REGINA, Sask. – Completing one of the most inconceivable comebacks in recent memory, the UBC Thunderbirds (3-5) are headed to the Canada West Hardy Cup playoffs after a 31-29 overtime win over the host Regina Rams (6-2) Friday afternoon at Leibel Field.
Trailing 15 points with less than two minutes to play,
Drew Viotto and the UBC offence engineered two touchdown drives, converted a two-point conversion to tie the game and set up overtime where freshman kicker
Alexander Hillyard drilled a 31-yard field goal for the walk-off win, clinching the fourth and final playoff berth for the Thunderbirds.
"We made some big plays but more than anything, it was the kids believing in themselves and having the courage to play 60 minutes, not give up, not succumb to difficulties, and they got rewarded for it," said UBC head coach,
Blake Nill, who has now clinched a Canada West playoff berth for a fifth consecutive season. "Once you go through an experience like that, you never forget it. We'll be better for it and this particular version of our program, a young team, took a step forward for the future today."
Scoring a pair of touchdowns, including the final major score of the game in the final minute of regulation along with the two-point conversion,
Trey Montour put up a monster performance as the second-year receiver finished with 157 yards, two touchdowns and the critical two-point catch.
"In my opinion, he has the potential to be one of the top players in Canada West, right now," said Nill of Montour who surpassed 700 yards on the season. "Today he proved me right. He's the kind of guy that wants the ball when the game's on the line and that's all you can ask for in an athlete. He's pretty special and he just turned 19 years old a month ago, he's got a long, bright future if he wants it."
UBC managed to hang in with the No. 7 ranked Rams through the opening 30 minutes, down 17-10 at halftime while managing to cut the lead to just four points after a Hillyard chip shot on the T-Birds' first drive of the second half. It was the end result of a drive that saw a gutsy direct snap fake punt play with former quarterback
Kinsale Philip delivering a dart to
Jeff Curtis to keep the drive alive.
"Our special teams staff, Coach Tracey, Coach Haberman and Coach Swing put in long hours every day trying to gain an advantage. We've tried things and wanted to try different gadget plays all year but we've never been in a position to do so. Full credit to those coaches for having those plays ready and they made a difference today, for sure."
But the Rams showed their mettle later in the frame with a nine play drive culminating in a three-yard Owen Sieben touchdown pass to Alex Gagnon, expanding the host's lead to 24-13.
Looking to go tit-for-tat, Viotto and the 'Birds moved across midfield but an interception by Jacob Tkachuk at the Regina 32 yard line put the ball back into Sieben's hands. The T-Birds forced Regina to punt but after kicking the ball away themselves on their next possession, the Rams added to their lead with a 38-yard Ty Gorniak field goal to give Regina their biggest lead of the game at 27-13.
With time looking to be almost insurmountable, UBC's offence proved wise beyond their youth and didn't let the moment get to them, but rather showed composure and resilience at the most critical of moments.
Facing third and long and barely across midfield with less than two minutes remaining, Viotto found
Trey Montour who came up with the first down catch in triple coverage, the first of several key plays which combined to push UBC into the post-season for a fifth straight season. The very next play,
Shemar McBean caught a 22-yard pass for his third touchdown of the season to make it a one-possession game following Hillyard's convert.
With just 1:35 remaining, the T-Birds elected to attempt an onside kick where Hillyard managed to recover the ball himself after bouncing it off a Ram and backwards, giving UBC possession at their own 46 with plenty of time for Viotto to create some more magic.
Create that magic he did with none other than Montour who caught his second touchdown of the game, climbing the ladder at the back of the end zone. Needing the two-point convert for the tie, it was of course Montour who caught the toss from Viotto, completing the late comeback charge.
Regina started overtime with the ball but a 35-yard Ty Gorniak field goal attempt sailed wide and through the back of the end zone for a single point, meaning all UBC needed was a field goal of their own to extend their season.
An eight-yard toss to Montour secured a first down for UBC and two plays later, Hillyard lined up the biggest kick of his young career, a no doubter right down the middle for the T-Birds' first road win of the season to clinch the fourth and final Canada West playoff berth.
Viotto surpassed 300 yards passing for the third straight week and 400 for the second time in the last three games, racking up a total of 423 yards, completing 34 of 52 passes with three touchdowns and an interception.
McBean made it two T-Birds over 100 yards receiving as the fifth-year caught for 134 yards
Sieben finished with 238 yards on 26 of 33 passing with two touchdowns and a pick.
UBC will now meet their most familiar post-season foe of the
Blake Nill era, securing a date with the Saskatchewan Huskies for a Hardy Cup semifinal next Saturday, November 1 at Griffiths Stadium.
Regina's loss locks the Rams into second in the conference as the defending Hardy Cup champions will host the Manitoba Bisons.
