RAMS HOST UBC FRIDAY

GAME INFORMATION

KICKOFF: Friday, Oct. 4 (7:00 PM)
SITE: Mosaic Stadium (Regina, Sask.)
CAPACITY: 33,350
RANKINGS: UBC NR, Regina NR
TELEVISION: SaskTel maxTV 48/348, TELUS 997 (Darren Dupont, Jesse Lumsden, Darrin Bauming)
REGINA RADIO: RM2 at 620ckrm.com (Michael Ball, Pete Paczko)
LIVE VIDEO: www.canadawest.tv ($)

TICKET INFO: https://bit.ly/30HQTY4

HEADLINES

• After last week’s heartbreaking loss to Manitoba, the Rams are in dire of need of a Week 6 win to stay alive in the Canada West playoff race. If not, they’d have to rely on the out-of-town scoreboard (in the form of a Saskatchewan win over Manitoba) to prevent being mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

• These two teams met in Week 1 in Vancouver, with the Rams winning that matchup by a 46-16 margin. Sam Varao had three touchdown runs and the U of R defence combined for five sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery in the win.

OPENING UP RIGHT: On the very first play from scrimmage in last week’s game at Manitoba, Josh Donnelly found Kyle Moortgat on a pump-and-go for an 85-yard touchdown up the left sideline. It was the longest offensive play by the Rams since Noah Picton and Khalid Kornegay also connected for an 85-yard touchdown in the 2016 season opener, and the last time the Rams had a longer play was back in 2014 when Picton hit Mitch Thompson for a 104-yard reception.

IN THE FAMILY: The Rams have four sets of brothers on the 2019 roster, including Matt and Zach Moore who are both starters for the U of R defence. The other three sets of siblings include Chase Ellingson and Cody Ellingson, Jesse Ens and Jared Ens, and Carson Sombach and Jackson Sombach. As well, Donnelly and starting wide receiver Daniel Scraper are first cousins.

AT THE MAC: Linebacker Ryder Varga again led the Rams in tackles last week, finishing with eight solo and two assisted while collecting 1.5 tackles for loss including a half sack. In his first season as a starter, Varga leads the team in tackles (29.5), tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (2.5) and also had two pass breakups and a forced fumble for the Rams.

TURNOVER TRACKER: The Rams defence forced their eighth and ninth turnovers of the season in last week’s game, first on a fumble in the second quarter forced by Garth Knittig and scooped up by Brandon Gandire, and then on an interception in the end zone by Brandon Brooks with just a minute remaining in the game. The U of R defence has collected four interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and two turnovers on downs so far this year.

SPREADING IT AROUND: Three Rams rank in the top six in Canada West in receiving yards heading into Week 6. Kyle Moortgat is third with a team-leading 365 yards, Bennett Stusek ranks fourth with 353 yards, and Riley Boersma is sixth in Canada West with 317 yards. Boersma’s average of 22.6 yards per reception is the highest in U of R single-season history, just eclipsing Jason Clermont’s average of 22.5 yards per catch that the recently inducted Canada West Hall of Fame member registered during the 2000 season.

QB1: Despite not starting the Week 4 game due to an injury, Josh Donnelly still ranks third in Canada West in passing yards in his first season as starter. Donnelly has completed 60.6% of his pass attempts and has 1288 passing yards and five touchdowns this year for the Rams.

RECORD BOOK: SB Ryan Schienbein didn’t play last week due to injury, but he’s still poised to continue his rise up the school’s record book in all major career receiving categories. He’s in fourth place in receiving yards (2181), tied with Mitchell Picton for fourth in receptions (169), and tied with Mike Thomas for fourth in school history with 17 touchdown catches.

AGAINST UBC: The Rams have a 17-13 advantage in the all-time regular season series against UBC and are 10-4 against the Thunderbirds in Regina.

(Braden Konschuh/UofR Athletics)