SASKATOON – The University of Calgary Dinos dropped their first contest of the 2019 campaign Friday night in a 29-15 defeat to the Saskatchewan Huskies at Griffiths Stadium.
Despite scoring on their opening drive of the game and putting up more than 500 yards offence, the Dinos managed just a single point in the final three quarters as penalties continued to back them up and the field position battle went the way of Saskatchewan. The ninth-ranked Huskies improve to 3-2 on the season, while the Dinos fall to 4-1.
The Dinos looked sharp on their first possession, completing a six-play, 87-yard drive that culminated with a two-yard
Josiah Joseph touchdown run.
Saskatchewan took just three plays to answer back with a 10-yard Adam Machart TD, but the Dinos would regain the lead on the final play of the first quarter when
Adam Sinagra found
Robinson Rodrigues, who eluded defenders on his way to the goal line and gave Calgary a 14-8 advantage after the opening frame.
The visitors held that lead until late in the second quarter when Yol Piok scored a 10-yard major for the Huskies, giving them a lead they would not relinquish. Saskatchewan went on to add another major on the final play of the third quarter, with a field goal accounting for all of the scoring in the fourth.
Sinagra, who finished the night 18-for-27 for 287 yards and a touchdown, took a hit in the first half that shook him up and sidelined him for a series. He returned to the game in the third quarter before giving way to
Josiah Joseph, who picked up 10 completions for 106 yards himself. Their combined top target was
Jalen Philpot, who had six catches for 143 yards, while
Erik Nusl picked up 86 yards on five receptions for the Dinos.
In his return to the lineup,
Jeshrun Antwi collected 41 yards on 13 carries for the Dinos. Calgary was penalized 13 times for 119 yards in the contest.
"It was a difficult night - we took too many penalties, and that hurt us especially in the first half," said Dinos Head Coach
Wayne Harris. "We struggled to keep drives going, and then defensively not able to manage the run as well as we need to.
"They had some big plays and their receivers made some big catches on us. They made plays, and you gave to give them credit for it.
"We're continuing to battle through the season here, and we came up short tonight. We just didn't make enough plays."
For the Huskies, conference-leading rusher Machart had another big night with 171 yards on 23 carries, while Mason Nyhus completed 15 passes for 233 yards. Both he and Sinagra were picked off twice, with Nixen Voll recording both interceptions for Saskatchewan while Sterling Taylor and
Deane Leonard each had one for the Dinos.
It was the Dinos' first regular-season loss since the final game of the 2017 season, snapping a 12-game win streak in Canada West play.
Calgary returns home to get set for the Alberta Golden Bears (3-1), who face UBC Saturday night with a chance to pull even with the Dinos into first place in Canada West. Next week's Battle of Alberta is set for Saturday, Oct. 5 at McMahon Stadium, with kickoff at 1 p.m. live on CanadaWest.tv, presented by Co-op.
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