Box Score REGINA -- For the second time this season, the Manitoba Bisons and Regina Rams engaged in a thriller that came down to the final possession. And for the second time, the Herd came out victorious, winning 41-34, along with the season series 2-0 over the 1-5 Rams.

Manitoba improves to 3-3, firmly entrenched in the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference. They're just one game behind 4-2 UBC and 4-2 Saskatchewan, who both lost today.

Calgary"s (1-5) upset over nationally ranked UBC negated the Herd's ability to clinch a program record fifth straight playoff birth, but they can lock that down with a win at home next Friday at 7 pm against first place, 5-1 Alberta.

The nationally ranked Golden Bears beat Manitoba 37-16 at home in week two, however Manitoba's starting quarterback Jackson Tachinski missed the entire second half due to injury, and his return to the lineup three games ago has rejuvenated the Bisons. 

Over the last month, Tachinski has recorded a combined 1,059 yards in the air and on the ground, along with nine total touchdowns and no interceptions. He's undefeated since returning to the starting lineup, adding to his legacy this afternoon at Mosaic with a game-winning drive in the game's final two minutes. 

The Rams had tied the game up on the drive prior, eating up five minutes of the clock on a series that ended with a seven-yard Owen Sieben major. The rookie from BC was impressive again for Regina, finishing with 234 yards passing and a major, but he also tossed two interceptions, including one to a returning Sebastien Reid, his team-leading third of the year. 

Cue Tachinski, who calmly led Manitoba 84 yards in eight plays, completing passes to four different players, and nine in the game overall.

Tachinski went five-for-seven for 62 yards on the game-winning drive, keeping multiple plays alive with his feet while using elite vision downfield to find open targets AK Gassama, Michael O'Shea Jr, Nathan Udoh and Vaughan Lloyd. 

Tachinski capped the drive with a three-yard rushing major on a read option play where he used his speed and size to muscle his way to the goal line. 

T-TIME! @Jackson_tach drives the Herd over 70 yards for the game winning TD in the final minute! Bisons win 41-34. Can clinch a playoff spot next week.

14 since coming back from injury:

?? 3-0
?? 1,059 all-purpose yards
?? NINE majors, ZERO INTs #HornsUp??

?? @CanadaWest pic.twitter.com/OLZtUjWw8T

— Manitoba Bison Football (@MBBisons) October 15, 2023

The third-year signal-caller finished the game with a career-high 332 passing yards and two scores, along with 44 yards on the ground and the game-winning major. He leads CanWest with five rushing touchdowns, and has 12 total touchdowns on the year. 

His two favorite targets against Regina were Brendt Adams and AK Gassama, who combined for seven catches and 125 yards, while Braeden Smith recorded his second career major on a 45-yard catch and run in the fourth. Gassama is second in CanWest, with 26 catches, while Adams is fourth, with 24. 

Defensively, senior linebacker Markos Bockru had a day to remember. He recorded an interception and a fumble recovery on back-to-back drives in the third quarter, which resulted in ten points. Maya Turner kicked a field goal after Bockru's interception in zone coverage at the Regina 22, and he recorded a scoop and score on the following possession after a forced fumble from Nick Thomas and Isaac Dokken. 

Speaking of Turner, she went four-for-five on the day, including a career-high 48-yarder. She's missed just one field goal so far this year, going eight-for-nine.