RAMS UP-END UBC, HUSKIES GO TO 4-0

HEADLINE

The No. 6-ranked University of Regina Rams took a 21-13 road victory over the UBC Thunderbirds on Friday night in Vancouver.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Olivier Savard took over at running back for the Rams after Christian Katende was injured on the opening drive and scored the first points of the game with a 31-yard run in the first quarter.
UBC tied up the game early in the second after taking advantage of a short field following a Rams punt. Garrett Rooker hit Lucas Robertson from 21 yards out for what would turn out to be UBC’s lone touchdown of the contest.
The Rams replied shortly after UBC’s major when the Rams started a drive in UBC territory and Noah Pelletier hit Bennett Stusek for a 34-yard touchdown.
UBC hit a 32-yard field goal on the next possession to make it 14-10 Rams, and a huge defensive stop by the Rams on the final play of the first half preserved the four-point lead heading into halftime.
After neither team scored in the third quarter, UBC drew to within a point with a 22-yard chip shot field goal early in the fourth.
On the next possession, the Rams put together their longest drive of the game. Pelletier completed six passes as part of a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:42 off the clock and finished with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Stusek.
The Rams’ defence all but sealed the win after putting a stop to a long UBC drive with 48 seconds left on the clock. The Thunderbirds went for it on 3rd and 1 from Regina’s 28, but UBC quarterback Garrett Rooker was put under heavy pressure by the Rams and his pass fell incomplete.

STANDINGS

The Rams (3-1) move into sole possession of second place in the Canada West standings, one win behind first-place Saskatchewan (4-0) and one win ahead of third-place Alberta (2-2).

NEXT UP

The Rams will now prepare for a home game against the Alberta Golden Bears. Game time is set for next Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2:00 PM at Leibel Field in Regina.

(ReginaRams.com/Photo: UBC)

EDMONTON — For the first time since 2006, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team is 4-0, after a 38-16 win over the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday night at Foote Field.

In what was their third-straight meeting against a team ranked inside the U SPORTS Top 10, the No. 2 Huskies took care of business once again.

Katley Joseph and John Stoll each recorded their first career Canada West interceptions in the win, anchoring an opportunistic Saskatchewan defence that picked off Golden Bears quarterback Eli Hetlinger three times on the night.

Mason Nyhus, who entered the night as the country’s leader in passing yards-per-game, continued his tremendous fifth-year campaign by throwing for 351 yards and two touchdowns. Nyhus connected with seven different pass catchers, including Daniel Perry and Caleb Morin, who each passed the century mark, hauling in 115 and 110 yards through the air.

“Flory always has a good game plan, a good scouting report and watches a ton of tape. We have good players. Our receivers are getting open and obviously, it makes my job a lot easier,” said Nyhus, who is now one passing touchdown shy from cracking the top-20 in the Canada West all-time. “I don’t think I have a rushing yard this year, so I’m just trying to get the ball in the playmakers hands and they make me look good.”

After back-to-back games on the road, Saskatchewan is back home in Week 5. The Huskies will play three of their final four games at Griffiths Stadium, including next Friday night against the Manitoba Bisons in a rematch of the 2021 Hardy Cup. Kick off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

(Huskies Athletics)