SPONSOR: RBC Dominion Securities

BIRMINGHAM'S PASS PUNT KICK: It's back! Get your dance on for your chance to play in Birmingham's Pass, Punt Kick at the start of halftime.The best touchdown dancer will showcase their football skills by passing, punting and kicking through the uprights. If successful, they will win a trip for two anywhere in North America courtesy of Birmingham's!

KICK FOR TUITION: Over 400 students are joining in the fun at the #WeAreUofR Rams Rev Up! One student will get a chance to kick for their tuition. Thanks to URSU for supporting the fun!

DREAM TRIP DRAW: Thanks to everyone who purchased 2018 Rams Flex Packages! Your name has been entered to win the Football Dream Trip which will be drawn at halftime on Friday. The winner will receive two tickets to see the New York Giants play the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 11 in New Jersey, two tickets to see the Roughriders play the Blue Bombers on Oct. 13 in Winnipeg, and all airfare and accommodations!
 

• Both teams were on the road in the province of Alberta last weekend on the opposite ends of lopsided results. The Rams were 51-13 winners over Alberta, while UBC dropped a 57-7 decision to Calgary.

• Noah Picton continues to climb the U SPORTS all-time list in passing yards. He's now fourth with 10,618 yards and trails only Dan Brannagan (10,714), Michael Faulds (10,811), and Jérémi Roch (11,477).

• The Rams have played no team more often than UBC in the Steve Bryce era. While they're 3-1 against UBC in the regular season since 2016, the Thunderbirds have defeated the Rams in the conference semifinals both of the past two seasons.

NOAH'S NUMBERS: Besides Picton closing in on the all-time passing yards record (see above), he's also one of the career leaders in completions and touchdown passes. He's third all-time with 773 completions, and seventh in U SPORTS history with 69 career touchdown passes. One of the players he's attempting to rein in on the touchdown passes list is former Rams quarterback Teale Orban, who holds the school and Canada West career records with 76.

SCHIENBEIN NAMED CANADA WEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: SB Ryan Schienbein exploded for 13 catches, 176 yards, and a career-high three touchdown receptions in Friday's win over Alberta to claim Canada West Offensive Player of the Week honours. Through two weeks of the conference schedule, Schienbein leads Canada West in both receptions (19) and touchdown catches (4) and is fifth in receiving yards (215).

ATLEE UPDATE: The Rams lost Atlee Simon early in the Alberta game after he was hit awkwardly on his first carry. Kyle Borsa and Tyree Range handled running back duties after the injury to Simon, who is considered day-to-day with a bruised shoulder. Simon currently sits with 3099 career rushing yards, so if he's able to play on Friday he'll need just 97 more to break into Canada West's all-time top ten in that category. If Simon can't dress against UBC, expect first-year RB Semba Mbasela to draw into the Rams' lineup for the first time in his career.

WARNER BREAKING OUT: It's been a long road for fifth-year DL Ryan Warner. He started out with the Rams with a redshirt season in 2012 after graduating from Campbell Collegiate, played for the Rams in 2013, then joined the Regina Thunder for three seasons of junior football. He returned to the Rams last year and, now in his fifth season of eligibility, is enjoying a breakout season. He's collected a sack in both games so far and is currently tied for first in Canada West not only in that category, but also in tackles for loss (2.5).

DEFENCE SHINES: In terms of yards allowed, the Rams defence is coming off its best game in nearly six years. Alberta's offence was able to put together just 40 rushing yards and 244 yards in total, both of which are the fewest allowed by the Rams since a 19-0 win over the Golden Bears back on Oct. 26, 2012. That day, the Rams surrendered just 37 rushing yards and only 140 yards of total offence as both teams had difficulty moving the ball on a cold autumn night at the original Mosaic Stadium.

ALDO-MATIC: First-year K Aldo Galvan has been sensational so far for the Rams. He's a perfect 7-for-7 on field goal attempts, leads Canada West in both field goals made and points scored (30), and is one of three punters in the conference to average in excess of 40 yards per punt through the first two weeks of the season. He's also averaging 63.3 yards per kickoff with the Rams enjoying a net advantage of 5.3 yards following kickoffs (opposition is averaging a 19-yard line start, while the Rams are averaging a 25-yard line start).

RAMS SIGN SIX TO LOI: We're only two games into the 2018 season, but the Rams have also added six new recruits for the 2019 campaign. Three of them signed their U SPORTS Letter of Intent on Sept. 1, the first day Grade 12 student-athletes could officially commit. The Rams welcomed DB Jaxon Fuchs (Michael A. Riffel HS), OL Colby Joyes (Clavet School), and DL Payton O'Connor (Riffel) on that Saturday, then got a commitment from LB Hunter Morgan (Central Collegiate) the following day. The Rams followed that up with commitments from OL Holden Serack (Evan Hardy Collegiate) and LB Jacob Dakiniewich (Dr. Martin LeBoldus HS).

RAMS IN THE PROS: The Rams currently have six players on active professional rosters, including two in the NFL – Akiem Hicks (Chicago) and Brett Jones (Minnesota). Four U of R alumni are in the CFL, including Tevaughn Campbell (Montreal), Jorgen Hus (Saskatchewan), Brendon LaBatte (Saskatchewan), and Richard Sindani (Calgary). Mitchell Picton is on Saskatchewan's practice roster.