The UBC Thunderbirds came away with the upset over the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday afternoon in Vancouver. A field goal in the final minute helped the Thunderbirds improve to 2-5 on the season. The dogs will return home to face the Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday for a 2 o’clock start at Griffiths Stadium. CJWW will have the broadcast starting at 1 p.m.
Below is the news release from the Huskies:
VANCOUVER – A field goal in the final minute sunk the No. 3 ranked Saskatchewan Huskies as they were unable to hold off the upset-minded UBC Thunderbirds in a 38-37 loss Saturday afternoon in Vancouver.
Despite already being eliminated from Canada West playoff contention the T-Birds played until the end, the hosts trailed by 12 heading into the fourth quarter, but were able to finish the game with 13 unanswered points to send their faithful home happy on a blustery afternoon at Thunderbird Stadium.
Despite making his only third career start, UBC quarterback Gabe Olivares showed the poise and calm of a veteran, throwing for 375 yards and two touchdowns. His favourite target on the day was wide receiver Jacob Patten, who hauled in 10 catches for 203 yards and a major. The consistent foot of T-Bird kicker Garrin McDonnell booted five of six field goals, including the winning 11-yard kick with only 31 seconds left on the clock.
The Huskies were no slouches on offence themselves, as the top rusher in the country Adam Machart churned up 176 yards along the ground, while quarterback Mason Nyhus threw for 295 yards and three majors, but was also intercepted twice by the UBC defence. Sam Baker made seven catches for 150 and two touchdowns to finish as the top receiver in Saskatchewan’s air attack.
Machart’s total puts him at 1107 on the season, making him just the third player in program history to rush for over 1000 yards in a single season. With one game left to play, Machart, who is averaging a national-high 158 yards a game, trails only David Stevens (1229) and Doug Rozon (1267) in the Huskie record books.
Both teams came out swinging in the opening quarter, starting with T-Bird All-Canadian linebacker Ben Hladik, who grabbed an interception before rambling 50 yards to the end zone, giving the `Birds a 10-0 lead.
It took only 59 seconds for the Huskies to answer, when Nyhus found a wide-open Baker streaking down the middle of the field. Nyhus put a perfect pass on the big, speedy receiver who ran untouched for an 83-yard touchdown.
The teams traded multiple field goals before Nyhus found Baker for another touchdown with 5:45 left in the first half. This time it was a 19-yard crossing pattern, which opened up the T-Bird secondary and allowed Baker to cruise into the end zone, giving the Huskies a 20-15 lead.
After a Huskie field goal, Olivares answered by leading the T-Bird offence on a 75-yard drive where he completed passes to five different receivers, culminating with a 9-yard touchdown pass to the sure-handed Lliam Wishart, cutting the Huskie lead to 23-22.
Saskatchewan was able to answer before the half ended, as Machart broke through the offensive line and busted off a dazzling 77 yard run to the T-Bird 10-yard line. Two players later, Machart finished the job and scampered into the end zone from four yards out, giving the Huskies a 30-22 lead heading into halftime.
The third quarter and early fourth saw two more McDonnell field goals sandwich a four-yard Huskie touchdown pass from Nyhus to Machart. By the time Olivares and the T-Bird offence got the ball back, with just under eight minutes remaining, UBC found themselves down 37- 28.
The touchdown drive that followed was collection of spectacular catches by Patten, finished with a leaping grab in the back of the end zone, after Olivares delivered a beautifully thrown ball up and over two Huskie defensive backs. UBC now trailed 37-35, but seemed to have all of the momentum.
In the game’s final minutes the UBC defence made two great defensive stops of Huskie drives, to get the ball back to their offence and give McDonnell the opportunity to kick the winning field goal. On an attempt from 42 yards out with 1:29 left on the clock, McDonnell kicked into the swirling winds of Thunderbird Stadium and watched the ball sail wide right of the goalpost.
The UBC defence would not be deterred on this night, as a massive second down quarterback sack by T-Bird linebacker Daniel Kwamou forced the Huskies to punt, giving the Thunderbirds possession at the Saskatchewan 42-yard line.
Some stout running by UBC tailback Charles Lemay helped the Thunderbirds move the ball into the red zone and gave McDonnell a second chance to win the game with his right boot. He made no mistake from 11 yards out, giving the Thunderbirds a 38-37 lead with his fifth field of the game.
Saskatchewan will play their final game of the regular season at home against the Alberta Golden Bears this coming Saturday, in a game that will determine who hosts a playoff game in a tight Canada West race.
