VANCOUVER – It's win or go home (or stay home) time for the UBC Thunderbirds as they prepare to host the Alberta Golden Bears for the final regular season football game of 2021 on Saturday, November 6th at Thunderbird Stadium.
Given the shortened season and a log jam in the Canada West standings, the results of what's shaping up to be a wild final week could see the T-Birds finish anywhere from second place with a home playoff berth to fifth and out of the post-season for a second consecutive year.
Things were looking very positive for UBC to make a return to the Hardy Cup playoffs for the first time since 2018 after back-to-back wins against the Regina Rams and Manitoba Bisons. But last week's 53-14 drubbing in Calgary sets up Saturday's do-or-die scenario.
"What we got to do now is have short memories, go into this week of preparation realizing that if we win the game, we have a good chance to be in the playoffs," said UBC Head Coach
Blake Nill who's gunning for a fifth playoff appearance in six seasons at Point Grey. "Playing consistently is key to success, and we just haven't mastered that skill set yet here. When things are going well we're high, playing aggressive, playing at full speed, and when things go bad, even if it's just for a series or two, you see a drop off in the attitude and enthusiasm of the players. That's a characteristic you could say of a team with little experience, but nevertheless, we've got to learn to play play-by-play, play each play with our fullest intent to succeed and then move onto the next play."
The Thunderbirds aren't the only team in search of a playoff berth heading into the final day of the season. While Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta have all punched their respective tickets, UBC and Calgary are gunning for that final spot.
With eight potential standings outcomes, what the T-Birds know for sure is they must beat the Bears in order to have a chance to extend their season. But they'll also need the Huskies to defeat the Dinos on Saturday.
In the end, all Nill and his coaching staff and players can worry about is themselves with a chance to make amends for their week one 44-19 loss to Alberta in Edmonton.
"We have to match their intensity," Nill put it simply. "Their physicality is right up there. I have pockets of athletes who I think can match that physicality but I'm going to require another pocket of them to raise their effort and raise their urgency if we're going to have an opportunity for success."
What has been a resounding success thus far for the 'Birds is their dual ground game threat of rookie running backs Dane Kapler and Isaiah Knight. With 480 yards rushing through five games, Knight leads the entire conference while his teammate is currently fourth in the Canada West having racked up 384 yards of his own, 161 of them last week alone.
"Kapler is just a grinder, he's going to go forward, he can make the first guy miss," said Nill. "Knight is a little bit more of a finesse runner, but together they just make play after play most of the season."
But the long-time coach was also quick to point out a big reason why the T-Birds are having success with their ground game is the progress of the O-line.
"The offensive line is starting to gel. A group of young athletes who have had very little game experience, they're starting to recognize their potential to impact the game. It sets a good tone for the future of that particular positional group."
The T-Birds know they'll need to put forward their best effort of the season on Saturday if they want to play another game this year. The Golden Bears come into Thunderbird Stadium having won two in a row and looking for a home playoff berth for the first time since 2005.
Led by veteran quarterback Brad Launhardt, Alberta's offensive numbers don't jump off the page, but the Bears have been quietly efficient on both sides of the ball. That was painfully evident back on September 25th at Foote Field when Launhardt tossed three touchdown passes and over 220-yards through the air against UBC on just 12 total completions.
While the 'Birds are focussed on getting back to the post-season, they're also primed to honour their past as Saturday is officially titled the Bob Laycoe Legacy Game, in honour of the former T-Birds Defensive Coordinator and long-time Toronto Varsity Blues Head Coach. UBC will also be introducing the Frank Gnup Wall of Honour Class of 2021.
"There's a lot of men in this program that recognize what role and impact coach Laycoe had in their lives," added Nill. "I just want to make sure that story continues and we don't forget those individuals who were part of the UBC past."
Kickoff for the Bob Laycoe Legacy Game is 1:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, November 6th. Limited free tickets are still available but must be reserved in advance. The game will also be streamed live on Canada West TV.
