Box Score WINNIPEG -- The Regina Rams made an impressive statement to start the 2022 conference season, upsetting the No. 6 Manitoba Bisons 33-23 on Friday night at Investors Group Field. Defensive end Anthony Bennett tallied three sacks, while Ryder Varga and Donovin Small had interceptions. Varga also blocked a punt that was returned for a Rams touchdown by Jaxon Ford. Manitoba also surrendered 144 yards in penalties. 

Offensively, the two teams combined for over 600 yards, with Bisons quarterback Des Catellier throwing for 390, the second-most in a single game in his career. Marcel Arruda-Welch, a 2021 All-Canadian Marcel also had an interception for the Bisons. 

"We absolutely lost the battle of field possession badly," said Bisons head coach Brian Dobie postgame. It was quite shocking. We had a really good training camp, and our standard is high. We did not come through at all. It's time to regroup. As I said to our team, half the country is 1-0 right now and half the country is 0-1, but we have to fix things and players have to respond to that."

Regina took an early 4-0 lead in the first quarter, but Manitoba responded thanks to an Abdul-Karim Gassama touchdown grab at 5:10, as he showed great body control in one-on-one coverage and beat his man for a 55-yard major. Gassama led all Bisons receivers with 113 yards, a career high for the team captain. 

Multi-purpose threat Kyle Borsa showed his versatility in the second quarter, recording back-to-back first downs through the air, while completing a long Rams drive with a 14-yard major to give Regina 12-7 lead with eight minutes to go. Just two minutes later however, the Herd re-took the lead as running back Breydon Stubbs got behind coverage for a 35-yard touchdown for the fourth lead change of the first 30 minutes. It was the first of two majors on the day for Stubbs, who also had a career day with 98 yards receiving. Calgary Colts commit Brendt Adams also went over 100 yards in his Bisons debut. 

A field goal from Niko DiFonte made the score 17-12, and the Rams added a single to go into the half down by four. 

The final two quarters were largely controlled by Regina, who out-scored Manitoba 21-6, including 17 points in the third. 

The floodgates opened with 11:24 to go in the third, as Noah Pelletier, making his first career U SPORTS start, found Bennett Stusek wide open for a 68-yard major to give the U of R a lead that they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way. The momentum-changing play came two minutes after the Rams major, as Varga blocked a Bisons punt, which was recovered by Ford from nine yards out. Stubbs scored late for Manitoba on a 35-yard reception, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback. 

Next up for Manitoba is a road tilt against Alberta at 7 pm, while Regina will host Calgary.