WINNIPEG – A packed house of over 7000 fans – the second-most in attendance at a Bisons game since Princess Auto Stadium opened 11 years ago – witnessed one of the best U SPORTS football contests in recent memory, as the No. 6 nationally ranked Manitoba Bisons held on in the final minute to defeat the No. 9 ranked Alberta Golden Bears 24-23 to improve to 3-0 on the season.
 
The Bisons have not lost a homecoming game in seven years, dating back to the 2017 season.
 
Trailing 24-17 in the fourth, Alberta drove 85 yards in four minutes, with Duncan Critch scoring on a quarterback sneak, his third rushing major of the game. The drive included 39 rushing yards from reigning Canada West MVP Matthew Peterson, and 51 total.
 
Instead of going for the tie, the Golden Bears went for the win, but Eli Hetlinger's five-yard pass attempt to Orin Schellenberg fell incomplete, with senior halfback Nick Conway breaking up the play.
 
Hetlinger's pass to the short side was right on target, but Conway got his hand in right at the perfect time on an out route to the short side to knock the ball down. It was the 13th career pass breakup for Conway, which is tied for the fourth most in school history.
 
"I knew they like to run outs with a corner in the red zone out of stacks," said Conway.
 
"[Corner] Owen [Miller] and I talked pre-snap about how we were going to handle it if they came out stacked, and we both did our job, and I was able to make a play."
 
It's the second time since 2021 that Manitoba has started a season 3-0, both times with Jackson Tachinski as starting quarterback. He improved to 10-6 in the regular season as QB1 for the Herd, while Brian Dobie – coaching in his final homecoming game – recorded his 122nd victory as bench boss, adding to his school record.
 
"I was crying before the game, I think that says it all. I was so emotional at the end of the game. In my whole career in 50 years, the feeling walking off that field wasn't the same as winning the Vanier Cup, but it was at the next level," said Dobie, who was honoured with a tribute video pre-game, alongside his daughter Caleigh, wife Jackie and son-in-law Samuel.
 
"That was the second best crowd in the history of our program. It was our homecoming, it was against a top opponent in Canada West, all the stars were aligned. To win like that, a one point win, the defence held at the end to make it happen, the best wins are always those kinds of wins, in any sport, any time, anywhere, the ones where you have to grind to the very end, and win at the last moment. That's what we did today. It was super emotional for me, and my family and this team."
 
The game had even more drama following the failed two-point convert.
 
Golden Bears kicker Jonathan Giustini attempted an onside kick, which nearly paid off. Bisons 6'4" receiver De Shawn Le Jour got his hands on the ball, but was taken down by Alberta defensive lineman Evan Nolli, who forced the ball loose.
 
A mad scramble ensued, with starting left guard Giordano Vaccaro diving to get his hand on the ball at the last second to knock it out of bounds to secure the win.
 
"It was back and forth the whole game. We told ourselves in the locker room that it was probably going to come down to the final play," said Tachinski, who threw for 229 yards and a major, and rushed for 48.
 
"It pretty much did. We were on the lucky side of it. I'm proud of the guys for not giving up, and giving their best effort the entire game."
 
Overall, the two teams combined for over 800 yards of total offence. Manitoba never trailed, but their largest lead was only ten, as the two sides went back and forth all game.
 
Peterson rushed for 201 yards in the loss, just nine shy of his career high, while the Golden Bears ran for 311 yards overall. Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Muta Yitna posted a career-high 78 yards (led all players) on two catches, including his first career U SPORTS major from 40 yards out which opened the scoring.
 
Dobie chose to go for two on the Yitna touchdown following an Alberta penalty, and it paid off, with Tachinski getting in from a yard out.
 
The two-point convert ended up making an enormous difference, as Alberta would otherwise have won the game with a convert following Critch's fourth quarter score.
 
Maya Turner added three field goals for the Bisons, while Breydon Stubbs also scored on the ground for Manitoba. Turner's six field goals are the second most in Canada West.
 
Shakur Harris led the Bisons with 56 yards on just six carries, while Breydon Stubbs added 57, as Manitoba – leading the conference in rushing yards – went over 150 on the ground for the third contest in a row.
 
Defensively, linebacker Nic Pereira had a career-high ten tackles to lead all players, while Tristan Francis had a personal best eight tackles and a sack, and CFL Draft pick Collin Kornelson added a sack and three solo tackles.
 
Defensive backs Jarrett Alcaraz and Stephen Adamopoulos also combined for three pass breakups, with pair of super seniors, along with Conway – all four-year starters – combining for 40 PBUs as Bisons.
 
It's also the third week in a row that the Bisons have knocked off a nationally ranked opponent, and with Regina's 14-12 loss to UBC, the Bisons now hold sole possession of first in Canada West as the only undefeated team, at 3-0.
 
The Herd will travel to play Calgary next weekend, while the 1-2 Golden Bears will face Regina at home.
 
"We've just been taking it week by week," added Tachinski.
 
"The wins just start piling up. Next thing you know you're 3-0 in the standings. We're not trying to look too far ahead. We're just focusing on the week at hand."