Box Score WINNIPEG – In his final regular season home game as a Bison, Jackson Tachinski threw for a career-high 333 passing yards and a major, and rushed for two more scores – including the eventual game-winner – as Manitoba came back from ten down in the third quarter to beat Calgary 33-31 on Saturday afternoon.
 
The win improved Manitoba's record to 4-3, and in the process they secured their seventh consecutive playoff berth, a school record. They will finish third in the Canada West standings, and will travel to play either Regina or Saskatchewan in the Hardy Cup semi-finals in two weeks. Manitoba plays Saskatchewan in their regular season finale next week on the road.  
 
"I thought [Tachinski] extended plays and made a lot of field flipping plays for us," said Bisons head coach Stan Pierre.
 
"To be honest I think this was the first game where the offence actually won the football game for our team, which was nice. Hopefully we can continue to do that and limit our mistakes and give ourselves a chance in the playoffs."
 
Built of steel, Tachinski embraced contact all game, racking up 49 yards on the ground along with his 333 passing yards. At one point, he dove over a Dinos defender and landed awkwardly on his neck and shoulder, but he bounced up moments later, once again demonstrating his toughness and dependability.
 
"The wind was just knocked out of me. I had to catch my breath. Once I caught my breath, I felt good. I wanted to jog off to let everyone know I was okay," Tachinski smiled.
 
"I feel good. It wasn't as bad as it looked."
 
Tachinski is one of 19 seniors who will graduate at the end of the 2025 campaign, and many of them made a difference on Saturday.
 
Fifth-year receiver Braeden Smith for example, had a career-high 85 yards and a score, including an incredible 39-yard grab which led to Tachinski's game-winning two-yard rushing major.
 
On the play, Smith went airborne, hauling in a Tachinski lob with a defender draped all over him.
 
Fellow senior receiver Payton Yakimishyn – averaging 33.7 yards per catch on the campaign – also had a highlight-reel snag, stealing the ball off the helmet of a Dinos defender for a gain of 38 yards.
 
His grab led to one of four Maya Turner field goals, and was part of the Herd's 13-point swing after Calgary had taken a 20-10 lead to open the third on a 15-yard Evan Smith receiving touchdown.
 
Overall, four different Bisons had catches of over 30 yards on a variety of chunk plays through the air.
 
"We've got a heck of a receiving group, and our offensive line blocked really well. They gave me lots of time and I was able to find those guys down field," said Tachinski.
 
"We hit a lot of those in practice this week. It was good to see us produce on the field."
 
All-Canadian running back Breydon Stubbs, a five-year starter for the Herd, also helped run down the clock late in the fourth quarter with the Bisons up, amassing 120 yards on 19 carries.
 
"I love those guys, they're literally like my family," said Tachinski of Stubbs and the fellow senior class.
 
"I've gone through battles with them, and hardships. Everything we've been through, it all amounts to this moment. I'm so thankful I got to play with them."
 
It was the air show on both sides of the ball, with Tachinski and Dinos quarterback David Jordan combining for 648 yards and three scores. Calgary's 6'5" pivot from California threw for a career-high 315 yards, rolling outside of the pocket to extend multiple plays while displaying excellent vision.
 
Jordan's major to Smith on an 83-yard drive included 63 passing yards. Matt Sibley was his favourite target, with the team's leading receiver capping the day with 102 yards.
 
At that time, it appeared that momentum was in the favour of the visitors, as the hosts had chunked up more than 100 yards in penalties and were reeling, but Manitoba's defence and special teams helped flip the script.
 
On Calgary's second offensive drive of the second half, Dario Macchia – who had five tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery – punched the ball out of the hands of Dinos short yardage quarterback Jet Zakrzewski's hands, jumping on the loose ball to give his side possession in Calgary territory.
 
Turner turned the turnover into points, and one drive later Tachinski found the endzone to give Manitoba a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way.
 
"I got blocked at first. I got off the block, and I couldn't see where the quarterback was. I was just running making my way over the top, and I saw him falling forward with the ball in his hand. It was a perfect time to try and get my arm in there," said Macchia.
 
"I saw it come out and jumped on it right away. I wanted to get up and run, but I got jumped on, but it was a good play."
 
Macchia was active again at the start of the fourth. He came free off the edge as special teams coordinator Sean Oleksewycz dialed up pressure on a Calgary punt, with Macchia getting to Joel Pipke for the block, which was recovered by Aidan Wiberg at the Dinos 40. Turner once again turned the turnover into three with a field goal.
 
"We made an adjustment at halftime, seeing what they were doing on punts," added Macchia.
 
"We ran our play and it ended up working out. They changed how they were lining up, so we adjusted how we were lining up and changed our responsibilities, so it ended up being me off the edge, with someone else outside of me too, so I just had the full go to take the ball. I was excited. My first one before that I got picked up. I knew I was going to keep coming."
 

The Herd made it 33-23 with 1:40 to go, capitalizing on a too many men penalty from Calgary in a punting situation. Stubbs, Tachinski and Noah Anderson collectively ran the rock on nine straight plays, contributing to 190 yards on the ground overall, withTachinski punching in a two-yard major for his 23^rd career rushing score.
 
But this one was far from over.
 
Jordan connected with Zion Grant for a 78-yard major on the first play of the following drive, taking just 14 seconds off the clock. The Dinos made a key defensive stand shortly after, and a botched punt had them in field goal range with three seconds on the clock.
 
Vince Triumbari had a chance to tie the contest from 33 yards out, but his kick went wide left as the hosts escaped with a 33-31 win, going undefeated at home in the regular season for the second year in a row. It's the first time Manitoba has gone undefeated at home in back to back seasons in 18 years.
 
"This team just doesn't quit," said Tachinski.
 
"I don't really care what the score is at any point in the game. We're going to play our hardest, no matter what. That's the best part about this team. This team fights until the end."