Box Score

The University of Saskatchewan held on for a 16-15 victory over the Regina Rams in a low-scoring, fumble-filled Canada West football affair on Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium.

Saskatchewan (4-3) clinches a playoff spot with the victory, while the Rams (2-5) will need to finish off the Canada West schedule next Saturday with a road win over Manitoba to earn a postseason berth.

The final play of the game was quite fitting for a contest that saw Saskatchewan fumble the ball nine times in the victory. With the Huskies clinging to a one-point lead on third and long with just five seconds left on the clock, a bad snap got away from punter Stephen McDonald and a wild scrum ensued that saw the Rams finally recover the ball but with no time left on the clock, giving Saskatchewan the victory.

Trent Peterson stepped in at quarterback late in the first half for Saskatchewan and ended up completing seven of his 18 passes for 152 yards, including a pivotal 70-yard catch-and-run to Rory Kohlert that set up a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Kohlert ended up with three catches for a game-high 95 yards, while Ben Coakwell led the Huskies on the ground with 37 rushing yards.

Punt returner Jerit Lambert was electric for Saskatchewan all night long, ending up returning nine punts for 157 yards including a 52-yarder on his first return of the contest. Tom Lynch led Saskatchewan with 10½ tackles and a sack, while Tony Michalchuk had 8½ tackles, an interception, and a sack. Mitch Friesen had a 38-yard interception return midway through the fourth quarter.

Rams running back Adrian Charles had 52 rushing yards after one quarter but was injured in the second and did not return. Quarterback Zach Oleynik completed 21 of his 33 passes for 164 yards, while Mark McConkey's 12 pass receptions are tied for third in the school's single-game record book. Logan Brooks led the Rams defensively with 7½ tackles including three tackles for loss and a sack. Akiem Hicks had a sack and a forced fumble for Regina, while Mike Kerr had an interception.

Chris Bodnar was brilliant for the Rams, punting 11 times for an average of 49.4 yards per punt. Bodnar's punts included an 83-yard bomb that ranks as the second longest in University of Regina history.

Coakwell opened the scoring for the Huskies with a seven-yard touchdown run after Saskatchewan's interception on the Rams' second offensive play of the game set up a short field.

After the two teams traded singles, a bad Saskatchewan snap on a punt gave the Rams the ball on Saskatchewan's 17-yard line early in the second quarter. Charles finished off the drive with a one-yard plunge on third down, scoring what would turn out to be Regina's lone touchdown of the game.

Bodnar added a field goal and a rouge to give Regina a 12-8 lead at the half. The Huskies' lone touchdown of the second half gave them the lead for good, as Kohlert's long reception and a Regina penalty put Saskatchewan on the Rams' one-yard line. Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren finished it off on second down, putting the Huskies up four.

Bodnar drilled a 45-yard field goal with 2:32 left in the contest to cut the lead to one, but the Huskies were able to hang on to the narrow lead.

Both teams struggled offensively, as their 29 combined first downs ties for the lowest in a Canada West game this season. Saskatchewan ended up with 269 yards of total offence, while Regina had 247.

Saskatchewan can finish no lower than third place with a win over Alberta next weekend. A win coupled with a UBC loss to Calgary would give the Huskies second place, while a UBC win would put Saskatchewan in third. With a loss to Alberta, the Huskies will finish in third with a Regina victory over Manitoba or in fourth place with a Manitoba victory over the Rams.

For the Rams, the scenario is simple – a win gives them a berth in the postseason and a date with unbeaten Calgary in the Canada West semifinals, while a loss ends their season.

NOTES: Charles, Kerr, and Brenden Owens were all honoured prior to the game as part of Senior Night ... the only punt longer than Bodnar's 83-yard boot in Rams history is an 86-yard punt by Jon Ryan against Alberta on Oct. 20, 2001.