VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds scored 21 points in the second quarter and never looked back, beating the University of Calgary Dinos football team 34-18 on Friday night at Thunderbird Stadium.
The win avenged UBC's season-opening loss in Calgary, improving the Thunderbirds to 4-2 in conference play and dropping the Dinos to 2-4.
Neither team showed any rust from the Thanksgiving weekend bye early on. UBC dialled up a trick play on the very first snap, as running back Marvyn Larozar took a lateral and launched a pass downfield to Trey Montour, who raced the rest of the way for a 90-yard touchdown. The Dinos wasted no time responding. On their opening drive,
David Jordan faked a handoff and found
Saboor Zeeshan wide open in the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown, tying the score 7-7 less than three minutes in.
The Dinos offence struggled to find a rhythm for the rest of the half. Calgary punted on its next three possessions, and a 38-yard field-goal attempt went wide. Meanwhile, UBC took the lead in the second quarter. Zach Patfield opened the frame with a one-yard touchdown run, and midway through the quarter, Drew Viotto found Owen Herle from 20 yards out.
UBC's pass rush then forced a turnover near midfield in the final two minutes of the half, and Larozar punched in a one-yard run with 14 seconds left to send the Thunderbirds into the break ahead 28-7.
The second half belonged to the Dinos, who outscored UBC 11-6 over the final two quarters. The defence got things started with about seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Crown Otoro got in behind Viotto, and the pressure forced the UBC quarterback to cough up the ball.
Darius Redhead scooped it up and rumbled 54 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 28-14.
Jet Zakrzewski came in at quarterback late in the third and gave the offence a spark, with all 88 of his passing yards coming on Calgary's two fourth-quarter scoring drives. After UBC added a pair of field goals to go up 34-14, Zakrzewski hit
Matt Sibley for 42 yards to set up a 32-yard
Boaz Comeau field goal with about three minutes remaining. On Calgary's final drive, he found Zeeshan for 35 yards, and Comeau added a single on a 28-yard attempt in the closing seconds.
Viotto completed 23 of 31 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown for UBC, while Montour finished with six catches for 152 yards.
Zeeshan led the Dinos with four catches for 92 yards and a touchdown, and Sibley added three receptions for 78 yards. Jordan went 9-of-19 for 110 yards and a touchdown, while Zakrzewski completed four of six passes and ran for 22 yards.
On defence,
Everett Schmuland led all players with 11 total tackles.
UBC holds on to second place in the Canada West standings, behind the Saskatchewan Huskies. Calgary remains in the hunt for a playoff spot with two regular season games left, but the loss raises the stakes for next weekend's game against Manitoba. The Bisons fell 39-20 to the Huskies on Friday and sit at 3-3, one game ahead of the Dinos.
The Dinos will return to action Saturday, Oct. 24 when they host the Bisons at 1 p.m. at McMahon Stadium. It is Calgary's final home game of the regular season, and the Dinos will honour their seniors and graduating players. Tickets are available at GoDinos.com/Tickets.
UBC will travel to face the Regina Rams on Friday, Oct. 23.
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