(complete game notes and preview available here)

THE GAME
The Canada West-leading and No. 3-ranked University of Regina Rams (5-1) host their final home game of the conference schedule on Friday night. The Rams will entertain Calgary (4-2) and will be attempting to avenge their only loss of the season, as the Dinos defeated Regina 24-21 back on Sept. 10 in Calgary.

THE HEADLINES
• The Rams are alone atop the Canada West standings for the first time since Sept. 2001
• Regina's No. 3 ranking this week is the highest the Rams have been ranked since they were ranked No. 2 for three consecutive polls in Sept. 2001
• A win on Friday guarantees the Rams at least second place in Canada West and a home playoff game for the first time since the 2007 season
• If the Rams defeat Calgary and UBC beats Saskatchewan on Saturday, the Rams would clinch their first ever Canada West regular season title
• Regina running back Adrian Charles needs 65 rushing yards to surpass Neal Hughes as the U of R's single-season leader and 111 yards to become the school's first 1000-yard rusher
• Charles is also tied with Hughes for the school single-season lead in touchdown runs (9). With one more rushing TD, he would also become the 14th player in Canada West history and the first since 2006 (UBC's Chris Ciezki and Manitoba's Karim Lowen) to hit double digits in a season
• Regina punter/kicker Chris Bodnar leads the conference with 61 points scored
• Regina's Mark McConkey remains the Canada West leader with 30 receptions
• Rams cornerback Jamir Walker has a conference-leading four interceptions on the season

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA RAMS (5-1)
The Rams spotted Manitoba an 18-point lead last week in Winnipeg, but outscored the Bisons by a 41-1 margin the rest of the way to record an impressive road victory.

Adrian Charles had another spectacular game for the Rams and was named the Canada West and CIS Offensive Player of the Week. (more below)

Quarterback Marc Mueller continues to lead the conference with a 65.4% completion rate, ranks second in the conference in touchdown passes (9), and sits third in Canada West with 1587 passing yards. His top target this season has been Mark McConkey, who has hauled in a conference-leading 30 receptions through the team's first six games. Brenden Owens leads the team with 369 receiving yards despite missing one game due to injury.

Third-year cornerback Jamir Walker has been outstanding for the Rams again this season, as he leads Canada West with four interceptions and nine passes defended. As a team, the Rams are tied with Saskatchewan for the conference lead with 10 interceptions.

Steve Famulak had another sack last week to remain tied with Alberta's Dale Stevenson for the Canada West lead (4½), while fifth-year middle linebacker Bruce Anderson continues to lead the conference with four fumble recoveries.

Safety Matt Yausie and slotback Jason Price both suffered season-ending injuries at Manitoba. Expect second-year Brady Aulie to get his first start for the Rams at safety, while Rory Copithorn should draw back into the starting lineup in place of Price.

The Rams will conclude their conference schedule against No. 4 Saskatchewan next Friday.

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DINOS (4-2)
Calgary enters Friday's game with a 4-2 record, with the Dinos' only two losses of the season coming at the hands of the Saskatchewan Huskies.

Though the Dinos currently sit in third place in the Canada West standings, they're still very much in the running for the regular season title. Wins over the Rams this week and Alberta next week a Saskatchewan loss in either of the Huskies' remaining games would give first place to Calgary for the first time since 1995.

Either first-year quarterback Eric Dzwilewski or fifth-year pivot Erik Glavic will control the Calgary offence. Glavic was injured during the team's season-opening game against Saskatchewan but returned last week in the second half against the Huskies. Dzwilewski has been a more-than-adequate replacement for Glavic, as the rookie from Boise, Idaho has thrown for 811 yards and five touchdowns and is 4-1 in his five starts.

Matt Walter ranks third in the conference with 526 rushing yards, while Nathan Coehoorn leads the team in both receptions (20) and receiving yards (279). The always-consistent Aaron Ifield has a team-high 50 points scored and has hit 12 of his 14 field goals this season.

Michael Lau leads Calgary with three interceptions, one of which stopped a Rams drive as Regina needed a touchdown to take a late lead in the game in Calgary back on Sept. 10. Sam Hurl (38) and Tye Noble (37½) lead the Dinos in tackles, while Hurl also has a team-leading 3½ sacks.

Calgary finishes off its Canada West schedule at home against Alberta (2-5) next Saturday.

CHARLES NAMED CANADA WEST, CIS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rams running back Adrian Charles was named the Canada West and CIS Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 222 yards and two touchdowns against the Bisons. His best effort came on a 90-yard run in the second quarter that set up Regina's first score of the game.

Charles' 222 rushing yards ranks as the third highest single-game total in U of R history, trailing only Neal Hughes (295 yards against Alberta on Oct. 25, 2003) and Ronald Arnold (249 yards against Saskatchewan on Sept. 23, 2000). His two 90-yard rushes this year rank as the second longest in U of R history, trailing only Arnold's 97-yard run at UBC on Sept. 8, 2000.

Charles leads Canada West in both rushing yards (889) and rushing touchdowns (9). His nine touchdown runs tie him with Western Ontario's Jerimy Hipperson for the national lead, while he ranks second in the CIS in rushing yards behind Montreal's Rotrand Sené. Charles is the third University of Regina player to earn CIS Player of the Week honours, joining Mark McConkey (Sept. 22) and Chris Bodnar.

RECORD WATCH
• Charles needs 65 rushing yards to surpass Neal Hughes as the U of R's single-season leader, 111 yards to become the school's first 1000-yard rusher, and one more rushing touchdown to become the U of R's single-season leader in that category as well
• Mueller's 65.4% completion rate this year is the highest in University of Regina history
• Jamir Walker's next interception will give him the U of R's single-season record (5) and will tie him with Steve Ryan for the most career interceptions in school history (9)
• With 4½ sacks, Steve Famulak is two short of setting the school's single-season record

(complete game notes and preview available here)