CW Football: Week 8 Headlines

Oct. 18, 2024 - Two weeks remain in the Canada West football regular season and there's still much to be decided.

Coming out of the Thanksgiving bye, all six teams have a path to the playoffs.

Alberta, Calgary and Regina are in a logjam for the fourth and final playoff spot, each sporting 2-4 records.

Surging UBC (4-2) moved up to No. 6 in the U SPORTS rankings and are winners of four straight. They'll look to extend that run as they return home to face Calgary tonight.

Saturday's slate includes two intriguing matchups, including No. 9 Manitoba (5-1) looking to shake off their first defeat of the season as they head to Edmonton to battle the Golden Bears.

In Saskatchewan, the Huskies (3-3) have rebounded from their slow start and have been stellar at home. They'll look to continue that trend when welcoming provincial rival Regina, who have dropped four straight since beating the Huskies back in Week 2.

Here's everything you need to know heading into Week 8.

Calgary Dinos at UBC Thunderbirds

Fri, Oct. 18 | 6 p.m. PDT at Thunderbird Stadium

How to watch:

Quick Overview: UBC will look to lock up a home playoff berth with a victory. The T-Birds still have their sights set on first overall, with a huge matchup at Manitoba looming next week. First they'll need to overcome a desperate Calgary squad that will be fighting for their playoff lives. The Dinos are coming off a key 23-20 win at Regina where kicker Vince Triumbari played hero, knocking the game winning field goal with 1:03 remaining.

Head-to-Head: It's the second matchup in three weeks between the two teams, as the T-Birds managed a 32-30 comeback win against the Dinos at McMahon Stadium on Sept. 28. UBC scored the final seven points of the game, all off the foot of veteran kicker Kieran Flannery-Fleck.

UBC Preview: Playoff scenarios abound as T-Birds host Dinos for 2024 Legacy Game

Manitoba Bisons at Alberta Golden Bears

Sat, Oct. 19 ​ | 1 p.m. MDT at Foote Field

How to watch:

Quick Overview: Two Player of the Year candidates will go head-to-head in Alberta running back Matthew Peterson, and Manitoba QB Jackson Tachinski.

Peterson — the 2023 Canada West MVP — leads the nation with 133.0 rush yards per game, adding 41 receiving yards to his total. Tachinski, meanwhile, ranks sixth in rushing yards (366), fourth in passing yards (1,237), having 11 total touchdowns in six games.

A win for Manitoba will secure a top-two seed and a home playoff game at Princess Auto Field. Meanwhile, Alberta is looking to overcome their recent slide and will be desperate to put themselves back in playoff position.

Head-to-Head: The Bisons won a thriller against Alberta in Week 3, negating an Alberta two-point conversion in the final minute to sneak out a 24-23 win. The teams combined for 478 rush yards in that meeting, with 311 of those coming from Alberta.

Alberta Preview: Old school football clash set for Saturday at Foote

Regina Rams at Saskatchewan Huskies

Sat, Oct. 19 | 1 p.m. CST at Griffiths Stadium

How to watch:

Quick Overview: Saturday's game is a pivotal matchup for both teams. The Huskies (3-3) can put some distance between themselves and the pack of three teams sitting right below them in the standings. One of those teams is the Rams, who are looking to end a four game slide.

The Huskies have been perfect at home this season, going 3-for-3 at the friendly confines of Griffiths Stadium. QB Anton Amundrud continues to lead the conference in touchdowns with nine and is second in yards per game (287.3). Rams DL Tarick Polius has 3.5 sacks this season, leading the conference, part of a strong Regina defence that will look to slow the Huskie attack.

Head-to-Head: The Huskies will be looking for revenge after suffering a 33-28 loss to Regina back in Week 2 at Mosaic Stadium. Rams QB Noah Pelletier was phenomenal in that one, going 26-for-31 and setting a school record with a 83.9% completion percentage.

Regina Preview: The Rams/Huskies Rivalry

Saskatchewan Preview: Huskie Happenings

Week 6 in 60

Got a minute? Catch up on last week's action with our 60 second recap.

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