Football: Rams complete improbable run to the playoffs

In the final weekend of regular season in Canada West there was something on the line in every game, but no game was bigger than the matchup between the Regina Rams and Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg where a win meant a trip to the postseason.

Here's our final weekly look at the Canada West regular season, with the playoffs kicking off next weekend.

Regina 31
Manitoba 22


Fifth-year veteran Adrian Charles led the way for Regina, rushing for 98 yards and a touchdown, and in the process accounted for a little more than 40% of the Rams total offence. Regina led from the get-go, building up a 15-0 lead early into the second quarter, and despite a 17 point second quarter from Manitoba, the Rams headed into the half with a 22-17 lead.

Things settled in during the second half, with Regina's Chris Bodnar booting a trio of field goals in the third quarter to make it 31-17 by the end of the quarter. Manitoba mustered only a pair of safetys and a rouge in the fourth quarter, with the offence unable to punch the home side a postseason ticket.

With the win, Regina earned a playoff date with the first place Calgary Dinos, while Manitoba's season is now over. The victory capped off a regular season from the Rams in which they were able to overcome the loss of Marc Mueller, and piece together a 3-2 stretch with Zach Oleynik as the starting QB to make it to the playoffs.

#1 Calgary 23
#7 UBC 36


With a home playoff spot on the line, the UBC Thunderbirds were able to take care of business at home Saturday, downing the lone undefeated team left in the nation the Calgary Dinos thanks to QB Billy Greene.

Greene had 421 yards passing through the air, and four TDs — without an interception — to lift his team to victory and in the process earned UBC a second place finish and a home playoff date with the Saskatchewan Huskies. The veteran QB also led UBC in rushing with 60 yards on the ground, including a 38-yard romp. If there was any doubt heading into the weekend if he would be the conference MVP, which there really wasn't, this game cemented Greene's status as the best player in the conference.

UBC plays host to Saskatchewan this coming weekend, while Calgary returns home after their first defeat of the season to prepare for Regina.

#10 Saskatchewan 67
Alberta 3


While Calgary was unable to go 8-0, Alberta couldn't avoid going 0-8 for the first time in program history, going winless (in a season with multiple games) for the first time since 1936 when they went 0-5.

The loss was the biggest in program history for the Bears, with Saskatchewan's QB Trent Peterson leading the way for the Huskies who were in search of a win to give themselves any hope of hosting a conference semi-final game. Peterson went 19-for-25 for 325 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while the running game used seven different players to rack up 304 yards in the win for Saskatchewan.

The Huskies, whose 67 points were the most scored in school history and tied for third most in Canada West history, head to Vancouver to take on UBC this weekend in the first playoff game hosted by UBC since 1999.
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