SASKATOON – The UBC Thunderbirds lost 40-7 to the defending Canada West champion Saskatchewan Huskies at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park Friday night.
 
The Thunderbirds (0-2) rotated quarterbacks, with Tommy Yanchuk throwing for 141 yards and one touchdown on 14-25 passing, while Gabe Olivares threw for 99 yards on 6-15 passing.
 
Daniel Appiah rushed for 28 yards on five carries, leading the ground game for the visitors. Jacob Patten had a monster night for the Thunderbirds, racking up seven receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown.
 
Nick Cross was a standout defensively all-night long for UBC, recording 9.5 total tackles in the loss.
 
The opening frame was primarily an ongoing battle of field position, but the Huskies got the offence rolling late in the quarter. Quarterback Mason Nyhus found Colton Klassen for back-to-back first downs, which allowed the home side to get the ground game going. From there, Adam Machart went to work. The third-year running back took the ball from his own 47-yard line, hit the hole and shrugged off multiple Thunderbirds defenders for a 63-yard scamper to give Saskatchewan a 7-0 lead.
 
However, the visitors were able to strike back. On second-and-10 from inside the Huskies 12-yard line, Yanchuk was gifted with ample time in the pocket to allow Patten's crossing route to develop. The former Edmonton Huskies pivot hit him in stride, and from there the second-year receiver walked into the end zone to knot the game up at 7-7.
 
Saskatchewan responded after a lengthy drive of their own when David Solie's 42-yard field goal re-established the lead.
 
A Thunderbirds two-and-out gave the ball back to the Huskies, and on the second play from scrimmage, Josh Ewanchyna's 52-yard carry marched the home side right back into the red zone. But after the Thunderbirds defence stood strong twice from inside their own five-yard line, the Huskies elected to go for it on third down. The Thunderbirds initially had everything under wraps in the secondary, but Nyhus escaped the pocket, scrambled and found Jesse Kuntz all alone in the end zone, to extend the Huskies lead to 17-7, which was the score at the half.

Saskatchewan pulled away with 23 points in the fourth quarter, after a scoreless third, to secure its first win of the season in front of 6,278 fans.
 
Nyhus, who was making his first career start at Griffiths Stadium, picked up his first win in the Canada West after throwing for 303 yards and one touchdown on 25-37 passing.
 
Klassen led Saskatchewan receivers with eight receptions for 135 yards, while Kuntz chipped in six receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown.
 
Machart led the way in the ground game for Saskatchewan. The third-year running back racked up 136 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
 
The Thunderbirds will return home to prepare for next week's Homecoming game against Calgary (2-0) on Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

- with files from (Matt Johnson, Huskie Athletics)