CALGARY – For the first time in three tries, the ninth-ranked University of Calgary Dinos won a KICKOFF game at McMahon Stadium, dropping the University of Alberta Golden Bears 17-11 in front of 3,108 fans.
It was the Dinos' first defeat of Alberta since Oct. 2, 2004, and Calgary's first win over their archrivals at home since Aug. 29, 2003, snapping a five-game conference losing streak against their provincial foes. It was Dinos coach Blake Nill's first victory over Alberta since taking over the reigns in early 2006.
Neither team was particularly effective on offence, with a total of 14 turnovers committed by the two teams. Ten of those, however, were charged to the Golden Bears (1-2), including six interceptions by the Calgary defence.
Three of those picks came from sophomore cornerback Brett Ferguson, tying a school record for interceptions in a single game and just one shy of the national mark. All three came in the fourth quarter, and he returned the first 52 yards for a touchdown, putting the Dinos ahead 14-4. It capped a run of 13 Calgary points in the first 3:30 of the fourth quarter.
James Green, Jon Waldie, and Chase Moore each added an interception for Calgary. Waldie also led the Dinos with nine tackles on the afternoon.
“Our defence can play with anybody,” said Calgary coach Blake Nill following the game, “but today was all about miscues on offence by both teams. This game is a result of inexperience at quarterback on both sides of the football.”
After injury sidelined Alberta starter Quade Armstrong last week at UBC, the Bears started freshman Joe Orlicz. While he posted reasonable statistics with 17 completions on 27 attempts for 185 yards, he was intercepted four times. Fellow rookie Ben Gorniak fared little better in relief late in the game, connecting on five of 10 attempts for 61 yards but throwing two picks himself.
While Alberta held the advantage in most statistical categories and showed signs of life moving the ball downfield, turnovers at inopportune times deep in Calgary territory snuffed out drives and took sure points off the board for the visitors.
Before Ferguson's interception return for a touchdown, all the scoring had come courtesy the kickers. Calgary's Aaron Ifield was 3-for-5 in the field goal department, connecting on attempts from 13, 32, and 19 yards, while Hugh O'Neill added a 37-yarder for Alberta.
The game's lone offensive touchdown came in the waning moments of the fourth quarter when Matthew Jarvis scored on a five yard run for the Golden Bears. The two-point convert was good, but the subsequent onside kick attempt sailed out of bounds and Calgary was able to move the ball downfield to set up Ifield's last field goal on the final play of the game.
Running back Matt Walter was the bright spot on offence for the Dinos, churning up 153 yards on 22 carries. Calgary pivot Deke Junior, who was named Canada West offensive player of the week in the Dinos' defeat of Manitoba last week, had a quiet afternoon, going 19 of 28 for 177 yards.
Alberta's Aaron Holba led all receivers with 11 catches for 95 yards, while K.C. Prince paced the Dinos' receiving corps with seven catches for 77 yards.
The Dinos (2-1) sit in a four-way tie for first place in Canada West, along with Saskatchewan, UBC, and Simon Fraser. The Clan is the Dinos' next opponent, with a 2 p.m. MT kickoff at Swangard Stadium next Saturday (FAN 960, www.fan960.com). With SFU's upset of Saskatchewan earlier Saturday, next week's game takes on added importance for the Dinos.
“This is going to be a tough battle this year,” Nill said. “It will be interesting to look at the Simon Fraser tape to see what happened. We're going in there to face a team that has a lot of momentum and they're going to be fired up.”
Alberta will host the Manitoba Bisons (1-2), who lost 28-0 to UBC at home Saturday, next Friday night in Edmonton.
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