REGINA - An interception by
James Vause in the dying seconds of the game helped preserve UBC's first win of the season as the Thunderbirds (1-5) held on for a 33-28 victory over the Regina Rams (1-5) Friday night in Canada West football action at Mosaic Stadium.
After a UBC field goal put the visitors up 33-28 with just 42 seconds to go, Regina rookie quarterback Bryden O'Flaherty hit three different Rams receivers in three consecutive plays for a total of 64 yards to get all the way down to the UBC 18-yard line. O'Flaherty went for paydirt on the next play as he tried to find Riley Boersma for the major, but Vause picked off the pass to seal the win for UBC.
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"We're a young team trying to find our way and trying to find the confidence and culture to win here and there," said UBC head coach
Blake Nill. "This is a big win for us. I know we've only had the one this year, but this gives our kids something to build on."
The Rams at one point trailed 23-6 after a UBC touchdown midway through the third quarter, but the home side got back into the game shortly after that with two touchdowns in the span of 49 seconds. After Semba Mbasela ran it in from three yards out for his first career touchdown, defensive lineman Brandon McKimmon intercepted a pass attempt that was deflected by Josh White and took it 11 yards to the house for the Rams' first pick six since the 2010 season.
But on the next Rams possession following the McKimmon touchdown, Colton Hippe was intercepted by UBC's
Max Kennedy on his only pass attempt of the game. Kennedy took it back to the Rams' 10-yard line, and UBC took full advantage with a
Charles Lemay one-yard touchdown that put the Thunderbirds up 30-20.
T-Birds quarterback
Gabe Olivares threw for 353 yards and a touchdown pass to
Jacob Patten who finished with 118 yards receiving.
Sharique Khan led the 'Birds on the ground with 112 yards rushing.
The only bad news for UBC on Friday night was on the out-of-town scoreboard. Saskatchewan's win over Manitoba eliminated the Thunderbirds from the Canada West postseason race, while that same result keeps the Rams alive in the playoff hunt.
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