Road to the Hardy: Regular season set to come to a close
Jason Hills, Canada West Communications
EDMONTON - We're down to the final week of the Canada West football regular season and there's still so much to be decided. Every game has playoff implications. When the final whistle blows, who's in? Who's out? Which teams get a home playoff game? Will Regina or Calgary lock down that No.1 seed?
Here's a look at each conference game as the road to the 80th Hardy Cup continues.
Click here for the Week 8 Canada West media notes, including all the playoff possibilities.
Alberta (1-6) @ No.10 Saskatchewan (4-3)
Friday Oct. 28
Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park
7 p.m. CT
Shaw TV / Canadawest.tv
Are the Saskatchewan Huskies starting to peak at the right time?
Last week, they pulled off a big 38-35 win on the road against the No.5-ranked Calgary Dinos. The Huskies have clinched a playoff spot, but they're focused on making a push for a home playoff game. A win on Friday against the Alberta Golden Bears will at give them a shot.
"Our approach hasn't changed. We plan to play the same way we have been. This is a big game for us… there's still a lot on the line," said Huskies head coach Brian Towriss.
"We have to look after what we can control, and we know if we lose on Friday night, we won't have a home game, and we have to put our best foot forward and then sit back and see how everything unfolds on Saturday."
Huskies wideout Mitch Hillis didn't get any touchdowns in the team's win over the Dinos, but he did record his second straight 100-yard game and was the team's top target. The veteran receiver has given Saskatchewan the big boost they've needed down the stretch in helping the Huskies to big wins over UBC and Calgary.
"It's no secret that we've been playing better since we've got Mitch Hillis back into the lineup. We're 4-0 with him, and 0-3 without him. In the games that he's been healthy, he's had 10 or more receptions," said Towriss.
Saskatchewan will be looking for their first three game win streak since 2012. They started the season 2-0, but then dropped three straight before capping off two big wins the last two weeks.
Consistency is something that the Huskies have battled with all season long, but when the team is rolling they can be a pretty formidable opponent.
"Our last two games… other than the last two minutes against Calgary last week where we made a couple of mistakes, we've been much better… more consistent. We've limited the big plays against and it's added up to better performances on the field," said Towriss.
"It's a confidence builder the way we're playing at this point in the year. We haven't won in Calgary in a long time, nor has anybody else. We'd much rather play them here this week, than there, but that's not in our control."
No. 5 Calgary (5-2) @ UBC (3-4)
Saturday, Oct.29
UBC Thunderbird Stadium
5 p.m. PT
Neither the Calgary Dinos or UBC Thunderbirds are heading into the final week of the regular season with momentum.
But a win for either team will certainly give them the jolt they need with the Canada West playoffs next week.
A win for Calgary, and they've locked up at least the No.2 seed. A Regina Rams loss to Manitoba will give them the No.1 spot.
A win for UBC, and they'll take a major step towards the playoffs (should UBC, Alberta and Manitoba win, the T-Birds would be out of the post-season by virtue of a three-way tie with Saskatchewan and Manitoba).
"We know what we have to do. We're fully aware of why we're in this situation. The reality is, the only one who can do anything about it is the individuals who are in the program. We have to find a way to scheme to be successful and prepare and practice with that intention," said UBC head coach Blake Nill.
"It's not rocket science, it's about doing our roles, and when the time comes we need to execute."
The defending national champions have certainly had an up and down season. At times, they look dominant and other times, they look like a team that is learning and dealing with the pressures of being the defending champions.
But the reality is, the T-Birds don't have all the pieces from their Vanier Cup championship team last year.
"We're playing better football. Every team including this one has to overcome different issues throughout the year. You talk about the injury card… there are curve balls that are thrown at you from the moment you step on the field to the last play of the national championship," said Nill.
"We've certainly had our share of difficulties, and I'm proud of the way that our coaches have found ways to remain competitive. Our young kids are working hard under circumstance they may not have been in.
"Am I happy with our situation? Obviously not. I do understand why we're in the situation we're in, and we just have to deal with the circumstances we're in right now."
The Dinos are coming off a disappointing loss to Saskatchewan at home last week. They fell behind 38-22 late in the fourth-quarter and couldn't complete the comeback.
Calgary's big focus is to rebound from the Saskatchewan loss and not let it fester heading into the playoffs.
"There are a lot of possible outcomes for every team this week, and I don't think that adds to the pressure of this game for us at all," said Dinos head coach Wayne Harris.
"We just know that a win guarantees us second place, and we'd need help from Manitoba to beat Regina for us to move into first, but we can't control that outcome."
The Dinos will once again be without starting quarterback Jimmy Underdahl, who will miss his second straight start due to a leg injury.
Adam Sinagra will make his second start of the season for the Dinos.
"Jimmy is day-to-day. He's progressing well. We're keeping him off the leg as much as possible, but the swelling has gone down," said Harris.
"Adam came in and I thought he played a good game in his first start. It's about a team effort and guys rallying around and supporting each other. It's about managing and making sure we execute the game plan."
No. 7 Regina (5-2) @ Manitoba (3-4)
Saturday Oct.29, 8 p.m. CT
Investors Group Field
The 2016 season will go down as one to remember for Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie. The team has had a record year in terms of players hitting the injury list. The team has also had to battle through a mumps outbreak in the late stages of the season.
On the field, the team lost a quadruple overtime heartbreaker to the UBC Thunderbirds and then just last week survived the longest game in Canada West history with a 67-59 win in septuple overtime to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"I'm so proud of my guys. I guarantee there is no team in the country that has gone through what we've gone through, and we are 3-4 and we have a chance to still make the playoffs," said Dobie.
"These guys are out here in practice preparing to win each week. They know we're playing the first place team in the conference. They know they're playing a team that has to win to retain that spot… but bring it on. Our team has responded — their character has shone through every week."
The Bisons need a win against Regina and some help from either Calgary, or Alberta to make the playoffs.
Bisons quarterback Theo Deezar put the team on his back on that final drive and in overtime to lead them to victory.
"I thought he played to win. He played with grit. He was a consummate leader," said Dobie.
"He's not known to be a quarterback that can run, but he was a runaway baby giraffe. He would get big yardage to get first downs. He tried to leap over guys to get extra yards. He was the most reassuring guy on the field. He just kept saying… we got this."
The Rams won't be taking it easy in the final regular season. Regina wants nothing more than to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
"We're going in to win this game. Thee's a big difference between 1st and 2nd place. We're going in there to win the game," said Rams head coach Steve Bryce.
Regina rebounded in a big way after losing to Alberta two weeks ago. They came up with a 35-33 victory over UBC. They scored three TDs in the fourth quarter, the last one a 70-yard TD pass from Noah Piction to his cousin Mitch Picton to take a 35-26 lead.
Regina trailed 19-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
"It was a big win for us. We were very happy… that's how you want to respond," said Bryce.
"The Alberta game was very frustrating. For us to stall in the red zone like we did, we weren't able to finish off drives. We feel like we've got back on track."
Regina is looking to top the conference regular season standings for the first time since joining the Canada West in 1999. Their previous best was a second-place finishes in 2001, 2002 and 2012.
"This conference as a whole is really close. The difference between first and last. It doesn't take much to lose a game around here, because it's so competitive. It makes you be prepared for every single game.
"We want to stay out of that coin flip melee that will happen with the rest of the conference and stay in the driver's seat."