CALGARY – The second half of the 2023 regular season gets underway this weekend on the road as the University of Calgary Dinos football team heads to Winnipeg to take on the University of Manitoba Bisons Sunday.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Investors Group Field, with the game broadcast live on CanadaWest.TV.

HEADLINES

• This is the first of two meetings between Calgary and Manitoba this season. The Bisons will make the return trip to McMahon Stadium for the regular season finale Oct. 28.
• The two teams met just once last year - a 46-4 win by the Bisons in Manitoba. In fact, the Dinos have a three-game losing streak at IG Field, even dropping a game during the 2019 campaign before claiming their latest Vanier Cup. Calgary's last road win over Manitoba came back on Sept. 16, 2017 with a 76-17 drubbing.
• The Dinos own a 64-40 lead in the head-to-head series with the Bisons and, despite dropping the last three on the road against Manitoba, are still 7-3 in their last ten matchups overall.

Calgary Dinos (0-4)
Next week: Bye

• Calgary has been hit hard by the injury bug thus far this year. Last year's leading rusher Matthieu Clarke has played in just one game after suffering an injury in camp. Starting quarterback Dom Britton was knocked out of the game late in Week 2 and missed the past two contests, as did starting linebacker Daniel Flanagan.
• Despite all the injuries, the Dinos defence stepped things up a notch last week against then fifth-ranked Saskatchewan, forcing five turnovers against the vaunted Huskies offence. Nate Beauchemin was the catalyst in last week's contest, hauling in three of the four interceptions by Calgary on the night, including returning one for a touchdown in the first quarter. For his efforts, he was named both the Canada West and U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Week.
• After a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, the final three games of the season will all be rematches for the Dinos, starting next Saturday, Oct. 14 with a home game against UBC at 2 p.m. from McMahon Stadium.

Manitoba Bisons (1-3)
Next week: Bye

• The Bisons made national headlines following last week's win over Regina, as Maya Turner became the first female to not only suit up in a U SPORTS football game, but score, as well, connecting on a pair of 21-yard field goals - the second of which came in overtime and clinched the win for Manitoba. For her efforts, Turner was named the Canada West and U SPORTS Special Teams Player of the Week.
• One year after Des Catellier led the Bisons to a 4-4 conference record, Jackson Tachinski has been the primary QB this year for Manitoba.
• The 6-foot-4 local product has completed 62.5 percent (45-72) of his passes on the year and has four touchdowns through the air, as well as a pair of scores on the ground. Next week is also a bye for the Bisons, who will return to the gridiron Oct. 14 on the road in a rematch with the Rams.

-UC-