Upstart T-Birds in Calgary to face the Dino’s during homecoming

For the first time since 2007, the University of Calgary Dinos head into Week 2 of the season with a 1-0 record as they prepare to face the UBC Thunderbirds Friday night at McMahon Stadium.

It’s KICKOFF VI, the University of Calgary’s annual homecoming game that caps off the 2011 EPIC Orientation Week for incoming students. The pre-game tailgate in the east parking lot of McMahon Stadium opens proceedings at 4 p.m. with free Spolumbo’s sausages for the first 2,000 fans in attendance, served by members of the university’s senior administration and Student and Enrolment Services.

The Dinos and Thunderbirds will kick off at 7 p.m., live on CanadaWest.tv. Throughout the game students will have a chance to win great prizes, including a $2,500 tuition voucher for the Most Devoted Dinos Fan.

Amongst the off-field proceedings is a football game that, like every other game in Canada West, holds very little room for error for either side. The Dinos will face a confident Thunderbirds team that looked impressive in a 21-10 upset victory over Regina last week and is widely considered to be a playoff contender in 2011. Calgary, meanwhile, escaped University Stadium in Winnipeg with a turnover-aided, come-from-behind 35-31 victory over the Manitoba Bisons last week thanks to Chris Dobko’s game-winning touchdown catch with just 22 seconds left.

It has been more than five years since the Thunderbirds last defeated the Dinos, and that was in Blake Nill’s first-ever game as head coach in Calgary back in September 2006. Since then, the Dinos have racked up five straight wins over UBC, including a 33-16 triumph in the teams’ only meeting of the 2010 season at McMahon Stadium.

Pre-season prognosticators had the Regina Rams pegged to win Canada West this season, but that all changed last week when UBC went into Mosaic Stadium and knocked out the Rams with a stunning 21-10 victory. Now, the winner of Friday night’s game at McMahon is guaranteed at least a share of first place heading into Week 3.

Here’s a look at the two teams:

No. 4 Calgary Dinos (1-0)

Last week: defeated Manitoba 35-31

Next week: at Regina

The Dinos held on to their No. 4 ranking this week by the skin of their teeth and not much else after a stirring comeback in the fourth quarter last week against Manitoba. The beneficiaries of three Bison fumbles in the final frame, the Dinos scored the winning touchdown with just 22 ticks on the clock and held on for a 35-31 win, their first season-opening victory since 2007.

It was a daring escape act by a team that scored when it needed to and got defensive stops when necessary – but one that dug itself a hole in the third quarter, giving up a touchdown on the opening kickoff of the half as well as a 90-yard pass-and-run major. Sophomore quarterback Eric Dzwilewski improved to 5-1 as a starter in CIS with the victory.

Jake Harty made an early impression in his first CIS game, returning his first touch of the football 88 yards to the house on a Manitoba kickoff in the first quarter. The Calgary Colts product out of Henry Wise Wood High School put up 242 all-purpose yards in the game and was named the Canada West special teams player of the week for his efforts.

Another bright spot for the Dinos was the run game, which again demonstrated its explosiveness. Dzwilewski combined with tailbacks Matt Walter and Steven Lumbala to pound the ball downfield 242 yards, and you can bet the Dinos will look to do the same against the Thunderbirds Friday night.

The Dinos defence came up big when called upon last week, recovering four Manitoba fumbles and limiting the Bisons offence in the pivotal fourth quarter. Defending conference defensive MVP Sam Hurl led the way with 7.5 tackles, while linebacker Cory Roboch had an impressive start to his varsity career with 2.5 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Transfer Jordan Verdone (Waterloo) also proved he will be a force to be reckoned with in Canada West, putting up five tackles in his first game with the Dinos.

Calgary heads to Regina next week to face the Rams before returning home to host Saskatchewan on Friday, Sept. 23.

No. 10 UBC Thunderbirds (1-0)

Last week: defeated Regina 21-10

Next week: host Alberta

There’s a renewed sense of optimism at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver under second-year head coach Shawn Olson. Led by fourth-year quarterback Billy Greene, the UBC Thunderbirds are on a mission to return to the Canada West post-season this year, and they’ll certainly be out to prove Friday night that last week’s upset in Regina wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

The 21-10 victory over then-No. 6 Regina vaulted UBC into the FRC-CIS Top 10 this week, where they are ranked as the No. 10 team in the nation. Offensively, they moved the ball efficiently and set the tone early when Greene found Jordan Grieve for a 63-yard touchdown less than two minutes into the contest. Grieve had another long-bomb catch in the second quarter, a 31-yard reception that set up what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown by freshman running back Brandon Deschamps.

Greene put up 262 passing yards against the Rams and was also the T-Birds’ leading rusher with 38 net yards. Grieve was his top target, racking up 109 yards on just three receptions, while Micha Theil hauled in four passes on the night as the UBC offence spread the ball around with seven different receivers getting into the act.

Defensively, the Thunderbirds had trouble stopping the run against Regina as Adrian Charles ran roughshod for 192 yards. However, they were able to contain backup quarterback Dylan Hart, who came in to replace fifth-year star Marc Mueller who injured his throwing arm in the Rams’ first offensive series of the night and is out indefinitely. Hart completed 14 of 28 passes for just 134 yards as the Thunderbirds were able to limit the Regina passing attack.

A victory over Calgary would put UBC in great shape as the Thunderbirds head back west for a pair of home games against Alberta and Manitoba

Calgary and UBC will face off once more this season, closing the regular campaign Oct. 29 at Thunderbird Stadium in the Canada West/Shaw TV Game of the Week.

-UC-

Ben Matchett