinos ensured a first place finish in Canada West for the first time since 1995, wrapping up home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 41-24 victory over the Manitoba Bisons on Saturday afternoon at McMahon Stadium.

The win gives head coach Blake Nill his 100th career CIS victory and improves Calgary’s record to 7-0, leaving the Dinos as the only remaining undefeated team in CIS after No. 1 Western (7-1) fell 37-0 to the Queen’s Gaels. Nill is 100-40, including 80 conference wins and 20 in the post-season

Manitoba, meanwhile, falls to 3-4 and will likely need a victory in its final game of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs. The Bisons close the season at home against Regina.

Touchdowns by RB Steven Lumbala, RB Matt Walter, who scored his 35th career touchdown, and Chris Dobko, 17 yards from Eric Dzwilewski, made 21-0 after one quarter.

Jared Ralko and Khaleal Williams replied with majors for Manitoba to make it 21-14. Dzwilewski scored again after a 67-yard run by Walter. Coombs ran for a 63-yard major late in the third quarter for the Bisons and Jake Harty made a nice 23-yard grab in the end zone for the Dinos.

Walter led the way with 141, putting him just 14 yards away from the 4,000 mark on his career with one game to play.

The Canada West semifinal is slated for Friday, Nov. at 7:00 p.m. at McMahon Stadium, where the Dinos have won 23 of their last 24 home games.

The Dinos head to Vancouver for a date with the UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3:00 p.m. MT live on SHAW TV.

GoDinos.com

#8 UBC 39 Alberta 22

Thunderbirds-Golden Bears Stats

by Wilson Wong, UBC Sports Information

VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds football team returned two interceptions for touchdowns en route to a 39-22 win over the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon.
 
UBC got touchdowns from Mitch Shuster, David Scott, Sam Carino and Chris Mark, while Billy Pavlopoulos kicked three field goals.
 
Alberta's touchdowns came from Porter Brown, Ryan Schwartz and Olukayode Sonuga.
 
But UBC (5-2) is having its best season since 2004, the last time the Thunderbirds reached the five-win mark in the regular season. Alberta remains winless at 0-7.
 
With his team leading 20-15 early in the third quarter, UBC defensive back Sam Carino who ended the game with 157 all-purpose yards, intercepted a Ryan Schwartz pass at the Alberta 53-yard line and returned the pick for a touchdown.
 
UBC (5-2) will now close the regular season by hosting the undefeated Calgary Dinos at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 29, while Alberta will play Saskatchewan on the same day.
 
The Thunderbirds sit in second place in the Canada West standings and need to win (or hope for a Saskatchewan loss) to ensure home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

bears.ualberta.ca