Box Score 
A fierce third quarter comeback propelled the University of Manitoba Bisons to a 47-39 win over the No. 8 University of Saskatchewan Huskies in a Canada West semifinal Friday night at Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.
Jayden McKoy’s interception of Huskie quarterback Drew Burko for a 54-yard touchdown six minutes into the third quarter started to turn momentum in the Bisons favour with Manitoba trailing 37-18. Manitoba recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and turned it into a 32-yard Ryan Jones field goal.
McKoy made his presence felt on the next Huskie possession, blocking a Denton Kolodzinski punt. Jordan Linnen recovered the ball and returned it to cut the Huskie lead to two heading to the fourth quarter.
Box Score
Manitoba would run a bit of trickery for the game winning score. Running back Kienan LaFrance took a direct snap and handed off to receiver Nic Demski. Demski eventually threw the ball to quarterback Jordan Yantz in the back of the end zone to put Manitoba ahead 47-39.
Saskatchewan’s last minute comeback came up one play short as the final pass of the game was deflected away in the Bison end zone
Jordan Yantz completed 21-of-36 passes for 361 yards with two touchdowns finding his favourite target Nic Demski eight times for 155 yards and a score.
Jayden McKoy and Jordan Linnen each intercepted Burko twice on Friday night. McKoy and Linnen also combined to block and recover a third quarter Huskie punt. Evan Foster added 10 tackles and two sacks for the Bisons.
Tyler Chow gave the 3,013 fans on hand a glimpse of the future in the Huskie backfield as the first-year running back put up 182 yards and two touchdowns, along with 75 yards and a touchdown on five catches.
Burko finished the night over the 400-yard mark with 402 on 29-of-46 attempts with a pair of touchdowns and four interceptions.
Manitoba advances to the Hardy Cup next weekend against the winner of the Calgary Dinos and Regina Rams game on Saturday.
BY QUARTER GAME SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER
Manitoba got a good start, moving the ball downfield for an opening possession touchdown. A Jordan Yantz pass to Zach Regert for 39 yards on second down sparked the Bisons offence. Just plays later Yantz found Matt Sawyer from 16 yards out for a touchdown at 2:05.
The Bisons wasted no time building on their lead with a second consecutive touchdown to open the game. Manitoba needed just four plays to march 77 yards. Yantz capped off the drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Nic Demski at 6:47.
Saskatchewan would cut the Manitoba lead before the first quarter came to an end on a Kyle Siemens one-yard touchdown plunge at 12:07. John Trumpy kept the drive alive with an acrobatic catch for 30-yards before Tyler Chow would set up the Siemens touchdown with a 19 yard scamper.
Manitoba started their third drive with a poor field position and after an unnecessary roughness penalty, conceded a safety.
The Huskies grabbed their first lead of the game as the first quarter was expiring. Drew Burko found Kit Hillis in stride from 29 yards out. Hillis was just able to get a foot in bounds before reaching the back of the end zone. Tyler Chow set Saskatchewan up with good field position taking a screen pass from Burko 37 yards downfield.
2ND QUARTER
Saskatchewan made it three unanswered touchdowns when Chow found his way across the goal line. The first-year running back’s second after to spin into the end zone put the Huskies ahead 23-14 at 3:36.
Nic Demski gave the Bisons good field position in the final minutes of the second quarter with a 26-yard punt return to the Huskie 41-yard line. Yantz got the ball deep into the red zone with a 23-yard run that lead to a 10-yard Ryan Jones field goal to cut the deficit to five at 8:22.
The Huskies would build the lead to 12 before halftime with Chow’s second touchdown of the game. The three-yard rush at 14:06 made it 30-18 Saskatchewan at halftime.
3rd QUARTER
The Huskies picked up where they left off as the teams returned to the field in the second half. Chow found the end zone for the third time on the night, taking a Burko pass 18 yards for the major at 2:59.
Manitoba was stood up on third-down at the goal line on its opening possession of the second half. The Huskies seemed to have all of the momentum after Chow brought the ball to the 45-yard line before Manitoba’s Jayden McKoy stepped in front of Burko’s pass on the next play and returned it 54 yards to pay dirt at 6:00.
The Bisons recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff leading to a 32-yard Jones field goal at 7:17.
After forcing a Huskie two-and-out, the Bisons special teams unit made its presence felt again. McKoy broke through to block Denton Kolodzinski’s punt attempt which was eventually recovered and returned 15 yards for a touchdown by Jordan Linnen to cut the Huskie lead to 37-35 at 8:27.
4th QUARTER
A high snap on the opening play of the fourth on a Huskie punt attempt forced a safety and the first tie of the contest at 37.
The Bisons took the lead for the first time since the first quarter on a 25-yard Jones field goal at 3:21. After the punter gave up a safety to gain field position on the next drive, the Bisons held a 40-39 lead.
Running back Kienan LaFrance took a direct snap and handed off to receiver Nic Demski. who eventually threw the ball to quarterback Yantz in the back of the end zone to put Manitoba ahead 47-39.
