VANCOUVER - The no. 9 UBC Thunderbirds football team is looking to build on the momentum of its home-opening win last weekend, as it welcomes the no. 10 Manitoba Bisons to town for Homecoming 2011 on Saturday afternoon.
Students, staff, alumni and fans are expected to jam Thunderbird Stadium for the 2:00 p.m. kickoff.
The game will also be broadcast live on CiTR 101.9 FM and will also be streamed live at canadawest.tv
Last week, UBC stormed out of the gates, scoring touchdowns on its first two possessions against the Alberta Golden Bears, en route to a 40-30 victory.
The final score was much closer than the game itself as the Thunderbirds built up a 40-8 lead before both teams unloaded their benches.
Alberta made a valiant comeback attempt but fell short.
UBC quarterback
Billy Greene (Surrey, BC) was brilliant. He threw three touchdowns and ran in another while running back
Dave Boyd (Duncan, BC) gave the Thunderbirds much needed balance on offence by carrying the ball 21 times for 176 and a touchdown.
Levar Hayden (Calgary, AB) led UBC defensively by recording six tackles. Rookie
Adam Konar (North Vancouver, BC) continues to impress, notching 5.5 tackles for the Thunderbirds.
UBC head coach
Shawn Olson is hoping his team builds upon last week's performance.
“Whether it's at the end of the half or the fourth quarter, I'd like us to go for the kill a little bit more and when we do have a team down, that we can finish them off maybe a little bit better than we've done this year,” said Olson.
One of the areas where UBC needs to get better is team discipline. Despite its 2-1 record, the Thunderbirds have averaged 15 penalties a game this season.
“A lot of our penalties don't end up being disciplined penalties,” said Olson, who also cited better tackling and more defensive turnovers as things he'd like to see from his players against Manitoba.
The Bisons are coming into this week's game on a high as well. They entered the Football Reporters of Canada-CIS Top Ten this week on the strength of a 26-16 upset victory at home over the Saskatchewan Huskies.
They were led by fifth year defensive back Grayson Wells, who was selected as CIS Special Teams Football Athlete of the Week.
Wells made the play of the game against Saskatchewan as he jumped on a loose ball in the end zone at the start of the fourth quarter for the first lead of the game that Manitoba would not relinquish during the upset win.
It was Manitoba's second straight victory, after a season-opening 35-31 loss to Calgary.
The Top 10 ranking is the team's first, since the second week of the 2008 season.
Manitoba has an experienced and efficient quarterback in Khaleal Williams, who averages 260 yards a game in the air.
Defensively, the Bisons are a strong team, having recorded a Canada West-leading seven interceptions in three games in 2011.
They rank second in the conference in total defence, allowing just 334 yards a game.
“This game will give us an idea of where we stand in the grand scheme of things,” said Olson. “We'll be half way through the season and this is a team where if we have any aspirations of accomplishing something this year more than just in the regular season, then this is a team I have a feeling we're going to have to beat.”
Last season, Manitoba beat UBC 40-17 in the Thunderbirds' 2010 homecoming game on September 18, 2010. The two teams met again on October 30, 2010 with Manitoba emerging victorious 35-25 in Winnipeg.
