Undefeated against the Calgary Dinos dating back to 2019, the Manitoba Bisons will look to head into the thanksgiving break in complete control of their playoff destiny with a win over the 0-4 prehistorics in a special Sunday afternoon game at IG Field.
Sunday's game is being played due to Saturday being National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Bisons football program has been on a year-long reconciliation journey led by Indigenous knowledge keepers and Elders on campus, and they will share their experiences in a pre-game video.
On the field, 1-3 Manitoba is coming off their first win of the season last week at home against 1-3 Regina to take sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference standings. The story was rookie kicker
Maya Turner, who became the first female to dress in and score points in a U SPORTS regular season game. She went 2-for-2 on field goals, including the game-winner from 21 yards out in double overtime, and, as the lone specialist on the roster, will get her first start as both the kicker and punter in Sunday's game.
Historically, the Dinos have had Manitoba's number, going 26-14 over Manitoba over the last 28 years in the regular season, but they've lost the last three dating back to 2019.
All three Bisons wins during that span have come at home. Last year's dominant 46-4 win saw the Herd rack up a combined 357 yards on the ground, the fifth-most in the history of the program in a single game.
Leading the way was veteran
Breydon Stubbs, whose 169 yards set a new career high. He is just two yards shy of 1,000 for his Bisons career, and he's one of three Bisons in the top eight in the conference in rushing. His 216 yards are just ahead of starting quarterback
Jackson Tachinski's 187 and running back
Vaughan Lloyd's 186. Lloyd is also average 7.4 yards per carry.
Defensively for Calgary, third-year defensive back Nate Beauchemin is coming off a three-interception game against nationally ranked Saskatchewan that was close throughout. He also leads the team with 23.5 tackles.
Offensively the Dinos have operated with multiple quarterbacks, in former Okanagan Sun standout Dom Britton and promising 6'3" first-year Xavier Vaillancourt. Most of their production has come from receiver Gob Deng, who is sixth in CanWest, with 281 yards and three majors. Nor far behind is the Bisons'
Brendt Adams, who leads the Herd with 249 yards receiving.
