Box Score The University of Regina Rams kept their playoff hopes alive with a critical 56-41 victory over No. 9 Manitoba on Saturday afternoon in a Canada West game at Mosaic Stadium.

Jared Janotta became Canada West's all-time leader in receptions, surpassing former teammate Mark McConkey's career total of 180. But more importantly the Rams' win sets up what will be an epic Week 8 of Canada West football, as both the Calgary and Saskatchewan wins on Saturday also work in the U of R's favour.

The Rams (2-5) can qualify for the postseason with a win over Alberta next weekend along with victories by both Calgary and Saskatchewan. The Rams could also qualify for the playoffs with a Calgary loss to Manitoba and a three-point U of R win over Alberta, or a Saskatchewan loss to UBC combined with at least a 15-point win over the Golden Bears.

The Rams scored the opening 28 points of the game, only to have Manitoba (3-4) roar back with 24 unanswered points of its own to draw to within four early in the third. But that was as close as Manitoba would come, as the Rams replied almost immediately with Atlee Simon's third touchdown run of the game and a 104-yard touchdown pass from Noah Picton to Mitch Thompson early in the fourth essentially put the game out of reach.

Picton, who replaced an injured Cayman Shutter in the second, finished 17-for-24 with 368 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Janotta had a team-high seven receptions for 109 yards, while Thompson ended up with a team-high 110 yards - most of which came on that long touchdown reception in the fourth, the third-longest passing play in U of R history.

Rookie running back Atlee Simon had another fine game for the Rams, picking up 154 yards on the ground and becoming the first Rams player to collect three touchdown rushes since Cory Olynick way back in 2002. Simon also had 89 receiving yards including a 60-yard touchdown reception to become the only U of R player not named Jason Clermont or Chad Goldie to score four majors in a single game. His 243 all-purpose yards stand as the fourth-highest single-game total for the Rams at the CIS level.

Patrick MacDonald and Joey Dwyer both sparkled in the defensive backfield for the Rams. Both had key interceptions, with MacDonald also collecting four pass knockdowns and Dwyer adding three.

Starting in place of Jordan Yantz, Manitoba's Theo Deezar finished 22-for-40 for 440 yards and four touchdowns. Most of the damage was to Nic Demski, who ended up with nine catches for 238 yards - tied for seventh in conference single-game history and just three back of Andrew Sharp's school record of 241 set during the 2002 campaign.

Kienan LaFrance also had a massive game on the ground for the Bisons, rushing 17 times for a total of 175 yards and a touchdown.

The Rams will now get ready for the crucial Alberta matchup, which is set for next Saturday, Nov. 1 at Mosaic Stadium (2 p.m.). Manitoba will also be in action next Saturday, as the Bisons will entertain No. 2 Calgary.