#7 UBC 36 #1 Calgary 23
Dinos-Thunderbirds Stats
by Lee Dorner, UBC Sports Info Assistant
VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds will host a playoff game for the first time since 1999 next weekend thanks to their 36-23 upset of the CIS #1-ranked, undefeated Calgary Dinos at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday.
Fourth-year quarterback Billy Greene connected on 23 of 42 pass attempts for 421 yards and four touchdowns, while also leading the 'Birds with 60 rushing yards
The win puts UBC at 6-2 to finish the regular season, setting them up to host the Saskatchewan Huskies next Saturday in their first home playoff game since 1999. The Dinos fall to 7-1, but still have home field advantage locked up throughout the playoffs.
Matt Walter went over 4,000 rushing yards for his career, just the third player in Canada West history to accomplish the feat. Eric Dzwilewski was 16 for 27 for 184 yards and two touchdown tosses to Chris Dobko and Richard Snyder. Dzwilewski also ran for 33 yards and Calgary's third touchdown.
David Scott led UBC in the receiving game with 77 yards and a touchdown. Spencer Betts also added three grabs for 47 yards and a score.
Playoff football returns to UBC on Saturday, November 5 at Thunderbird Stadium. The T-Birds host the Saskatchewan Huskies, while the Calgary Dinos get the Regina Cougars at home to begin the post-season on Friday at 7:00 p.m. MT in a game broadcast live on Shaw TV.
GoThunderbirds.ca
Regina 31 Manitoba 22
Rams-Bisons Stats
With files from U of regina Sports Information
REGINA – In Winnipeg on Saturday the Regina Rams punched their ticket to the Canada West playoffs after holding on for a 31-22 road win over Manitoba on Saturday afternoon at University Stadium in Winnipeg.
The Rams (3-5) finish in fourth place in the conference standings with the victory and will now prepare for a Canada West semifinal game at top-ranked Calgary next Friday at McMahon Stadium. Manitoba finishes with an identical 3-5 record, but end up in fifth place and out of the post-season.
Regina scored the first 15 points of Saturday’s game, getting an early touchdown by Steve Famulak after a blocked punt by Jorgen Hus deep in Manitoba territory and adding an Adrian Charles touchdown catch early in the second.
Rams RB Adrian Charles ended up with 93 rushing yards, while QB Zach Oleynik was 16-for-27 with 187 passing yards and a touchdown. Mark McConkey led Regina with five catches, while Brenden Owens had three catches for a team-high 62 receiving yards.
The Rams will face Calgary on the road in the Canada West semifinals for the second consecutive season and the third time in the last four years. The Dinos won all three of those postseason contests and have an eight-game winning streak overall against Regina. The two teams will kick off on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Calgary.
GoBisons.ca
#10 Saskatchewan 67 Alberta 3
Huskies-Golden Bears Stats
by U of Alberta Sports Information
EDMONTON - The 2011 Canada West football season came to an end with a resounding thud for the Alberta Golden Bears, as they suffered their eighth straight loss, this one a 67-3 decision to the #10 Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday afternoon at Foote Field.
Freshman defensive back turned kicker Steven McCaffrey accounted for all of Alberta’s scoring, as he nailed a 27-yard field goal in third quarter. It was McCaffrey’s fourth field goal of the season.
Saskatchewan’s running game was lethally efficient against Alberta’s young defensive line, as the Huskies churned out 304 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Starting running back Ben Coakwell scored three TDs, while rushing for 97 yards on 16 carries, and Dexter Janke picked up two touchdowns as well as 62 yards on seven carries. Third-string running back Alex Balogun banked 63 yards, while back-up QB Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren rushed four times for 28 yards.
Huskies’ starting QB Trent Peterson completed 19 of 25 passes for 325 yards, and receiver Rory Kohlert caught five of those passes for 110 yards and a pair of majors.
The loss is Alberta’s biggest margin of defeat in program history, and also marks the first time the program has recorded a 0-8 season. The Bears did have a winless season in 1943, and in 1935, but in both cases the season was only one game.
Saskatchewan (5-3) will open the playoffs on the road in Vancouver, where they will take on the 6-2 UBC Thunderbirds in the conference semifinal on Saturday, Nov 5.