VANCOUVER – For the first time since 2015 the UBC Thunderbirds will compete for the Vanier Cup, following a decisive 47-17 Mitchell Bowl victory over the AUS Champion St. Francis Xavier X-Men Saturday afternoon at Thunderbird Stadium.
Leading the 'Birds to their first ever Mitchell Bowl title, UBC quarterback
Garrett Rooker was nothing short of spectacular, going 22-of-26 for 303 yards passing, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The third-year pivot from League City, Texas was named the Nike Offensive Player of the Game.
"Our whole goal this season was obviously to make it to Kingston, and it started this weekend against St. FX. I think we played a well rounded game the whole time," said Rooker who didn't throw an incompletion in the second half. "Obviously there were some ups and downs in the first half, I think we really came out in the second half and played well."
While UBC's offensive prowess was on full display for the Thunderbird faithful, the defence came up with timely plays again and again, ensuring the ball could get back in Rooker's hands quickly.
Max Kennedy,
Ben Sangmuah, and
Kaden Cook each had an interception. Veteran linebacker Jaxon Ciarolo-Brown was named Nike Defensive Player of the Game with eight total tackles and a sack.
Special teams also got in on the action with regularity, highlighted by
Cesare Rednour-Bruckman's 60-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter to give UBC a commanding 31-10 lead at the time. The T-Birds certainly used a solid combined effort in all facets of the game to get back to the big dance for the first time in eight years.
"I'm just trying to stay focussed now on the next game and get this program to Kingston and give us an opportunity to compete for a national championship," said UBC head coach
Blake Nill, emotional after punching his ticket back to a ninth Vanier Cup appearance in his storied career. "St. FX holds a special place in my heart, it's where I started my career, I had a tremendous experience there. I understand the challenges but I also understand the pride and just what it means to so many people. But we're here to win and I'm proud of my kids here as well."
The T-Birds' offence quickly went to work Saturday and found the end zone on their first possession when Rooker connected with his favourite target,
Sam Davenport, for the 11-yard pass and the early 7-0 lead after
Kieran Flannery-Fleck's convert.
The St. FX offence struggled to move the ball in the opening quarter, punting on each of their first two possessions, the second of which gave UBC instant field position at the X-Men 48-yard line.
Held to 50 yards in last week's Hardy Cup,
Isaiah Knight got the ball early and often Saturday afternoon, helping move it down inside the red zone on UBC's final drive of the quarter, setting up a ten-yard Rooker touchdown pass to
Dane Kapler, opening up a two-possession lead.
Knight finished the game with 115 yards rushing while the X-Men were limited to 77 yards total on the ground. UBC amassed 517 total yards of offence to 231 for St. FX.
Threating on a drive to end the first quarter, the X-Men got themselves on the board a minute into the second. Facing second and goal, St. FX quarterback Silas Fagnan called his own number and dove for the end zone while being tackled by
Ryan Baker, barely crossing the plane.
Flannery-Fleck and St. FX kicker Ben Hadley traded field goals later in the second as UBC headed into the halftime break up 17-10.
The first play from scrimmage of the second half was a disastrous one for the X-Men with Fagnan heaving the ball up, only to be picked off by Kennedy, St. FX's second turnover of the game.
Cue Knight and the T-Birds running game as the third-year Canada West All-Star rushed 38 yards on the drive including a 23 yard scamper down to the ten. Rooker then found
Shemar McBean in the end zone for UBC's third passing touchdown of the game, and their second 14-point lead at 24-10.
After UBC's defence stepped up to start the half, it was the special teams' unit up next as Rednour-Bruckman turned on the afterburner with his 60 yard punt return touchdown.
The Hardy Cup champions began to put a stranglehold on the game, increasing their lead to 33-10 after the X-Men conceded a safety.
Sangmuah's interception in the final minute of the third appeared to be yet another nail in St. FX's coffin, but on the very next play from scrimmage, the X-Men managed to get the ball right back when
Toluwalope Ayedegbe had the ball punched out of his grip, recovered by Brandyn Martin who went unimpeded to the end zone for a badly needed St. FX boost, cutting their deficit to 36-17.
UBC didn't allow the X-Men to gain any further momentum and they restored their 26-point lead midway through the fourth when Rooker found a wide open Davenport in the end zone for his second touchdown of the afternoon, another 11-yard grab, pretty well leaving no doubt as to the end result.
"When special teams and defence are firing on all cylinders, the offence just feeds off of it," added Rooker. "To see our guys out there flying around and turn the ball over and get us good field position was great, it allows us to have a lot of success on offence."
The T-Birds' victory now sets up a rematch of the 2015 Vanier Cup when they meet the Université de Montréal Carabins next Saturday in Kingston, Ontario.
"We have the potential to make it tough on our opponents on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, our quarterback's very composed and we have athletes," said Nill of the remaining potential he sees in his group. "I still don't think we've played our best game yet."
The Carabins advanced to the national championship game with a resounding 29-3 Uteck Bowl win over the OUA Champion Western Mustangs earlier on Saturday.
Kickoff for the 2023 Vanier Cup is set for 10:00 a.m. PT at Richardson Memorial Stadium.
