Big playoff implications as Dinos face Rams

CALGARY – It’s Week 7 of the Canada West football season, and the playoff picture is beginning to take shape with a clear distinction emerging between the top tier and the bottom tier.

At the top of the standings sit the Regina Cougars (5-1), the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-2), and the Calgary Dinos (4-2). All are guaranteed spots in the post season, and two of those three teams will host the conference semi-finals on Nov. 6. Behind them, the UBC Thunderbirds (2-4), Alberta Golden Bears (2-4), and Manitoba Bisons (1-5) are battling it out for the fourth and final postseason berth.

With home field advantage still up for grabs, the final two weekends of the season take on added importance. Of the three top teams, Regina would seem to have the toughest schedule, hosting the Dinos this week before visiting Saskatchewan to wrap up the year. Calgary hosts Alberta next weekend, while the Huskies are at UBC this week.

For the Dinos, the two-time defending conference champions, Friday’s game in Regina is virtually a must-win if they hope to host a playoff game for the third straight season at McMahon Stadium. A win over the Rams would all but clinch home field for the Dinos, while a loss would mean a likely trip back to Saskatoon for the conference semi-final. Calgary can still finish first and grab the top seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs by winning its final two games and getting some help from the Rams with a win next week in Saskatoon.

Playoff scenarios aside, Friday’s game is important for the Dinos from a regrouping standpoint after a 19-point loss at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon last week dropped them all the way from No. 2 to No. 7 in this week’s CIS Top 10 poll. It’s a situation Calgary has found itself in before, facing the Rams one week after a significant loss to the Huskies, and the Dinos will be looking for a similar result: Regina’s only blemish on the season was a 24-21 defeat at the hands of the Dinos, Sept. 10 at McMahon Stadium.

Calgary is riding a five-game overall win streak against the Rams, including one playoff game in 2008.

Kickoff goes at 7 p.m. Friday night at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

Here’s a look at the two teams:

No. 7 Calgary Dinos (4-2)
Last week: lost to Saskatchewan 36-17
Next week: host Alberta

The roller-coaster season continued for the Dinos in a 36-17 loss to the Huskies last weekend. A momentum-killing punt return TD by Luke Thiel midway through the third quarter broke open what was to that point a tight game, and the Calgary offence sputtered from there.

Hec Crighton winner Erik Glavic made his return to the field after injuring his knee in Week 1, also against the Huskies. Despite his obviously limited mobility, Glavic completed six of seven passes for 86 yards in just under one quarter of work. Nathan Coehoorn’s 98-yard punt return major was the lone touchdown of the night for Calgary.

Glavic and rookie Eric Dzwilewski will likely split the time under centre again against the Rams as the Calgary offence looks to finally emerge from its funk. The Dinos still own the top run game in the conference, but the pass attack is dead last at just 181 yards per game and UBC moved past Calgary into third place on the total offence leaderboard following last week.

The game could very well come down to Calgary’s ability to stop the Rams on defence. With quarterback Marc Mueller in a solid groove, a respectable group of receivers, and a run attack led by Adrian Charles, Regina is a dangerous team offensively.

The Dinos return to McMahon Stadium to wrap up the regular season Saturday, Oct. 30 when they host the Alberta Golden Bears.

RECORDS WATCH: Dinos kicker Aaron Ifield is running out of real estate in his quest for the all-time CIS field goal record. With just two conference games left in his career, Ifield has booted 65 field goals – three behind the Canada West record and five back of the national mark of 70 … the Dinos football program currently sits with 199 conference wins since starting in 1964 and will be looking for the milestone 200[SUP]th[/SUP] Friday at Mosaic Stadium …

No. 3 Regina Rams (5-1)
Last week: defeated Manitoba 41-19
Next week: at Saskatchewan

The Rams have been the surprise of the 2010 Canada West season. After being pegged by the conference coaches to finish fifth in the pre-season poll, Regina has led the conference in offence and defence en route to their first-place 5-1 record. With a win over the Dinos and a UBC defeat of Saskatchewan, the Rams can lock up first place this week.

Led by Marc Mueller and Adrian Charles, both conference MVP candidates, the Rams offence continues to hum along. Calgary’s run defence will have its hands full with Charles, who looks to become the first non-Dino to win the Canada West rushing crown since 2006. Charles lit up the Dinos for 135 yards in their first outing back in September.

Mueller, meanwhile, is averaging nearly 265 yards passing per game and has nine TD tosses on the season. He led the Rams back from an 18-point deficit on the road in Manitoba last week with 24 points in the fourth quarter to win going away 41-19. After a rough first 15 minutes, the Rams outscored the Bisons 41-1 in the final three quarters of that game.

Defensively, the Rams have given up a conference-low 128 rushing yards per game.

Regina closes the 2010 regular season with a trip to Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon to face the Saskatchewan Huskies Friday, Oct. 29.

-UC-

Ben Matchett
Sports Information Director