VANCOUVER – The biggest game of the UBC varsity season will also feature the biggest matchup in all of U SPORTS this Friday night as a pair of undefeated Canada West powers go toe-to-toe when the Thunderbirds host the Alberta Golden Bears for Homecoming 2023 – presented by Sports Illustrated Clubhouse.
The number seven ranked T-Birds and the number nine Bears are both enjoying their best respective starts to a season in decades with the winner of Friday night's showdown able to claim sole possession of first place in the conference.
"I'm really looking forward to this game, I really think it will represent a showcase piece of U SPORTS Football and specifically, Canada West," said UBC head coach,
Blake Nill, whose team is off to it's first 3-0 start to a season in 14 years. "These are two programs who aren't afraid to take a hit and return one, so I think the fans are going to be in for a tremendous game Friday night."
Boasting the country's top passing offence, the combination of starter
Garrett Rooker and backup
Derek Engel average 384 yards per game. Rooker has thrown for seven touchdowns and 940 yards through just three weeks with a U SPORTS leading 79.2 percent completion rate.
2022 All-Canadian running back
Isaiah Knight has put up 247 rushing yards and 325 all-purpose yards with a trio of touchdowns, two of them in last week's 56-10 win over the Manitoba Bisons.
Not to be outdone by their offensive brethren, the T-Birds defenders have been equally as impressive allowing just 333 yards per game on average with a U SPORTS best run defence which permits less than 75 yards per game. UBC has earned back-to-back Canada West Defensive Player of the Week awards, the most recent being given to DB
Max Kennedy who notched a pair of interceptions against Manitoba.
"(Defensive Coordinator Pat) Tracey, under his leadership and that of his assistant coaches, they leave no stone unturned when it comes to game planning, strategy and knowing the opponent," Nill said, praising his defensive coaches. "What I think as a head coach is tremendous to see is our athletes responding to that leadership of their coaching staff.
Max Kennedy is a young man with huge potential and has played significant roles for us but has also battled the injury bug. It's just great to see his efforts and his competitiveness coming to fruition."
While the T-Birds have every right to feel good about their play so far this season, the Bears are feeling just as happy.
Fourth-year running back Matthew Peterson has been tearing up the league with a U SPORTS leading 448 yards rushing. He put up a career-high 191 yards on the ground and 295 all-purpose yards in Alberta's 26-22 win over Saskatchewan last week, earning him the national Offensive Player of the Week award. It makes for an intriguing matchup pitting the conference's top rushing offence against the best run defence.
As for UBC's vaulted defence, they're set to battle the only team ahead of them in the conference with Alberta entering week four second in the country, allowing just 248 yards per game.
"(Golden Bears Head) Coach Morris and his staff deserve a lot of credit for the job they've done with that Alberta program," said Nill. "It reminds me a lot of the Dinos program when I was there in the 2012, 2013 type era, a tough program built on Alberta high school players for the most part. In my opinion they're built the right way, they're built along the offensive line and the run game. They play aggressive defence, (defensive coordinator A.J.) Gass has his kids playing well and this is what Canada West football is about."
It's only appropriate the game will see 7000-plus at Thunderbird Stadium for Homecoming 2023. Along with thousands of students and fans will be hundreds of alumni, the backbone of UBC's varsity program.
"It allows us to create emotion with past players and alumni from all walks who may have forgotten the significance varsity plays. It gives us an opportunity to educate alumni that without their support, varsity doesn't stand a chance. You're only as good as your alumni, that holds true in football more than anything and I appreciate our alumni and looking forward to giving them our best representation come Friday night."
Kickoff for Homecoming 2023 – presented by Sports Illustrated Clubhouse – is set for 6:00 p.m. PT.
Limited tickets are still available but are going fast. The game will also be streamed live on
Canada West TV.
