The Matchup
Looking to build on last week's home opener win, the 10th ranked UBC Thunderbirds (1-1) face their biggest test yet hosting the seventh ranked Saskatchewan Huskies (2-0) for Homecoming on Saturday, September 16th at 5:00 p.m. PT at Thunderbird Stadium.
The Huskies enter with plenty of momentum on their side having put up more than 40 points in both their previous games while boasting the Canada West's top defence allowing less than 200 yards passing per game while holding opponents to an average of 20 points.
But the T-Birds' defence can feel pretty good about themselves as well after a solid performance against the Bisons last week while pivot
Michael O'Connor also found his groove with a quarterback rating of 164.
Saturday marks the first Huskies visit to Vancouver since September 2015 when Saskatchewan handed the eventual Vanier Cup champion Thunderbirds their only home field loss of the season. Last year the T-Birds dropped a 40-10 decision in Saskatoon in their only meeting of the season with the Huskies.
Last Action
UBC dominated the third quarter last week en route to a 32-18 win over the visiting Manitoba Bisons for the 'Birds' first victory of the season.
Michael O'Connor went 21-for-30 for 257 yards and two touchdowns while running back
Ben Cummings led the way on the ground with 145 yards on 24 carries.
The Huskies easily handled the visiting Alberta Golden Bears with a 43-17 win at Saskatoon's Griffiths Stadium. Quarterback Kyle Siemens threw for 271 yards and a whopping five touchdown passes.
By the Numbers
244 – The number of total kick return yards by the Thunderbirds, tops in the Canada West. UBC also leads the conference in average kick return yards with 24.4.
187 – The total number of interception return yards through the first two games of the season, more than 140 more than the next closest team in the Canada West. UBC's defence has picked off three opposition passes, tied for the most in the conference.
Players to Watch
Elliot Graham (#90, LB) – The rookie linebacker set a school record 107-yard interception return for a touchdown last week against Manitoba. It was his first Canada West interception in just his second game as the Hamilton, ON native earned the conference's defensive player of the week honour.
Marcus Davis (#5, WR) – The Victoria native led UBC receivers with 92 yards on eight catches and a touchdown against Manitoba. The fourth-year wideout sits sixth in Canada West receiving yards with 146 and has recorded a major in each game so far.
Coach's Take
UBC head coach
Blake Nill was more pleased with his team's level of discipline and execution against Manitoba compared to a week prior, but he wants to see an even bigger improvement come Saturday.
"This is a team that is going to come out and going to approach the game with integrity," said the three-time Vanier cup winning head coach about the Huskies.
"They're going to play the game with a physicality that's required, a discipline that's required and the execution that's required to be successful."
Nill had plenty of praise for his young defence last week but expects them to face a whole other level of competition when it comes to Kyle Siemens and the Saskatchewan offence.
"He's a very dynamic quarterback and has great ball skills," said Nill. "He's going to present challenges to our young guys, it's going to be a good test. It's a necessary evil for us to be playing Saskatchewan at this time, we need to get hit in the mouth and see how we respond. If we can match the intensity and physicality that they will bring on Saturday, it'll be big for us. If we don't, we're going to get our butts kicked."
