REGINA – The Manitoba Bisons football program will host a playoff game for the first time in eight years next Saturday, as a 22-3 victory over the Regina Rams on Saturday clinched the second seed in Canada West.

Manitoba (4-2) will host the Alberta Golden Bears at 4 p.m. CDT on Saturday, November 13 at IG Field. The other Hardy Cup semifinal will see top seed Saskatchewan host the four seed UBC Thunderbirds.

Saturday afternoon's game between the Bisons and Rams was a defensive struggle, one suited to a Manitoba team that has won all four of their regular season games this season with solid outings on that end of the field.

The game's lone touchdown was a one-yard plunge by Bisons quarterback Jackson Tachinski, his first U SPORTS rushing touchdown. Tachinski got the start at pivot after missing Week 5 with a hip and lower body injury.

Besides that major, four Cole Sabourin field goals made up the bulk of Manitoba's remaining points, with a conceded safety making the final total.

Tachinski completed 15 of his 25 passes for 119 yards before backup Sawyer Thiessen came in early in the fourth quarter. Most of Manitoba's offence came courtesy of running back duo Breydon Stubbs and Noah Anderson who finished with 88 and 70 rushing yards, respectively.

Nick Conway and Isaac Dokken both had interceptions for Manitoba while Stefan Conway had a solo sack and Connor Kyliuk and Brock Gowanlock shared a sack.

With a rash of injuries at the quarterback position, the Rams went with Bryce Welter under centre for the last game of the season. Welter was No. 5 on the quarterback depth chart last year and moved to running back this season, but slid back to quarterback for this game with Josh Donnelly, Sawyer Buettner, and Bryden O'Flaherty all hurt.

Welter was 13-for-22 and finished with 116 passing yards, his longest coming on a 46-yard toss to D'Sean Mimbs late in the first half. Mimbs finished with four catches and collected a game-high 83 receiving yards.