CW Football: Week 9 Headlines

Oct. 24, 2024 - It all comes down to this. The final week of the Canada West football regular season is here, with tons still to be decided.

All three games have the potential to impact the playoff picture.

Three of the four Hardy Cup playoff spots are locked up, with Manitoba, UBC and Saskatchewan already securing berths.

That leaves Alberta, Calgary and Regina to battle for the final spot. The teams are log jammed at 2-5, and only one will advance to the postseason.

Of the three, Regina controls their own destiny. A Rams win over Alberta at home on Friday night will see Regina return to the playoffs after a one year absence.

An Alberta victory on Friday, however, will give both the Golden Bears and Dinos hope. Even with a win, Alberta will still need help in the form of a Calgary loss to Saskatchewan on Saturday to get into the postseason dance.

Yes, that means the Dinos will be cheering hard for their bitter provincial rivals on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Bisons and Thunderbirds will battle in a potential Hardy Cup preview on Saturday at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.

Both teams have already clinched a home semifinal game, but first place - and home field advantage for a potential Hardy Cup - is still undecided.

Manitoba are in the driver's seat in the race for first overall, but UBC can leapfrog the Bisons with a win of 23 points or more.

View all playoff scenarios broken down here.

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

Alberta Golden Bears at Regina Rams

Fri, Oct. 25 | 7 p.m. CST at Leibel Field

How to watch:

Quick Overview: It's simple - both teams need a win to keep their postseason dreams alive. The Rams own the tiebreaker with Calgary, meaning a Rams win over Alberta will get them into the postseason. Alberta needs a win and some help from Saskatchewan on Saturday to grab the final playoff berth.

The game will take place at Leibel Field, providing an intimate atmosphere for what will be a tense affair. One thing is a guarantee — one team will end their losing skid. Alberta enters the final week having lost three-straight, with their last win being a 30-6 result over the Rams in mid-September. After a 2-0 start, Regina has lost five straight.

Head-to-Head: The Golden Bears easily handled the Rams earlier in the year, grabbing a 30-6 win in Edmonton on Sept. 20. Alberta heads to Regina looking for their first road win over the Rams since 2019. The home team has won each of the last four meetings between the Bears and Rams.

Regina News: Graduating players leave lasting legacy with Rams program

Alberta Preview: Bears visit Rams in must-win Week 8 game

UBC Thunderbirds at Manitoba Bisons

Sat, Oct. 26 | 2 p.m. CDT at Princess Auto Stadium

How to watch:

Quick Overview: It's a game with massive importance as No. 6 UBC looks to overtake No. 8 Manitoba for first place and home field advantage throughout the Hardy Cup playoffs.

The T-Birds will need a win of 23 points or more to bump Manitoba out of first place.

The premiere matchup is a potential Hardy Cup preview featuring two of the most prolific quarterbacks in U SPORTS. UBC's Garrett Rooker is second in Canada West with 1801 yards in the air. As a team, the 'Birds are second in the conference with 269.4 passing yards per game.

Meanwhile, Manitoba's Jackson Tachinski is the reigning CW Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Bisons to a stunning 26 point comeback at Alberta last week. Tachinski led the charge, throwing for 267 yards and a score while rushing for a career-high 146 yards and a major.

Head-to-Head: The Bisons enter with an advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a 33-10 win at UBC in Week 2. The Thunderbirds held a 10-0 lead in that game before the Bisons took over with 33 unanswered points. Statistically, it was Tachinski's best passing game of the year came as he went off for 286 yards and two scores. The Bisons defence added five turnovers, including three interceptions.

Manitoba Preview:  Bisons football welcome No. 6 UBC with first place on the line

Saskatchewan Huskies at Calgary Dinos

Sat, Oct. 26 | 2 p.m. CST at McMahon Stadium

How to watch:

Quick Overview: Only time will tell if this game will have playoff significance for the Dinos, or if it will simply serve as a playoff tuneup for the 3-3 Huskies.

The key matchup will be a dynamic Huskies offence going up against a strong Dinos secondary. The Saskatchewan offence continues to stand alone at the top of the Canada West rankings, averaging 31 points and 444.7 yards per game. They'll be pitted against a stingy Calgary defence allowing 26.4 points per game and the second fewest yards per game (388.7).

Head-to-Head: It's a rematch of a Sept. 13 clash that saw the Huskies pull out a wildly entertaining 44-40 double-overtime victory. The game saw nearly 1,000 yards of offence and seven majors before heading to extra time. In overtime, both teams traded field goals before Saskatchewan's Javin Boynton ran in a 3-yard score to secure the win. The game proved to be a turning point for both teams, as the Huskies proceeded to win three of their next four games while Calgary has gone 1-3.

Saskatchewan Preview: Playoff-Bound Huskie Football Set to Close Out Regular Season in Calgary

Week 6 in 60

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

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