Rams host Bisons Friday in non-conference action

GAME INFORMATION
DATE: Friday, Aug. 23
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Regina, Sask.
VENUE: Mosaic Stadium
CAPACITY: 40,000 (approx.)
SERIES: Manitoba leads 13-10
PLAYOFFS: Manitoba leads 3-1
LAST MEETING: Sept. 28, 2012 (Manitoba 27, Regina 30)

THE GAME: The Rams hit the field for their first action of the 2013 season this Friday night when they host Manitoba in a non-conference game at Mosaic Stadium (7:00).  The game will be aired live on 620 CKRM in Regina with Michael Ball on play-by-play and Marco Ricci serving as analyst. Audio stream will be available at www.620ckrm.com and live stats for the game will be at www.canadawest.tv.

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for the non-conference game are included in Rams season ticket packages. Single-game tickets will be available on Friday at Mosaic Stadium’s west gate, with prices reduced to $10 for adults and free entry for seniors, students, and children.

NON-CONFERENCE NOTES: This marks the third consecutive year that Manitoba has visited Mosaic for a non-conference game to start the season. The Rams took a low-scoring 15-7 victory in 2011, but last year the Bisons were sparked by a 125-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown by Anthony Coombs and collected a 29-13 win at Mosaic.

AGAINST MANITOBA: Manitoba has a slight edge in the all-time series, as the Bisons have a 13-10 advantage in Canada West games and have won three of four postseason meetings between the two teams. Manitoba had a seven-game winning streak over the Rams that spanned the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons, but the Rams broke that streak later in 2008. They haven’t lost to Manitoba since, as the U of R enters 2013 having won seven consecutive Canada West games over the Bisons.

NEXT GAME: The University of Regina opens up the Canada West schedule next Friday with a Week 1 game against Saskatchewan at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. It’ll mark just the third time in the Rams’ 15 seasons at the CIS level – and the first time since 2005 – that they’ve started the conference slate against their provincial rivals.