SASKATOON — The University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team took care of business in their regular-season finale, as they defeated the Calgary Dinos 24-1 at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park.
With the Huskies already having first-place locked up, Saturday afternoon's matchup with the Dinos served as the team's final postseason tune-up. Saskatchewan moved to 7-1 with the win — the team's best regular-season finish since 2009.
"All in all, I'm proud of the guys. I'm proud of where we're at and I'm really looking forward to next week," said Huskies head coach Scott Flory.
Mason Nyhus led the way in his final regular-season game, throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns. The Regina, Sask. product entered the day needing just 120 yards to overtake the program's all-time single season passing yards record. He did just that on an 85-yard touchdown strike to Rhett Vavra in the second quarter.
"It's pretty cool," said Nyhus, when asked about surpassing Kyle Siemens and Steve Bilan in the program's record books. "It's such a historic program here at the University of Saskatchewan — such a rich tradition in football. It's pretty cool that one of my best buds Kyle Siemens held the record before me, so it's kind of cool that he can, in a sense, pass the torch onto me."
Nyhus was one of four fifth-year Huskies honoured prior to the game, along with defensive lineman Jonathan Leggett and Carson Bell, and linebacker Tom Whiting.
David Solie opened the scoring with a 26-yard field-goal in the first quarter, before the Vavra touchdown. After Ryker Frank dropped a touchdown pass on second-and-six in the late stages of the second quarter, Nyhus went right back to Frank who hauled in the major to make it 17-1 Saskatchewan. Vavra hauled in the second touchdown of his afternoon in the fourth quarter — a 62-yard connection from Nyhus.
Vavra finished the day with 159 receiving yards and two touchdowns — one of the best performances of his young Huskies career. First-year running back Kayden Miller finished the day with a team-high 74 rushing yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, John Stoll recorded the third interception of his 2022 season, while fellow defensive back Cam Skinner recorded a pick of his own. The Huskies defence held the Dinos to just 167 total yards on the day, outgaining the visitors by 366 yards.
Now Saskatchewan, turns their attention to the postseason and their path back to the Hardy Cup. The Huskies will play host as far as they advance in the postseason — including the Hardy Cup.
"I'm excited. We kind of just chomped at the bit all year just to get here," said Nyhus. It's just the start of the journey and we just got to keep rolling and focus on whoever we get here — Manitoba or Alberta."
"We got all we wanted. We got home field advantage through the playoffs until we get out of conference. That was our main goal and it's just one of hte many goals we have. We know work is just beginning to keep this train rolling."
"It's always nice to lock up home field throughout the playoffs," said Huskies linebacker Nick Wiebe. "But we understand that it really guarantees nothing except for home field advantage. All we've done for ourselves with the 7-1 record we've accumulated is guarantee our way through Griffiths — but we understand that there's no complacent in that locker room. We know what we have to do these next couple of weeks. I think all the boys are locked in."
At press time, Saskatchewan's opponent was still undecided. A Bisons win would punch their ticket to the postseason and a second-straight playoff matchup with the Huskies. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears needed a Bisons loss and a win of their own.
The loss moved the Calgary Dinos to 1-7, as they missed the postseason for the second-straight.
Tickets for the Huskies postseason are now available on HuskieTickets.com
