GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Oct. 16
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Venue: Griffiths Stadium
Watch: Sasktel 49, 349 / Canadawest.tv
Listen: HuskieFAN

TICKETS || SCHEDULE || WATCH LIVE 

The Dogs are back in town.

For the first time this season, Saskatchewan will take the field at home, at Griffiths Stadium.

They'll do so in a matchup against the Alberta Golden Bears, in a battle of 1-1 programs, after the Huskies laid a 43-15 beat-down on the UBC Thunderbirds in week two to record their first win of 2021. Meanwhile, they'll take on an Alberta program that will be looking to get back in the win column following a 31-17 defeat on home turf at the hands of the Manitoba Bisons.

It's been a topsy-turvy two weeks in Canada West football, evidenced by four-teams sitting with 1-1 records, with the Calgary Dinos and Regina Rams joining the Huskies and Golden Bears with a win and loss apiece.

The #6 Bisons are the lone remaining undefeated program in the conference, who join the #4 Dinos, #7 Rams and #8 Huskies inside the top-ten in the national rankings.

The Huskies will be hoping they can emerge from the pack as the conference top-dog this weekend, as they get set to play host to an opponent they've dominated on home field over the last decade. Saskatchewan hasn't lost to Alberta at Griffiths in 3,994 days, with the last defeat coming via a 31-30 loss back on Nov. 6, 2010 in the Canada West semifinal.

It's been even longer since the Huskies fell in regular-season action to the Golden Bears in Saskatoon. Just how long? 6,119 days, with the visitors defeating the Dogs 18-16 on 21-13.

While Saskatchewan has dominated Alberta at home in recent memory, frankly, they've been tough to take down at home as of late. The friendly confines of Griffiths have treated the Huskies well over the past two seasons, with the green-and-white possessing a 7-1 record at home since the 2018 season.

Those are a couple trends the Dogs will look to continue this Saturday. 

Mason Nyhus on playing in front of Huskie country:

"It never gets old," said Nyhus. "It's obviously a great time every time we get to play in front of the home fans at Griffiths. There's no atmosphere like it in the Canada West. Hopefully we get a big crowd against the U of A and we take care of business."

Scott Flory on being back at home and the matchup against Alberta:

"We're excited to be back at home at Griffiths. It's been a long time since we've had a home game and we're really looking forward to that. Alberta's a good football team. They're going to be physical. They're going to play hard. They run the ball, play action, they like to take vertical shots down the field on offense and on defense they're just going to play tough, play sound and they're very well coached. So, we've definitely got our work cut out for us." 

Nyhus on the matchup against Alberta:

"We know U of A is going to be a good team. They had a tough go against Manitoba, but honestly, I don't think the score really reflected how good that football team really is. So hopefully, we can get our minds right for the Bears and take it week-by-week." 

• All-time vs. Alberta: Saskatchewan is 54-33-1
• Last 10 meetings: Saskatchewan is 7-3
• Huskies 2019 regular-season record vs. Alberta: 1-1
• Last regular season meeting: 22-9 Huskies win on Oct. 26 at Griffiths Stadium

By the numbers:

714 - 714 days. That's how long it's been since a game of Canada West football has been played at Griffiths Stadium. That will change Saturday afternoon.

351 - Nyhus threw for 351 passing yards in week two against the Thunderbirds, the most of his career in the green-and-white, helping him earn U SPORTS offensive player of the week honours in week-two.

123 - 123 of those 351 yards through the air from Nyhus went to Daniel Perry. The third-year receiver from Calgary hauled in six passes and had the biggest game of his Huskies career. Perry's been taking advantage of injuries in the receiving corps and he figures to play a big role in the Saskatchewan aerial attack once again on Saturday afternoon.

165 - Once again, Adam Machart is on top of the conference. The Saskatoon native's 165 rushing yards through two games leads the Canada West, with the fourth-year back fresh off registering 190 total-yards against the Thunderbirds last week. 

18 - Colton Klassen was Nyhus' go-to-target in the redzone in week-two in Vancouver. The fifth-year reciever found the endzone twice in the contest, recording his 17th and 18th career receiving touchdowns and moving him into second-place in program history. Klassen only trails his former teammate Mitch Hillis in the record books, who racked up 24 career receiving touchdowns in his career in the green-and-white.

Elsewhere in the Canada West in week three:

Calgary at Manitoba, Saturday Oct. 16 at 1:00 p.m.

UBC at Regina, Saturday Oct. 16 at 2:00 p.m.

U SPORTS Top-Ten: