Game Notes

DATE: Saturday, Oct. 26
TIME: 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Regina, Sask.
VENUE: Mosaic Stadium
TELEVISION: Canada West Football on Shaw (Access7 in Regina)
RADIO: RM2 (sportscage.ca)
WEBCAST: canadawest.tv

The University of Regina Rams will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2005, but will still look to finish the season off on a winning note with provincial rival Saskatchewan in town to close out the Canada West schedule on Saturday afternoon (1:00). The rivalry game will be featured by Canada West Football on Shaw, with Access7 in Regina and canadawest.tv picking up the feed live. Mitchell Blair and Marco Ricci will have the local call on RM2 at sportscage.ca.

AGAINST SASKATCHEWAN: The Huskies hold an 18-6 advantage in the 24 Canada West games played between the two teams, though the Rams have a 3-2 edge over Saskatchewan in five postseason games. The Rams came into the year with two straight wins over the Huskies, but had that streak snapped earlier this season with a tight Week 1 road loss to Saskatchewan.

LAST WEEK: Needing a road win over No. 3-ranked and undefeated Calgary to keep their slim playoff chances alive, the Rams played the Dinos tight before a pair of late touchdowns put the game out of reach and sent the U of C on to a 46-27 victory.

PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES: With the Rams eliminated from the postseason race and Calgary having clinched first place since its win over Saskatchewan three weeks ago, it's down to Manitoba, UBC, and the Huskies jockeying for the other three playoff positions. All three teams come into Week 8 with 4-3 records, but Saskatchewan will need a win over the Rams combined with a victory by Alberta (0-7) over Manitoba to move into second spot in the Canada West standings and host a home playoff game.

McCONKEY MAKES HISTORY: Fifth-year slotback Mark McConkey became Canada West's all-time leading receiver in Week 5, taking over from former teammate Chad Goldie who had held the record since completing his CIS eligibility after the 2008 season. The CIS career record is held by former McGill receiver Charles-Antoine Sinotte (251).

SHUTTER LOOKING FOR COMPLETIONS RECORD: Current QB coach Marc Mueller broke a conference single-season record that had stood for 27 years after completing 182 passes during the 2010 season, but his mark might not last as long. Despite missing six quarters of football due to an injury sustained earlier this season, Rams pivot Cayman Shutter needs 25 completions to surpass Mueller for the most completions in a single season by a Canada West player.

SCHOOL PASSING YARDS RECORD IN JEOPARDY: Shutter also comes into Week 8 with 2184 passing yards on the season. That total ranks sixth in the school single-season record book, but he'd move all the way up to No. 2 with 254 yards and would surpass Teale Orban's 2006 school record with 433 yards on Saturday – a hefty number by any standard, but one Shutter has already exceeded twice this season and approached closely on two other occasions.

MORE ON SHUTTER: Considering four entries on Canada West's list of top ten passing attempts in a single game belong to Shutter, it's unsurprising that he's within striking range of the conference's single-season attempts record. That's also held by Mueller, who passed the ball 310 times during the 2009 campaign. Shutter needs 31 attempts to surpass Mueller in the attempts category.

BROOKS TAKES OVER SCHOOL'S ALL-TIME SACK LEAD: Logan Brooks became the University of Regina's all-time leader in career sacks after taking down Alberta quarterback Ryan Schwartz in the third quarter of the team's Week 6 win over the Golden Bears. It was the 14th sack of Brooks' career, giving the fifth-year defensive end one more than former lineman Stan Van Sichem. Brooks is tied for fourth in Canada West with 3½ sacks this season.

RICHARDS LEADING CANADA WEST: Addison Richards caught four passes for 72 yards in last week's loss. That gives the third-year wide receiver a Canada West-leading total of 614 receiving yards this season, 31 more than Manitoba's Andrew Smith and 52 more than teammate Kolten Solomon, who's now third in the conference after a huge game against the Dinos. Richards, who had seven catches for the Rams in 14 games played over his first two seasons, also ranks second in the conference with 46 catches – just two behind Henry.

MORE ON ADDISON: Richards is enjoying a breakout year and just might put a dent in the school's single-season record book before the campaign is finished. He's got 46 receptions this year, which is just eight short of Chad Goldie's University of Regina record of 54 set during the 2008 season.

STEFANOVIC LEADING THE DEFENCE: He's only in his first season of eligibility after redshirting last season following a fine high school career at Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw, but linebacker Michael Stefanovic has been impressive for the Rams. He is the conference's outright leader with eight tackles for loss and has been in on 51 tackles this year, a total which ranks second in Canada West. Stefanovic even put points on the board for the Rams in Week 5 at Manitoba, scoring on a 53-yard fumble return which stands as the second longest in U of R history.

TEVAUGHN ON THE RETURN: Second-year cornerback Tevaughn Campbell not only starts for the Rams on the defensive side of the ball, but has also been one of the most dynamic returners in Canada West this season. He leads Canada West and ranks second in the CIS with an average of 25.8 yards per kickoff return and is fourth in the conference with an average of 11.5 yards per punt return. He now holds the school's single-season record with 311 punt return yards, mark which eclipses the old record of 302 set by Chris Ashman (2002).

JANOTTA MOVING UP THE CHARTS: Jared Janotta is having another fine season for the Rams, as he ranks second on the team in receptions (40) and third in receiving yards (489) and is third in Canada West with four touchdown catches. The fourth-year slotback is also making his mark on the University of Regina's career receiving charts, including pass receptions where he's now fifth in school history with 135 receptions and needs just four to overtake Cory Olynick for fourth and seven to pass Jordan Sisco for third. Janotta is also tied for sixth in U of R history with 11 touchdown catches and is seventh with 1711 receiving yards.

SWITCHING SPORTS: Running back Jens Johnson is in his first year with the Rams after playing a Junior A career that spanned three full seasons in the SJHL. Johnson spent two years with the Weyburn Red Wings before splitting the 2012-13 season between Weyburn and Notre Dame. A defenceman, Johnson collected 48 points in 150 career regular season SJHL games and played in a total of 24 postseason games with the Red Wings and Hounds.

COUGAR CONNECTION: Offensive lineman Jeremy Zver and defensive back Jeff Propp are both on the University of Regina's men's basketball team as well. Zver has been a key reserve for the Cougars over the last two seasons and looks to play a similar role this season, as he tied for the team high with five rebounds in just nine minutes on the floor on Tuesday against Williston State College. Propp, who has seen his role increase with the Rams as the season has gone on, redshirted for the Cougars last year and looks to get some floor time this season as a guard. Janotta might also be in this category, as he played the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons with the Cougars and suited up for them again against Medicine Hat College back on Oct. 4.

RAMS IN THE NFL: The Rams have three players currently in the NFL, led by defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (New Orleans) and punter Jon Ryan (Seattle). Defensive tackle Stefan Charles is also on Tennessee's practice roster. Only eight non-NCAA Div. I schools have at least three current NFLers, led by five each from the California University of Pennsylvania and Grand Valley State. Mount Union (NCAA Div. III) and NCAA Div. II schools Midwestern State, Missouri Western, Valdosta State, and Washburn join the U of R with three players apiece.

RAMS IN THE CFL: In addition to their three NFL players, the Rams also have seven players currently on CFL rosters. That list is highlighted by Chris Getzlaf and Brendon LaBatte of Saskatchewan and Calgary rookie Brett Jones, who's starting at centre for the West Division-leading Stampeders. The list of 10 former Rams in the professional ranks doesn't include long snapper Jorgen Hus, who attended camp with St. Louis (NFL) but was waived after the preseason.