714 days after their last outing at Griffiths Stadium, when they defeated the Alberta Golden Bears in a playoff game, the Huskies football team returned to the gridiron and picked up where they had left off, once again defeating the Golden Bears. The Huskies were dominant from the start, scoring on the first play of the game and never looking back en route to a 54-27 victory. 

The Huskies held a 1-1 record on the season entering their home opener. The 3157 fans in attendance cheered in hopes that the team could repeat their 43-15 performance against UBC earlier this season, and the Huskies did not disappoint. 

Fourth-year running back Adam Machart was a blur as he rushed for a 68-yard touchdown, saluting the crowd after his electric score to kick off the first quarter. Fourth-year receiver Sam Baker joined in on the fun, capitalizing on a seven-yard delivery from quarterback Mason Nyhus to extend the Huskies lead to 16-3 late in the first quarter. Machart and Baker both added one more touchdown each from Nyhus’s passes in the second and third  quarters. 

Nyhus has been sensational early in the season, passing for over 350 yards in both of the Huskies wins so far. He showed off his patience and precision against the Golden Bears, waiting for the right moment to deliver 20-yard passes straight into the hands of receivers including Baker and first-year Rhett Vavra. 

In addition to the offensive production of Nyhus and various receivers, kicker David Solie also contributed to the scoreboard, converting two field goals and two rouges for eight total points. 

On the defensive side of things, first-year linebacker Lane Novak recorded the first interception of his university sports career, thwarting the Golden Bears’ hopes of a comeback late in the second quarter. Third-year linebacker Nick Wiebe’s sack and second-year defensive back Logan Bitz’s recovery on a Golden Bears fumble rounded out the defensive contributions. 

The victory against the Golden Bears continues a long-lasting historical home trend for the Huskies, who had not lost to the Golden Bears at Griffiths Stadium since Nov. 6, 2010. 

The season is truncated from the usual eight-game affair to only six games this time, marking the Huskies’ 2-1 record as the midpoint of their 2021 campaign. 

Head coach Scott Flory elaborated on the implications of the shortened season in an interview with Huskie Athletics post-game. 

“This is a six-game season, it’s short and everything’s tighter… It’s like playoff mode from week one,” said Flory. 

Picking up the win against the Golden Bears was crucial for the Huskies standings-wise. Both the Manitoba Bisons and UBC Thunderbirds won their games against the Calgary Dinos and Regina Rams respectively on Oct. 16. After Saturday’s results, the Bisons sit atop the standings with a 3-0 record, while the Golden Bears, Dinos, Rams and Thunderbirds all sport a 1-2 record. 

This leaves the Huskies with sole possession of second place with their 2-1 record. Only four teams will make the playoffs, and with three games left in the season, this weekend was pivotal for improving the Huskies’ playoff chances. 

The Huskies will be back in action on Oct. 23 during the provincial rivalry weekend as they take on the Rams. They have dominated the Rams in their last two matchups, winning by a margin of at least 35 points, and will look to continue that trend and solidify their spot in the top half of the standings. 

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Uday Chhina | Sports and Health Editor

Photos: Nicholas Saretzky/Contributing Photojournalist