CALGARY – On Saturday at McMahon Stadium, for the first time since hoisting the Vanier Cup back on Nov. 23, 2019, the University of Calgary Dinos football team will return to the field.
After an extended offseason, Calgary's first game in nearly two years will see them host the Saskatchewan Huskies in a rematch of the 2019 Hardy Cup. The Dinos have won their past 12 home openers, with the last loss coming against these very Huskies back in 2007.
Gates will open at 3 p.m., while the opening kick is scheduled for 4 p.m. CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op and Telus Optik will have exclusive broadcast coverage of the game.
HEADLINES
- They had to wait, but the Dinos can now officially start their quest to win back-to-back Vanier Cups. After defeating the Montreal Carabin to take home the championship back in 2019, Calgary will look to repeat for the first time in school history.
- The last time these two teams faced off was in the 2019 Hardy Cup which saw the Dinos take home a 29-4 victory.
- Saturday's matchup features two teams ranked in the U SPORTS Top 10, with the reigning Vanier Cup champs coming in at No. 2, while the Huskies find themselves at No. 6.
- This game will be the first of two between the squads in 2021, with the Dinos heading east for another date with the Huskies on Nov. 6 at Griffiths Stadium.
No. 2 Calgary Dinos (0-0)
Next week: at Regina
- It's finally time for fifth-year quarterback Josiah Joseph to officially take the reins of Calgary's offence. The 25-year-old has appeared in 32 games over his four seasons as a backup, throwing for 1,092 yards and rushing for 414 - including 23 touchdowns. But now, he's officially in the driver's seat as the Dinos start the 2021 season.
- Some good news for Joseph is that the dynamic receiving duo of Jalen and Tyson Philpot are both returning and are ready to terrorize Canada West defences for another season. The brothers were both named to the first edition of the 2022 CFL Draft-eligible Canadians. Jalen – the Dinos' leading receiver in 2019 - was ranked No. 7 while Tyson was just behind at No. 15.
- The Dinos will have a wealth of talent in the backfield this year, highlighted by the return of Calgarian Alessandro Molnar and the addition of Ben Abrook out of the Saskatoon Hilltops.
- While some of the names on the offensive side of the ball may look similar, the Dinos' defence will look much different in 2021. Grant McDonald, Charlie Moore and Deane Leonard - the three leading tacklers from 2019 - have all moved on, and Calgary will look to others to step up and fill the void.
- Next week the Dinos will head to Mosiac Stadium to take on the Regina Rams and try to spoil Regina's Canada West home opener.
No. 6 Saskatchewan Huskies (0-0)
Next week: at UBC
- The Huskies' offence will most certainly run through running back Adam Machart, who broke the school record for rushing yards back in 2019 with 1,331. Machart, the 2019 Hec Creighton runner-up, joined the Philpot brothers on the CFL's top prospect list at No. 18.
- Paving the way for Machart will be standout offensive lineman Noah Zerr. The six-foot-seven tackle was ranked just behind his running back on the prospects list at No. 20.
- Calling the signals for Saskatchewan will be fourth-year quarterback Mason Nyhus. The two-time Academic All-Canadian threw for 2300 yards and 14 touchdowns in nine Canada West games back in 2019.
- Saskatchewan will stay on the road for back-to-back weeks to start the 2021 season, as next week they will head further west for a clash with the UBC Thunderbirds.
