Jeff Sargeant, UBC Athletics
VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds staked out a healthy first half lead and never looked back en route to a 30-11 victory over the visiting Alberta Golden Bears (2-5) Saturday afternoon at Thunderbird Stadium. UBC's second straight win improves the 'Birds to 4-3 while clinching a postseason berth for the fourth consecutive season.
The Bears' loss officially eliminates Alberta from the Hardy Cup playoffs.
UBC quarterback Michael O'Connor was on fire all game long, finishing with 427 yards and two touchdowns. The fourth-year quarterback completed 16 consecutive passes to start the game, setting a new team record. O'Connor ended the game 30-for-35 with no interceptions.
"The O-line did a very good job keeping Mike on his feet," said UBC head coach Blake Nill of his veteran quarterback who he can't say enough positive things about. "He's had a tremendous year. If you look at his completion percentage and then look at how many dropped passes he's suffered, he's had a pretty good year. He's carrying a big reputation but I think he's living up to that."
Trivel Pinto was a force for UBC once again as well with 198 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 294 all purpose yards.
While it was a good afternoon for the T-Birds, they weren't able to get rolling offensively until late in the opening frame. On UBC's second drive, O'Connor looked for Pinto downfield and he hooked up with the fourth-year receiver deep in Alberta territory. But after the catch, the ball came loose and a fortuitous bounce off Bears running back Troy Hansen's leg led to a turnover.
After forcing the Bears to punt, O'Connor quickly moved the ball with back-to-back first down passes to Sharique Khan and Trey Kellogg. After a penalty put the 'Birds into the red zone, O'Connor found Pinto for a 13-yard touchdown on the final play of the quarter, the receiver's fourth major score of the season.
The Pinto show continued in the second quarter. On their first possession of the frame, O'Connor hooked up with old faithful for a 22-yard catch to put the ball inside the five-yard line. On the very next play, Khan, who featured prominently early for the T-Birds, punched it in for his first career Canada West touchdown. Khan finished the day with 151 combined yards on offence, 89 of them on receptions out of the back field, UBC's second highest receiving total behind Pinto.
"Sharique coming in was our seventh running back," explained Nill. "Just the way the football gods are working, we've certainly had our difficulties this year but I remember watching him last year and thinking 'this kid's going to be a player'".
The Greg Hutchins convert gave the 'Birds a 14-0 lead just a few minutes into the second.
On their ensuing possession, the Bears gambled on third and two at the T-Birds' 21-yard line. But Jonathan Rosery scampered for another first down to keep the visitors' drive alive. UBC's defence, as they so often have throughout the course of the season, stepped up with a couple big stops to force the Bears into a 30-yard field goal, cutting the 'Birds' lead to 11.
Ben Hladik, Bashiru Sise-Odaa, and Jaxon Ciraolo-Brown each had five total sacks for the 'Birds.
Up 19-3 at the half, UBC traded punts with Alberta to start the third quarter. Then on the 'Birds' second possession of the half, O'Connor threw his second touchdown pass of the game, hooking up with rookie receiver Nick Pollitt for the 17-yard score, his first as a Thunderbird. After the successful convert, UBC's lead was increased to 27-3.
As UBC kept putting points on the board, the Bears just couldn't respond. That is until the final play of the third when Alberta quarterback Brad Baker connected with Daniel Bubelenyi for a massive 104-yard catch and run. The two-point conversion attempt failed and the 'Birds got the ball back to start the fourth with an 18-point lead.
With the Golden Bears desperate to put points on the board, Baker was intercepted by rookie defensive back James Vause with half a quarter to go. It was another UBC first as the Saskatoon native recorded his first career Canada West pick. But the young DB wasn't done yet as with just under two minutes remaining and the Bears on their last gasp, Vause picked off Baker for a second time to really put the game on ice.
Baker threw for 307 yards and a touchdown along with two interceptions, completing 20 of his 39 pass attempts.
Bubelenyi was the Bears' leading receiver with 111 yards, 104 of them coming on his massive touchdown catch.
Having sewn up a Canada West playoff berth, the 'Birds now turn their attention to locking up a home spot which they can do with a victory next week against the Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg.
"We got three days to get better again for a big game in Manitoba," added Nill. "We're lucky to be in the position we're in when we're playing for a home playoff game which can mean a lot and we just got to continue to want to get better."
The Golden Bears close out their season at home against the Calgary Dinos next Saturday.