VANCOUVER - The Regina Rams (1-0) rode a stellar performance by freshman quarterback Josh Donnelly on their way to a convincing 46-16 victory over the UBC Thunderbirds (0-1) in their Canada West season openers at UBC's Thunderbird Stadium Saturday night.

Donnelly used the play-action game masterfully, throwing for 377 yards and two scores, while Rams fullback Sam Varao had three one-yard rushing touchdowns, as Regina scored 31 unanswered points in the first half and never looked back.

UBC's freshman pivot, Tommy Yanchuk, threw one touchdown pass to wide receiver Jacob Patton and scampered for a 20 yard score of his own to open the scoring, but the bright points were rare for the 'Birds on opening night, before a large and lively crowd on the Point Grey campus.



"His nickname on the team has become 'The Magic Man' because he's just so good on his play action," said Regina's Steve Bryce of his first year pivot, Donnelly. "He's really good. He's smooth and polished for a young man."

Things started well enough for UBC, when after leading the 'Birds downfield, Yanchuk called his own number and spun off an athletic run into the end zone from the Regina 20 yard-line.

But the momentum quickly turned as Regina scored 31 unanswered points, led by Donnelly's six-yard TD pass to veteran catcher Ryan Schienbein, a blocked punt and recover courtesy of Regina defenders Robbie Lowes and Jaxon Ford, and the utmost red zone proficiency of Varao. In fact, Varao might have had the most efficient stat line in recent football memory; three carries, for three yards and three touchdowns.



The Rams' early game momentum was fueled by countless UBC penalties, including two 15-yard facemask majors. By the time the first half whistle sounded Regina had a commanding 31-7 lead and the Thunderbirds' once raucous crowd had quieted substantially.

Yanchuk's early game dynamics had been stunted by a feverous Rams pass rush and UBC's inability to establish a running game.

"We turned the ball over, at times it looked like we were going at the right speed but what you also saw was our inability to recapture momentum," explained UBC Head Coach Blake Nill. "That's a tough skill for young kids nowadays and I thought we would have done better at the offensive line but maybe I'm putting a bit too much pressure on them."



A nice UBC defensive stand and a Rams' conceded safety to start the second half gave the faithful some hope, but that hope faded as soon as Regina got the football back on offence. Donnelly dropped back and delivered a strike to receiver Riley Boersman who ran as he had been shot from a cannon for 75 yards to the end zone.

The most eye popping play of the game and likely one of the greatest catches in Thunderbirds' football history happened early in the fourth quarter. Yanchuk fired a pass down the sideline to sophomore receiver Patten. The throw was wide to Patten's back shoulder, causing him to leap upwards and backwards, contort his body, and corral the football out of mid-air with one hand. Maybe the most impressive part of the reception, was the fact Patten bobbled the pass initially, but had the presence of mind to get his right mitt under the ball before it hit the turf.
 

FB | ICYMI, this was potentially the catch of the year by 2nd year T-Birds receiver Jacob Patten (@KingPatten4K) @SportsCentre @SportsCenter @USPORTSca @CanadaWest @FarhanLaljiTSN pic.twitter.com/gSNBzuB41P

— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) September 1, 2019

On the very next play, Yanchuk found Patten in the back of the end zone for the T-Birds' second major of the game.

Any enthusiasm the miracle catch gave the 'Birds and their fans was snuffed out just over three minutes later when Regina running back Trey Campbell ended the game's scoring by scampering into the end zone from 20 yards, making the score 46-16 for the Rams.

"I made a lot of good decisions I think and I made a couple bad ones, but that's football. The only way you can get better as a quarterback is just studying and working through it," said Yanchuk in the post-game scrum when asked to describe his U SPORTS debut. "I'm not worried one bit, I know the guys aren't worried one bit, we're going to rally and we're going to be back better than anyone ever imagined."

Things don't get any easier for UBC, as they will travel to Saskatchewan next weekend for a tilt with the Huskies. Regina will head back home and play host to the Alberta Golden Bears.