With just two weeks to go in the Canada West football season, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies have a huge match-up with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Oct. 23.

With UBC sitting in second place at 4–2 and the Huskies all the way down in fifth at 2–4 — and only the top four teams able to make the playoffs — Saskatchewan simply can’t afford a loss in either of their final two regular season games. Although they are tied with the University of Alberta for fourth in the conference, a week two loss to the Golden Bears has given Alberta the tiebreaker, meaning the Huskies have to finish with a better record overall to oust them from the final post-season berth.

That being said, the Huskies have already beaten the T-birds this year and will look to the comfort of home to replicate their performance in week four, where they knocked off UBC with a 45–29 win. A great rushing attack was the key to victory in the first meeting between the teams, which is something the Dogs will look to take advantage of again this time around.

Second-year running back Tyler Chow is third in the CanWest in rushing yards per game and he didn’t even suit up when they faced UBC back in September. Although their running game has been inconsistent over the course of the season, UBC ranks second last in terms of stopping the run, so it has to be a point of emphasis for head coach Brian Towriss and his offence. Chow has shown flashes of brilliance this season and he could be in for a big day against the T-Birds.

A solid rushing attack can help set up their dangerous passing game, which should allow Drew Burko to get some good looks downfield. Burko had his best game of the season against UBC, connecting on 16 of his 21 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns to go along with zero interceptions. With their playoff chances riding on these last two games, Burko will be relied on to show his veteran leadership and help guide this struggling Huskies offence.

After a couple of tough weeks against the number one ranked Calgary Dinos, the defence will look to rebound versus the statistically worst offence in the conference. Saskatchewan’s defence completely shut down UBC’s running back, Brandon Deschamps, a few weeks back, forcing them to rely on a pass-heavy offence which resulted in a pair of interceptions for the Dogs.

That same type of intensity will be needed in the rematch if the Huskies wish to walk away with the win. Their defence has forced the most turnovers in the CanWest and also leads in sacks with 16. Seven of those sacks are courtesy of Donovan Dale, who just happened to spend five years suiting up for UBC. He and Dane Bishop are the anchors of the stingy Huskies defence and like Burko, both will be counted on by the coaches to step up when it counts.

With Alberta having a couple of tough match-ups with Manitoba and Calgary down the stretch, the Huskies can undoubtedly win both remaining games and sneak into the playoffs. With a potential do-or-die game looming versus Regina next week, the Huskies need to focus on the task at hand and take care of business against UBC on Oct. 23 at Griffiths Stadium. 

Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 23 for this pivotal late season showdown. Come out and cheer on your Huskies as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive.