Game Date: Friday, October 18, 2013, 7pm
Game Location: Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park
Live Radio Broadcast: CK 750,www.ck750.com
Live Webcast: canadawest.tv
Live Stats: canadawest.tv
Download Game Notes
 
THE GAME
Looking to lockup a home postseason date for the first time since 2010, the University of Saskatchewan will battle the University of Manitoba Bisons in their second meeting of the season Friday in Saskatoon’s Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.
 
BROADCAST INFO
Kickoff is 7 p.m. local time on Friday. The game is also available live on CK750 or www.ck750.com or via webcast at canadawest.tv.
 
THE HEADLINES
• Saskatchewan can secure a home postseason date with a win over Manitoba. The home playoff game would be played on November 1 at 7 p.m. in Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.
• A loss to Manitoba would leave the standings up in the air until the final game of the regular season on the road against the Regina Rams on October 26. The Huskies would need to hope for a win over the Rams combined with a Manitoba loss to the Alberta Golden Bears. Or hope that Manitoba did not beat the Huskies by more than two points, in the event of a tie. Mathematically with two losses and wins by surrounding teams, the Huskies could miss the 2013 playoffs.
• Saskatchewan (No. 7) is one of two Canada West teams to hold a spot in the CIS Top 10. Calgary (No. 3) joins the Huskies in the national rankings.
• Friday’s match marks just the third time in seven seasons that the Manitoba Bisons have visited Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park. The Huskies are 2-0 in the meetings.
• Saskatchewan won the first meeting between the teams 36-34 on a last second field goal in Winnipeg on September 7.
• Huskie receiver Mitch Stevens continues to climb the all-time Saskatchewan touchdown reception list sitting alone in fifth with 13-career touchdown catches. Stevens is chasing Larry Giles record of 17 set in 1975.
• Friday’s game is the annual 5th Year Recognition Night. Huskie Athletics will honour the 12 athletes who have completed CIS Eligibility with the team. The athletes include true fifth-years Garrett Burgess, Mike Fuller, Zach Hart, Jeff Moore, Seamus Neary, Joel Seutter and non-true fifth-years Braxton Lawrence, Lane Bryksa, Mitch Stevens, Ben Rush, Richard Zacharias and Tyler Robson.
 
BISONS/HUSKIES SERIES
Including playoffs, the Huskies are 12-11 against Manitoba since 1999. The two teams split the season series in 2012 with both teams winning at home. Manitoba won in week two of the season against the Huskies 31-28 in Winnipeg, while Saskatchewan won 44-39 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory in October in Saskatoon.
 
NO. 7 UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (4-2)
Next Week: Regina Rams
Knowing how important a win is for the postseason, the Huskies will look to the comforts of home field advantage to get a win over the visiting Manitoba Bisons.
 
Despite having the lowest scoring offence in the league averaging 28 points per game, Saskatchewan’s defence has been strong holding opponents to just 26 points per game. At home, the Huskies have lost just once in 2013 and have allowed their three opponents to record only 74 points in the games.
 
Saskatchewan enters the game against the Bisons, after a week of rest and adjustments from a 24-12 loss on October 4 to the Calgary Dinos. Struggling to find offence against the Dinos, Saskatchewan had jumped out of the gate with a 7-0 lead after a Charlie Power touchdown in the first quarter. But from there the Drew Burko offence couldn’t find its stride and were outscored 24-5.
 
Second-year quarterback Burko had his worst game of his career against Calgary completing just 17-of-38 passes for 269 yards. The Huskies also couldn’t establish a run game recording just 106 yards on 22 carries between four different rushers. Despite the rough game, Burko still sits second in the conference averaging 295 yards.
 
Despite the loss, the Huskies defence continued to impress. Fourth-year defensive back Andrew Abbs tallied 10 tackles and two breakups in the game and the defensive line recorded three sacks for a loss of 27 yards.
 
Saskatchewan’s defence continues to lead the Canada West with 21 sacks.
 
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA BISONS (3-3)
Next Week: Alberta Golden Bears
Manitoba suffered a surprising 28-24 loss at home in Week 6 to the UBC Thunderbirds.
 
UBC led throughout the majority of the game until an Anthony Coombs five-yard touchdown gave the Bisons a 24-21 lead at 1:51 in the fourth quarter. But UBC’s offence didn’t stop and answered with the game winning touchdown at 5:22.
 
Manitoba quarterback Jordan Yantz has been consistent completing 110-of-198 pass for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns. He’s helped by one of the best tailbacks in the conference Anthony Coombs, who has tallied 752 yards on 101 carries with four touchdowns.
 
In the first meeting between the Huskies and Bisons in Winnipeg, Saskatchewan jumped out to a 27-15 lead before Manitoba climbed back to a 34-33 win on a Nic Demski touchdown with under four minutes left. The Huskies Denton Kolodzinski hit his fifth field goal of the game from 40-yards with just 18 seconds left to win 36-34.