Entering the playoffs for a historic fifth consecutive season, the No. 4 seed Manitoba Bisons (3-5) travel out west, looking to break an 11-year winless drought against the nationally ranked, No. 1 seed UBC Thunderbirds (6-2) on Saturday at 3 pm CT. 
 
The last time Manitoba won at Thunderbird Stadium was September 14, 2013, a 36-32 victory. There have been a number of close games on the T-Birds' campus since. Five of the last six times the last two teams have faced off out west, the score has been decided by 14 points or less.
 
The most recent game between the two – week two of the 2023 campaign – went favourably to UBC. The T-Birds claimed a 56-10 win, however Manitoba played the contest without starting quarterback Jackson Tachinski, who was injured the week prior against Alberta. 
 
Since Tachinski came back in week four, Manitoba went 3-2, with QB1 amassing 1396 yards of total offence. Overall, Tachinski combined for 2055 yards of total offence on the year, including 477 rushing yards and a conference-leading six rushing touchdowns along with a passer efficiency rating of 146.9. 
 
The Bisons are looking to advance to the Hardy Cup for the second time in the last three years. Last time they did so was in 2021, yet again with Tachinski under centre, taking over in his first year of eligibility for veteran Des Catellier, who went down with a torn ACL the first game of the year.
 
Overall in his career, Tachinski is 1-1 in the playoffs, combining for 291 yards of total offence and four scores. 
 
The last time Manitoba won the Hardy Cup was in 2014, doing so in similar fashion to the route they'll need to take in 2023. 
 
Nine years ago, they upset Saskatchewan on the road, coming back from a 19-point deficit in the third quarter. They then travelled to No. 4 Calgary, knocking off the Dinos in the playoffs for the first time in program history to capture the team's 11th-ever Hardy Cup. 
 
On the other side is Garrett Rooker and a UBC team that's searching for their first conference title since 2015. The T-Birds won the Vanier Cup that year on the strength of a dynamite offensive attack led by future CFLer Michael O'Connor at quarterback. 
 
The 2023 edition of the 'Birds also features a dynamic quarterback in Garrett Rooker, who's looking to bring the 'Birds back to the Hardy Cup for a second straight season. Rooker, a Texas native, led Canada West in passing yards, with 2266, and he has plenty of weapons around him. 


Shemar McBean led the team with 471 yards receiving, while Simon Fraser transfer Sam Davenport wasn't far behind, with 464 receiving yards, and 94.4 per game. Overall, five different T-Birds had at least 200 yards receiving, while the team as a whole is one of the fastest in pure speed in the nation. 
 
In UBC's 56-10 win, the Birds' quick strike offence was on full display. 
 
Former BC High School provincial champion Jason Soriano kicked the game off with a 70-yard major in the opening minute, and had 99 yards overall, while Davenport had a 54-yard reception and 100 yards on just three grabs, as UBC opened up a 20-point lead through the second quarter that they didn't relinquish. 
 
Additionally, running back Isaiah Knight had 138 rushing yards, aided by Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet, two of the top tackles in the country. Overall, Knight had 787 rushing yards and five majors on the season, both of which were second in CanWest. 
 
Manitoba's defence was critical to their run to the Hardy in 2014, including a pick-six against the Dinos. This year's group will need to step up as well, much like they did last week. 
 
With their season on the line, two of the team's leaders made the play of their careers, when senior Stephen Adamopoulos forced a fumble on the last play of the game that was recovered by halfback Nick Conway, and taken back to the house to help the Herd earn the last playoff spot over Calgary via point differential.
 
Adamopoulos and Conway are tied for fourth all-time in pass breakups in program history, with 15, while linebacker Isaac Dokken became just the 25^th player in program history to record 100 tackles as a Bison. He is tied for 13^th all-time with 132, while teammate Nick Thomas is just ahead of him, with 137.