The University of British Columbia Athletics

VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds football team returned two interceptions for touchdowns en route to a 39-22 win over the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon.
 
UBC got touchdowns from Mitch Shuster, David Scott, Sam Carino and Chris Mark, while Billy Pavlopoulos kicked three field goals.
 
Alberta's touchdowns came from Porter Brown, Ryan Schwartz and Olukayode Sonuga.
 
"Eevn though we didn't play our best game, we found a way to win," said UBC head coach Shawn Olson.  "That's a good trait in a team.  It's probably the best trait in a team to continually be finding ways to win even in situations where maybe you don't play your best football."
 
But UBC (5-2) is having its best season since 2004, the last time the Thunderbirds reached the five-win mark in the regular season.
 
Alberta remains winless at 0-7.
 
With his team leading 20-15 early in the third quarter, UBC defensive back Sam Carino (5th, Burnaby, BC), who ended the game with 157 all-purpose yards, intercepted a Ryan Schwartz pass at the Alberta 53-yard line and returned the pick for a touchdown.
 
The game-winning score at 2:52 of the third made the score 27-15 in favour of the Thunderbirds.
 
Alberta closed to 27-22 when running back Olukayode Sonuga scored at 11:32 of the third.
 
But after a safety and Billy Pavlopoulos' third and final field goal of the night, UBC closed the game out with its second pick-six of the game.  Chris Mark (5th, Surrey, BC) intercepted a Schwartz throw at midfield and ran the ball back 55 yards for UBC's final touchdown with just 3:27 to go in the final quarter.
 
Mark's interception was the Thunderbirds' third of the game, Kofi Kuma-Mintah (3rd, Surrey, BC) also had one in the third quarter, and UBC's seventh in its last two games.
 
UBC stormed out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring on its first three possessions.
 
Thunderbirds' quarterback Billy Greene (4th, Surrey, BC) completed a six-play, 72-yard drive on the opening drive of the game, by finding wide receiver Mitch Shuster (5th, Vancouver, BC) on a 43-yard play for the scoring major, to put UBC ahead 7-0.
 
Shuster would end the game with career-high 153 yards on seven catches.
 
"That's one of the nice things when you have a guy like Mitch, who necessarily hasn't started all year but is able to step up and make plays when he's gotten opportunities," said Olson.  "I'm happy for him."
 
After a Pavlopoulos field goal, Greene floated a pass into the end zone for David Scott (3rd, El Paso, TX), who caught his first touchdown of the season.
 
Greene completed 17 of 29 passes for 309 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
 
The team's leading rusher was Kelly Road Secondary graduate Brandon Deschamps (1st, Prince George, BC) who gained 61 yards on 12 carries.
 
The Golden Bears responded with two touchdowns, a 14-yard Porter Brown reception and a one-yard Ryan Schwartz rush, and a single to close the UBC lead to 20-15 at the half.
 
Mark ended the game as UBC's leading tackler with eight, along with his interception return for a touchdown, while Connor Flynn (5th, Vancouver, BC) had two sacks.
 
Connor Ralph led Alberta with 8.5 tackles.
 
"Big plays, that was the name of the game on defence," said Olson.  "Two interceptions returned for touchdowns are huge in any game. 
 
But UBC's run defence was torched for 299 rushing yards.  Sonuga had 146 while Alberta quarterback Schwartz ran for 114 yards, while going 6 of 14 passing for 90 yards and three interceptions.
 
"We didn't stop the run very consistently, I think we were misaligned a few times, I don't think we were doing our jobs especially well and all those things lead to an inconsistent effort and if we're going to be able to go anywhere, we can't have those kinds of efforts," said Olson.
 
UBC (5-2) will now close the regular season by hosting the undefeated Calgary Dinos at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 29, while Alberta will play Saskatchewan on the same day.
 
The Thunderbirds sit in second place in the Canada West standings and need to win (or hope for a Saskatchewan loss) to ensure home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.