The Matchup

 
In doesn't get any better than this for football fans. The final night of the Canada West regular season and the UBC Thunderbirds (3-4) will square off against their bitter rivals the Calgary Dinos (5-2) at Thunderbird Stadium. UBC will need to win to save their playoff lives. The Dinos need the 'W' to secure a home playoff game.
 
In week two of the 2016 season, Calgary avenged their 2015 Hardy Cup loss to UBC by pounding the 'Birds 35-8 before a raucous crowd at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.


 
UBC is a different team when they're on their home turf, as opposed to on the road. The 'Birds have gone 2-1 on David Sidoo Field in 2016, including a thrilling 53-50 win over Manitoba in quadruple overtime.
 
Kickoff is Saturday, October 29 at 5pm inside Thunderbird Stadium. The game can be viewed live on CanadaWest.TV
 

Last Action

 
Both teams are coming off narrow defeats last week, which should add an extra bit of snarl to the festivities.
 
The T-Birds lost a heartbreaker in Regina to the Rams 35-33, just barely missing an onside kick recovery as the last minute on the game clock expired.
 
Calgary lost their first home game since 2010 (excluding a 2014 game they forfeited) 38-35 to the Saskatchewan Huskies.
 
 

By the Numbers

 
12 – the number of interceptions the UBC defense has recorded in 2016. There were worries about the youth on the defensive side of the ball for the 'Blue and Gold' earlier in the season. The unit has proved they are more than capable of creating big plays. Much credit must go to UBC Defensive Coordinator Pat Tracey for molding the young group into a stout defense.
 

And we thought the @ubctbirds defence would struggle this year. #GameBreakers #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/7OXu3YznfD

— Len Catling (@LenCatling) October 27, 2016

 
698 – the number of total yards UBC running back Ben Cummings has amassed in his last three games. To put that in perspective, the second-year T-Bird had 268 total yards in his first five games of the season.
 

 
Players To Watch

 
Michael O'Connor (#15, QB) – the second year pivot has never met a big game he didn't like. O'Connor broke the UBC record for completed passes (182) in a season last week versus Regina. He has all game Saturday to add to his record.


 
Stavros Katsantonis (#18, DB) – the 'Bakersfield Bandit' has five interceptions this season and has been the undisputed leader of the T-Bird defense. Katsantonis also has a penchant for rising to the occasion, so look for him to figure prominently in Saturday's outcome.
 

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