(Complete game notes available here)

THE GAME
As if this provincial battle needed any more than the usual excitement that always seems to accompany Rams/Huskies games, there's plenty of sidebars to keep an eye on as the two squads prepare for Friday's Shaw TV Game of the Week. Saskatchewan will be looking to make it two wins in a row to open 2011, while the Rams will be hoping to avoid their first 0-2 start since the 2008 campaign.

BROADCAST INFO
TV: Shaw TV Game of the Week (live on Access7 in Regina)
Radio: 620 CKRM (www.620ckrm.com)
Live stats: www.canadawest.tv

THE HEADLINES
• Rams first-year QB Dylan Hart, who completed 14 of his 28 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown after going in for an injured Marc Mueller, will make his first career start on Friday
• Hart is a graduate of Saskatoon's Marion M. Graham Collegiate and the younger brother of Zach Hart, a starting defensive tackle for the Huskies
• The Rams and the Huskies met twice last season, with Regina scoring a 37-26 home win on Sept. 18 and Saskatchewan returning the favour with a 52-29 win in Saskatoon (Oct. 29)
• The two teams will also square off on Saturday, Oct. 22 in Regina
• The Huskies have won five of their past six games against Regina dating back to 2008
• Running back Adrian Charles became the third Rams player to surpass 1000 career rushing yards during the UBC game; he now stands at 1164 over his two seasons at the U of R
• Cornerback Jamir Walker is currently tied with Steve Ryan for the school's career lead in interceptions (9) and is the U of R's all-time leader in interception return touchdowns (3)
• The Rams will also be featured on the Shaw TV Game of the Week on Oct. 15 (at UBC) and on Oct. 22 (vs. Saskatchewan)

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA RAMS (0-1)
What a difference a week makes.

Seven days ago, the Rams were named the favourites to win the conference in the Canada West preseason coaches' poll. Now, after a costly loss to UBC in which fifth-year quarterback Marc Mueller suffered a shoulder injury on the team's first offensive possession, the team finds itself needing a big road win at Saskatchewan to avoid starting the season at 0-2.

With Mueller out indefinitely, the quarterbacking duties fall squarely on the shoulders of Dylan Hart. Hart, a 2010 graduate of Marion M. Graham Collegiate in Saskatoon, came in after the Mueller injury and completed 14 of his 28 passes for 134 yards including, an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jared Janotta in the third quarter. And as if making his first career start wasn't enough for a first-year quarterback, Hart will be doing it in his hometown and against his older brother Zach, who was named a Canada West all-star last season at defensive tackle for the Huskies and tied for the team lead in tackles in last week's opener against Alberta.

The Rams turned to the ground game early and often last week, as running back Adrian Charles led all CIS players in Week 1 with 192 rushing yards. Charles' 26 carries ties for the fifth highest single-game total in U of R history, and he'll likely be used heavily again on Friday.

Regina will hope to regain the services of three receivers that missed UBC's game due to injury, including wide receivers Mark McConkey and Ian Miller and All-Canadian slotback Brenden Owens.

The Rams defence was a strong point against UBC, as it held the Thunderbirds to just 88 rushing yards and 360 yards of total offence – both of which ranked second in the conference last week. Linebacker
Austin Bates had four tackles for loss against UBC, while Chris Sciog recorded his first career fumble recovery in the first quarter.

The Rams will be back in action next Friday at home against Calgary (1-0).

UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (1-0)
The Saskatchewan Huskies kicked off the 2011 season in style last week, delivering a 38-7 home thumping over Alberta on Friday night.

Saskatchewan's defence was the story against the Golden Bears, as the Huskies limited Alberta to just 59 rushing yards and only 217 yards of total offence. Defensive back Seamus Neary was named the Canada West Defensive Player of the Week after tying for the team lead with 4½ tackles against the Golden Bears and returning an interception 60 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Defensive back Mitch Friesen and the aforementioned Zach Hart also had 4½ tackles for Saskatchewan.

The team's offence is controlled by second-year quarterback Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren, who completed 15 of his 22 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 and scrambled nine times for 50 rushing yards. Garrett Bolen was the team's top receiver with five catches for 59 yards, while Jeffrey Moore and Braeden George both had touchdown receptions. Ben Coakwell had 54 yards on 13 rushes for the Huskies.

A win for the Huskies would give Saskatchewan its fifth 2-0 start in the last six seasons, a run spoiled only by a home loss to UBC in Week 2 of last year.

Friday's game marks the third consecutive week that the Huskies will be in action at Griffiths Stadium, as they also registered a 34-23 home non-conference victory over Windsor back on Aug. 26. Saskatchewan hits the road for the first time in 2011 next weekend, as they'll square off with Manitoba on Saturday afternoon at Winnipeg's University Stadium.

(Complete game notes available here)