GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Sept. 17
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Opponent: Regina Rams
Location: Regina, Sask.
Venue: Mosaic Stadium
Watch: Sasktel 49, 349 / Canadawest.tv
Listen: HuskieFAN
SCHEDULE | WATCH LIVE
You couldn't have scripted it any better than this.
Entering Week 3's provincial rivalry, the Saskatchewan Huskies and Regina Rams are atop the Canada West with matching 2-0 records.
One of those records will be perfect no longer come Saturday night in Regina, as the pair of programs square up in what is their first of two meetings during the 2022 regular season.
The rivalry is one that Saskatchewan has dominated in recent memory. Dating back to the 2013 season, the Huskies have won 10 of their 12 meetings against the Rams — including last season's 28-17 Week 4 win at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park.
Mason Nyhus and company will be looking to continue that dominance. It's been a tremendous start to the season for Nyhus, who leads the country with 385 passing yards-per-game and is tied for second in passing touchdowns with seven. The Regina product, who will be suiting up in what could be his final U SPORTS game in his hometown, hasn't seen his level of play drop off this season despite losing Adam Machart, Sam Baker and Colton Klassen to graduation following the 2021 campaign.
Their departures opened doors for the likes of Daniel Perry, Daniel Wiebe and Caleb Morin, who recorded a career-high 97 yards receiving in Friday night's win over the UBC Thunderbirds. Following a Week 1 injury to starting running back Josh Ewanchyna, Ryker Frank has emerged as the new bellcow in the backfield, rushing for 125 yards and a touchdown, as the Huskies defeated the UBC Thunderbirds 29-10 on Homecoming night — their 13th straight win at Griffiths.
Friday also served as Homecoming night in Regina, as the Rams opened up their four-game Mosaic Stadium schedule with a win of their own — a 32-24 victory over the Calgary Dinos.
Regina's success has led to national notoriety. After being ranked last in the Canada West preseason coaches poll, the Rams are now slotted in at six in the nation. In 2018, the Huskies were ranked sixth in the Canada West preseason coaches poll, before going on to win the Hardy Cup. The Rams will be looking to do the same this season.
Regina represents another strong test for a Saskatchewan team who has been in control for nearly all of their 2022 season. The Huskies have trailed for only 21 seconds thus far this season. That deficit came after a Calgary single on the game's opening kickoff. On the very next play, Nyhus connected with Perry for a 75-yard touchdown.
Saskatchewan is looking to keep the good times rolling and take over sole possession of first-place in the Canada West. They could do just that with a win over their provincial rivals on Saturday night at Mosaic.
5(ish) Things:
- Saturday's game is a part of Football Weekend in Saskatchewan, which will see three games in two days played at Mosaic Stadium. The festivities kick off on Friday night when the Saskatchewan Roughriders play host to the Edmonton Elks, before the Saskatoon Hilltops take on the Regina Thunder on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies and Rams will conclude the weekend — a game that is also a part of the U-Prairie Challenge, which is a year-long competition between the Huskies and Cougars/Rams.
- Saskatchewan and Regina are the only two Canada West teams ranked inside the latest U SPORTS Top Ten. Saskatchewan earned two of the 12 number-one votes from the media, with the other ten going to the top-ranked Western Mustangs.
- This is the second-straight meeting between the programs where each is ranked inside the U SPORTS Top Ten. When they met in Week 4 of the 2021 season, Saskatchewan was ranked sixth, while Regina was ranked tenth.
- For the first time since 2002, the Rams have started the season 2-0.
- The Huskies are looking for their fifth-straight win against the Rams.
- Scott Flory has a 4-1 record against the Rams as the Huskies head coach, with the lone loss coming in his first season back in 2017 — a 50-40 loss at Griffiths Stadium.
- With seven majors through the air this season, Mason Nyhus is up to 42 career passing touchdowns. He trails Brent Schneider by 14 majors with six regular-season games remaining.
- Of Nyhus' seven touchdowns, six different Huskies have been on the receiving end — Daniel Perry, Josh Ewanchyna, Jesse Kuntz, Ryker Frank, Ted Kubongo and Rhett Vavra.
Quotables:
Flory on the matchup against the Rams:
"They're a good team. It's a provincial rivalry. We know that it's gonna be a tough, physical game. We know that they're gonna be ready — and I know that we're gonna be ready too. I'm really looking forward to Saturday night. I mean, listen, they're athletic. They're tough. They're a physical team and we know they're well coached — we got a ton of respect for them."
