The University of Rregina Rams had better be lit at Leibel Field under the Friday night lights if the team hopes to make the Canada West football playoffs.
The 2-5 Rams enter the regular season finale with a simple proposition: win-and-you’re-in versus lose-or-tie-and-you’re out.
Facing a University of Alberta Golden Bears squad with an identical record, and identical five-game losing skid, the Rams must beat the one team who has blown them out this season.
It’s a tall order on the first night of the World Series for a football team down to its last strike. An added twist is the change in venue to the cozy confines of Leibel Field, away from the normally cavernous Mosaic Stadium.
“It’ll be noisier there,” head coach Mark McConkey said. “Usually, we’re on the fans side but they’re going to be on the fans side this time and we’re taking the far sideline, so that’ll be nice. It will be quiet on our sideline. Hopefully the fans can get after them a little bit.”
Regina are 2-0 all-time at Leibel Field including a playoff-clinching win over these same Golden Bears back in 2022.
Linebacker Cameron Mah and defensive Jackson Sombach are the two graduating seniors on the Rams defence. McConkey wants his team to send them out on a high by making the playoffs.
“Find something to play for,” McConkey said. “Whether you want to go pro or if it’s a guy like Jackson Sombach or Cameron Mah who’ve been here for five-plus years, find your why this week because you’ve got to find some reason to bring your energy up and execute at the highest level we can.”
Centre Riley Schick and quarterback Owen Sieben are listed as game-time decisions as both could return from injury, although it remains highly unlikely Sieben starts after missing almost the entire season due to injury.
Regina’s defence got shredded by Alberta’s running game in their last meeting, including 116 yards along the ground in the first half alone from the Canada West reigning player-of-the-year and Hamilton Tiger-Cats draft pick, Matthew Peterson. His total came in the first half as part of a 252-yard-rushing night. A repeat of which, the Rams can ill-afford in this must-win affair.
A victory could mean a trip to Winnipeg to face the Manitoba Bisons unless those same Bisons get blown out against the University of British Columbia by 23 or more points which would put the Thunderbirds into first place and mean a trip to Vancouver for the Rams.
The Golden Bears need a win or tie and some help in order to get into the postseason. The University of Calgary Dinos would then need to lose to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday to get Alberta into the playoffs.
This Rams vs. Golden Bears match-up can be heard on CKRM2 Friday night with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. and kickoff at 7:00 p.m. with live play-by-play.
