VANCOUVER – The No. 4 Calgary Dinos outscored the No. 7 UBC Thunderbirds 30-4 in the second and third quarters en route to a 49-16 victory in the opening Canada West regular season game for both squads at Calgary's McMahon Stadium on Friday.
 
"They've worked hard over the last decade to get the culture the way it is," said UBC head coach Blake Nill of the Dinos players he coached for nine seasons before taking over the Thunderbirds program in December. "And now, we've got to apply the same type of formula to this BC crew. It isn't going to happen overnight but it will happen."

"We may not be at the level that Calgary is at but this is the first game of the year, where we want to peak at is the end of the season."

The T-Birds scored on the opening play from scrimmage, a school-record 102-yard catch-and-run play by receiver Marcus Davis (Victoria, B.C.) that gave the visitors a 7-0 lead. The Davis catch on the pass from quarterback Michael O'Connor (Orleans, Ont.) broke UBC's previous longest reception record of 98 yards by Jordan Grieve (Salmon Arm, B.C.) against Manitoba on Oct. 20, 2012.
 
However, the Thunderbirds didn't record another major in the game, with the rest of the offence coming from a conceded safety and kicker Quinn van Gylswyk (Victoria, B.C.), who had two field goals and a rouge.

With about a minute and a half left in the opening quarter, van Gylswyk hit a 26-yard field goal to extend UBC's advantage to 10-5. He converted on a 37-yard kick three minutes into the second quarter to re-take the lead for his team 13-12. A fumble by the Thunderbirds set up the touchdown that pushed the Dinos ahead 12-10.
 
His single in the second cut Calgary's lead to 15-14, but after a Dinos field goal, a second Thunderbirds fumble set up a two-yard Mercer Timmis touchdown run with 24 seconds remaining that allowed the home side to go into the half ahead 25-14.
 
Midway through the third quarter, Calgary sealed the victory when Michael Klukas returned a booming van Gylswyk punt 110 yards for a touchdown that made the score 32-14.
 
UBC's offence was affected by an early injury to running back Brandon Deschamps (Prince George, B.C.), who was forced to leave the game after just two carries for 11 yards. The team finished with just 35 yards on the ground, while Calgary had 279, including 150 from Timmis. 
 

2015.09.04 UBC Football at Calgary Dinos - Images by UBC Thunderbirds Photos

O'Connor had 17 pass completions on 36 attempts for 253 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was also the team's leading rusher with 18 yards on the ground.
 
Marcus Davis finished the game with 111 yards receiving on three catches.
 
Defensively, newcomer Taylor Loffler (Kelowna, B.C.) had a team-high 14 tackles, while another new T-Bird Mitch Barnett (North Vancouver, B.C.) had three sacks, half of UBC's total on the night and one off the school record.
 
The Thunderbirds (0-1), who had three turnovers on Friday, will look to rebound next week, when they host the Regina Rams for UBC Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 12 on David Sidoo Field at Thunderbird Stadium. Kick off is scheduled for 6 p.m.