SASKATOON, Sask. – In a true heavyweight battle, the two-time defending Canada West champion Saskatchewan Huskies handed the UBC Thunderbirds their first loss of the 2023 season, 34-31 Friday night at Griffiths Stadium.
In a game that saw multiple lead changes, the T-Birds found themselves down by a field goal with just under two minutes remaining in the fourth. But a pair of late turnovers sealed UBC's fate as they fall to 4-1 on the season.
"Saskatchewan tonight was better in every aspect of the game," said UBC head coach
Blake Nill. "Special teams, offence and defence, all only by a small amount but they just made a few more plays than we did."
The two rivals, meeting for the first time since the Huskies ended UBC's season in last year's Hardy Cup Final, went blow for blow with the hosts holding a 17-14 edge at halftime.
Saskatchewan opened up a two possession third quarter lead after a trio of David Solie field goals, the first of which was a 50-yarder to close out the opening 30 minutes.
Looking to answer back quickly, T-Birds quarterback
Garrett Rooker aired out a long bomb to
Sam Davenport who reeled in a 62-yard reception to get the 'Birds all the way down to the Saskatchewan four-yard line. Facing third and goal and in for the short yardage play, backup
Derek Engel called his own number and raced for the near corner of the end zone, sacrificing his body while being hit as he crossed the goal line to get the 'Birds back within two following
Kieran Flannery-Fleck's convert.
But just as quickly as Rooker connected with Davenport to get back into the red zone, the Huskies were back in front by nine when Ryker Frank returned Flannery-Fleck's kickoff 105 yards for the touchdown.
Just three minutes later on the final play of the third quarter there were yet more special teams fireworks, this time courtesy of the T-Birds'
Shemar McBean. Already with a 33-yard second quarter touchdown reception in the bag, the second year receiver returned a Saskatchewan punt 62 yards to the house to get UBC back within a field goal of the lead.
The fourth quarter belonged to the kickers. Flannery-Fleck nailed a 36-yard field goal to give UBC a 31-30 lead only to have Solie add to his tally, nailing a 46-yard attempt with 4:45 left in the quarter as the lead shifted back in Saskatchewan's favour by two.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Solie missed another 46-yard attempt which sailed through the end zone for a rouge.
Still with time on their side, the T-Birds were able to get the ball back twice, only to turn it over on both occasions, once on downs and another on Rooker's second pick of the game, the final play of a remarkable game.
"We did not play our best game and Saskatchewan just made more plays than us," Nill reiterated. They are fully deserving of that win, they gutted it out and we just got to be better. We missed a big opportunity."
UBC's loss combined with Alberta's win Friday night over Regina has the T-Birds, Golden Bears, and Huskies all sitting atop the Canada West at 4-1.
All teams now head into the Thanksgiving week bye before a race to the Hardy Cup playoffs gets underway the following weekend.
The 'Birds will head back on the road Saturday, October 14 when they visit the Calgary Dinos.