Flory on what's stood out to him from the Rams in the first two weeks:
"We know that they've got good structure in what they do. They're well coached and they've made more plays than their opposition in the first couple of weeks — that's really the thing that I've seen. They've had opportunities and that's what good teams do — when they got opportunities to make plays, they make the plays."
Flory on what the Rams bring in all three phases of the game:
"Offensively, they're going to move the ball. Defensively, they're going to give us a bunch of different looks and bring some blitzes and do some different things to try and try and confuse us. They're probably the most dynamic defence relative to the first two teams that we've faced, so there's a challenge there for sure. Then on special teams, we know that they're aggressive, especially coming after punts. They've got some good dynamic returners back there too, so we've got to make sure that we're sound."
Flory on the quarterback play from Mason Nyhus:
"We put more on him and he continues to take it and excel with it. We put a lot on the plate of our quarterbacks. We expect a lot of them as well and he's absolutely responded and delivered. He's got complete complete command of what we're doing offensively. He's so smart that he sees and he trusts his eyes — and our receivers are making plays as well. Those guys are really taking the coaching. I think we grew a lot as a receiving group from last year. And I think the detail on how we're running routes has grown us offensively."
Nyhus on the matchup against the Rams:
"I know a lot of guys from Regina — I have a lot of friends there — it's kind of a homecoming for me. It'll be fun. They're really well coached. It's going to be a tough test. I think we're just going to have to watch a lot of film and be really efficient on first-down and do all the little things right."
Flory on the departures of Sam Baker, Colton Klassen and Adam Machart and how his receiving core has stepped up:
"When you lose a couple of guys that have been with the program for a long time that were playmakers for us — there were voids left. We knew what we had internally and we knew there were opportunities for guys to be able to fill those voids and they've done it. They've absolutely stood up. We knew Daniel Perry was going to make plays, then Daniel Wiebe, Caleb Morin has really come into his own after some injuries and obviously Rhett Vavra out there as well — the kid can fly and he's made the contested catches. He's grown his game. They all have."
Flory on the injury to Josh Ewanchyna and the emergence of Ryker Frank:
"Unfortunately losing Josh, the running back position is going through the same thing with their loss of their number-one guy as well. You hate to see that. But there's an opportunity there for Ryker Frank. He's averaging six yards-per-carry and over 100 yards on the ground there (versus UBC). I'm really proud of him and I know he'll continue to grow in that role."
Head-to-head vs. Regina:
- All-time vs. Regina : Saskatchewan is 28-11
- Last 10 meetings: Saskatchewan is 8-2
- Huskies 2021 regular-season record vs. Regina: 1-0
- Last regular season meeting: 28-17 Huskies win on Oct. 23, 2021 at Griffiths Stadium
Scouting the Rams:
Mark McConkey is in his first full season as the Rams full-time head coach, after spending last season with the interim tag to his title — a season in which Regina went 1-5, but lost three of those games by five points or less. Prior to being named head coach in Feb. 2020, McConkey spent five seasons as the team's offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and academics coach.
It's been quite the U SPORTS debut for Noah Pelletier. The Balfour Collegiate graduate is undefeated as the Rams starter, leading them to an opening week 33-23 win over the Manitoba Bisons — an act he followed with the team's victory over Calgary last week. Pelletier is averaging 244 yards per game in his two starts. The first-year pivot earned the starts with Josh Donnelly missing the opening two weeks due to injury. Donnelly's status for Week 3 remains uncertain.
While Regina ranks 22nd among 27 teams in the country in rushing yards-per-game, their pass catchers have stepped up. D'Sean Mimbs and Bennett Stusek have both amassed 100 yards in a single game this season, while 2022 Saskatchewan Roughriders draft pick Riley Boersma leads the team with nine receptions.
On defence, Anthony Bennett has stole the show for Regina. The fifth-year defensive end has earned the Canada West defensive player of the week honours in both Week 1 and 2. He began the season with a three sack performance against Manitoba, before registering a pick-six, sack and fumble recovery last week against Calgary. Bennett's four sacks this season ranks second in the nation.
Elsewhere in the Canada West:
Friday, Sept. 16: Alberta Golden Bears @ Calgary Dinos, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 16: UBC Thunderbirds @ Manitoba Bisons, 6:00 p.m.
