EDMONTON – Matt Sibley caught two touchdown passes from
David Jordan and set a new program record for career receptions as the University of Calgary Dinos football team pulled away from the University of Alberta Golden Bears 34-19 on Saturday at Foote Field.
The Dinos built a 24-10 halftime lead in the regular-season finale behind a 17-point second quarter and never let Alberta closer than 14 points the rest of the way. Calgary outgained the Golden Bears 432 yards to 345 despite running 19 fewer plays.
The win lifts Calgary to a 3-5 finish, but the Dinos were eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the afternoon when the Regina Rams beat the Manitoba Bisons 26-15. Alberta falls to 1-7.
The game was the last of the careers of Calgary's fifth-year and graduating players, including five-year veterans
Osasere Odemwingie,
Isaiah Smith,
De'Von Young and Sibley.
Sibley finished the game with 156 career receptions, passing Chris Dobko for the most in program history. He also moved into 10th on the Canada West all-time list. Dobko, who held the previous record, was in attendance and met with Sibley on Saturday.
Sibley finished the regular season with 51 receptions for 938 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 117.3 yards per game and 18.4 yards per catch. He led Canada West in all five categories.
Alberta struck first. Christian Veilleux hit Ayden McDonald with a 60-yard touchdown pass, and Charlie Wiersma's convert made it 7-0. Calgary answered right away, with
Evan Smith capping a six-play, 91-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to tie it 7-7 after the first quarter.
The Dinos took control in the second. After a punt pinned Calgary deep in its own end, the Dinos took a safety early in the quarter to put Alberta ahead 9-7. Jordan then found Sibley for a 68-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive.
Ira Hozack added a 34-yard field goal, and late in the half Jordan and Sibley connected again, this time for 45 yards, to make it 24-9. Alberta closed the half with a single point on a missed field goal.
Evan Smith added an eight-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to make it 31-10. Alberta answered with a 13-play, 69-yard drive that stretched into the fourth quarter and ended with Eli Hetlinger's one-yard touchdown run. Hozack then kicked a 32-yard field goal with under three minutes left to restore the 17-point cushion.
Alberta drove to the Calgary 19 in the final two minutes, but
Everett Schmuland forced a fumble on Dane Yuzdepski's catch and
Thomas Glanville recovered it. A safety with just over a minute left set the final score.
Jordan finished 13-of-19 for 334 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Sibley had five catches for 162 yards, and
Evan Smith ran 22 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Hozack was 2-for-3 on field goals and a perfect 4-for-4 on converts. Schmuland led the defence with 15 tackles and two forced fumbles, and
Charles Beach had a sack for an eight-yard loss.
Veilleux was 15-of-38 for 247 yards and a touchdown for the Golden Bears. Seth Poelzer ran 19 times for 81 yards, and Isaiah Sanderson had four catches for 58 yards.
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