RAMS KICKOFF AGAINST UBC
KICKOFF: Friday, Sept. 5 (7:00 p.m. MT)
SITE: Mosaic Stadium (Regina, Sask.)
CAPACITY: 33,427
RANKINGS: UBC #7, Regina RV
TELEVISION: Access7 (Mitchell Blair/PxP, Gary Bresch/CC)
RADIO: 620 CKRM (Michael Ball/PxP, Marco Ricci/CC)
INTERNET: www.canadawest.tv
TICKET INFORMATION: www.reginarams.com
HIGHLIGHTS
• This will be the first of two meetings between the Rams and UBC this season – they’ll also play Oct. 18 in Vancouver
• No. 7 UBC has two straight wins over the Rams, winning 37-27 in Regina last year and 24-17 in October of 2012 as part of a season split with the U of R
• The last time the Rams beat UBC was on Sept. 7, 2012 (49-20 in Regina)
• Officially, the Rams are 12-9 all-time against UBC though that includes two 2011 games that were originally UBC wins later forfeited to Regina
Game Notes
RAMS FIFTH IN CANADA WEST POLL: The Rams were ranked fifth in the Canada West preseason poll released Wednesday, garnering four fifth-place votes and one sixth-place vote for a total of 13 points in the poll. Calgary chalked up the maximum 50 points as the unanimous favourite, with Manitoba second (36 points), UBC third (31), Saskatchewan fourth (19), and Alberta sixth (7).
RAMS RECEIVE VOTES IN CIS TOP TEN: The first FRC-CIS Top Ten of the season was released on Tuesday, with the Rams not ranked in the poll but receiving a total of six points. Four Canada West teams did break into the poll, led by No. 2 Calgary (260 points) and also including No. 6 Manitoba (140), No. 7 UBC (80), and No. 10 Saskatchewan (56).
THOMPSON WITH STRONG DEBUT: After a fine career with the Regina Thunder that he capped with a CJFL national championship in 2013, wide receiver Mitch Thompson looks to make an immediate impact with the Rams. And he got off to a great start in the non-conference game at Alberta, catching four passes for a total of 134 yards including an 88-yard connection for touchdown on the first play of the second half after his cousin Cayman Shutter found him behind the Golden Bears defence.
FAMILY TIES: Thompson and Shutter are first cousins, but they’re not the only family members on the Rams. Offensive lineman Aaron Picton and slotback Mitchell Picton are brothers, and their cousin Noah Picton is a quarterback in his first season of CIS eligibility with the U of R. There’s also a pair of Wilsons, as Riley is a third-year slotback with the Rams and his younger brother Luke is a rookie defensive back. Defensive coordinator Paul Dawson has a son (running back Dillon Dawson) and a nephew (linebacker Danny Nesbitt) on the team, while head coach Frank McCrystal’s son Charlie McCrystal is on the staff as a defensive backs coach.
JANOTTA WATCH: Fifth-year slotback Jared Janotta continues to ascend the Rams charts in several career categories – including career receptions, as Janotta needs just three catches to overtake Jordan Sisco for No. 3 in University of Regina history. Janotta also needs seven receiving yards to pass Michael Thomas for No. 6 on the school list and one touchdown catch to pull into sole possession of sixth place.
RAMS/UBC SERIES: Of the 21 games played between these two teams since the Rams ascended to the CIS level in 1999, 10 have been at Mosaic Stadium. The Rams are 7-3 against UBC in those 10 games, though one of those wins was originally a 21-10 victory for UBC in 2011 that was forfeited due to the Thunderbirds’ use of an ineligible player. The Rams and UBC met once last year, with UBC scoring a 37-27 win.
FIRST-TIME STARTERS: If the Wednesday depth chart holds up, there should be four players making their first Canada West starts for the Rams – Mitch Thompson at wide receiver, Dean Viena on the defensive line, Dylan Minshull at linebacker, and Robbie Avram at defensive halfback.
(Courtesy Braden Konschuh/U of R Athletics)
