Starting 2-0 for the second time in the three seasons Jackson Tachinski has been starting quarterback, the No. 6 nationally ranked Manitoba Bisons will look to make it three straight wins against a U SPORTS top-ten opponent when they welcome No. 9Alberta to town for homecoming.

The Herd have had all kinds of success at homecoming, going 8-2 in the last ten years. They'll look to keep their impressive run going against an Alberta team that's won three of the last four meetings between the two sides, including both games in 2023-24.

Manitoba is coming off an impressive showing against defending Hardy Cup champ UBC, where they scored 33 straight points in a 33-10 victory over the T-Birds. It was the Herd's first win against UBC on the road in 11 seasons.

Tachinski led the way with 286 passing yards and two majors. Tachinski is tied for the Canada West lead with four passing touchdowns. He added a third on the ground, and his 13 rushing majors rank eighth in school history. 

A total of 143 of Tachinski's passing yards went to high school teammate Vaughan Lloyd, a career high. Lloyd added an 81-yard touchdown, the longest of his career, and he ranks fifth in CanWest, with 179 receiving yards.

Leading the way through the air for Alberta has been the speedster Chevy Thomas, whose 214 receiving yards rank third in the conference. That includes 135 yards against UBC, where Thomas burst out for a 61-yard major.

At quarterback for Alberta is veteran Eli Hetlinger, whose 489 passing yards are third in the conference. Expect he and Tachinski to go back and forth all game, as the two sides rank first and second in CanWest in scoring, offensive yards, first downs, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

Speaking of the ground game, Bisons back Breydon Stubbs is on pace for a career year. He's gone over 100 yards in both contests for the Herd this season, a first in the career of the fourth-year ball-carrier, who leads the conference in that category.

Countering Stubbs is reigning Canada West MVP Matthew Peterson, who went over 100 rushing yards in week one, and did not play last week.

With all of the offensive fire power, this game could come down to defence. Manitoba's D has forced five turnovers in each of their last two games, including an interception from Sebastien Reid, whose eight interceptions are tied for sixth in school history. Interestingly, Alberta turned the ball over eight times last game, including three pick sixes in a 26-22 loss to Calgary.

On the Golden Bears end, Charlie De Land had a pick six last week, and Chase Tataryn leads CanWest with three sacks and 14.5 tackles.

Kickoff is 2 pm at Princess Auto Stadium.

HOOFPRINTS

• Manitoba hasn't lost a homecoming game since 2017 
• AK Gassama needs just one receiving touchdown to tie Nic Demski for second all-time (15)
• Breydon Stubbs needs just 112 rushing yards to pass Kienan LaFrance for ninth in school history (1485)
• Quarterback Jackson Tachinski is only one rushing touchdown shy of seventh in school history (14), and two shy of LaFrance for sixth
• Sebastien Reid needs just one regular season interception to tie Bob Reist for fifth all-time (9)