CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos football team will need help to reach the post-season after a 33-11 loss to the University of Manitoba Bisons in their home finale Saturday at McMahon Stadium.
Manitoba led from start to finish, building a 16-0 first-half lead. Two fourth-quarter touchdown runs from Aidan Wiberg then sealed the win. The Bisons improved to 4-3, while the Dinos fell to 2-5.
To reach the post-season, the Dinos must beat the Golden Bears. They will also need Manitoba, the team that beat them Saturday, to defeat the Regina Rams.
The afternoon began with a pre-game ceremony honouring Calgary's fifth-year and graduating players. The group included five-year veterans
Osasere Odemwingie,
Isaiah Smith,
De'Von Young and
Matt Sibley.
Once play started, the Dinos got an early spark. On Manitoba's first possession,
Gavin Weiss blocked a punt.
Jeremy Ekhator, playing in his first university game, recovered it at the Bisons' 23-yard line.
But the Dinos couldn't cash in.
Nic Pereira intercepted a pass on the next play, the first of three Manitoba interceptions in the opening quarter, and the Bisons turned each one into points. Maya Turner kicked a 26-yard field goal after Pereira's pick. Dario Macchia returned the second interception 29 yards to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cole Anseeuw to Mikun Odunuga. Carter Dallas made the third, which led to a 12-yard Turner field goal. Turner's 36-yard kick early in the second quarter made it 16-0.
Boaz Comeau got Calgary on the board with a 13-yard field goal and added a single on a missed 36-yard attempt.
Crown Otoro then forced a fumble that
Darius Redhead recovered. The Dinos marched 70 yards, and Comeau kicked a second field goal in the final seconds of the half to make it 16-7.
Calgary's defence held Manitoba to one more Turner field goal in the third quarter. Comeau added another single, and Odemwingie's fumble recovery led to an
Ira Hozack punt single that made it 19-9.
Wiberg answered early in the fourth with a 4-yard touchdown run that capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Calgary drove to the Manitoba 7-yard line on its next possession, but a fumble ended the threat. Manitoba conceded a safety midway through the quarter, and Wiberg broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run in the final three minutes.
"We knew what we were up against coming into the moment today, and unfortunately, we came up short," said Dinos head coach
Ryan Sheahan. "It was not for lack of trying. I think the guys really battled back when things weren't going well. But there's no excuses around here, they made more plays than us. We lost. They won."
Wiberg finished with 123 of Manitoba's 248 rushing yards, and Ishe Matanga added 97. Turner made all four of her field goal attempts, and Pereira had seven tackles to go with his interception.
For Calgary,
Jet Zakrzewski completed 16-of-28 passes for 181 yards and added 63 rushing yards.
Matthieu Clarke ran for 67 yards on 12 carries. Sibley caught four passes for 57 yards, and
Saboor Zeeshan had four catches for 44 yards. Odemwingie shared the team lead with eight tackles.
"
Jet Zakrzewski played like a warrior," Sheahan said of his quarterback. "But my message to the team was that there's one card left to play in the deck, and the only part of that that we control is our effort, our attitude, and our execution this week, as we prepare to play our provincial rival. We've got extra motivation because of the way it went down in September. But all of our energy is to be poured into next week, and we're going to see how the chips fall."
The Dinos will return to action Saturday, Oct. 31, when they travel to face the Golden Bears at 3 p.m. The game can be seen live on Canada West TV powered by BioSteel.
Manitoba will host Regina on Saturday, Oct. 31.
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