Saturday’s football game against the University of Manitoba Bisons was UBC’s chance to prove how much they have improved over the season. After losing their first two games, including a September 33–10 loss to the Bisons, they’ve since won five consecutive games. If the ‘Birds beat Manitoba by at least 23, they would have completed the comeback to secure the first seed in Canada West. Instead, Manitoba rushed for 436 yards — the second most in their franchise’s history — while embarrassing UBC 51–38.
Things began promisingly for the T-Birds. On their first offensive play, quarterback Garrett Rooker unleashed a bomb down the field to receiver Shemar McBean for a 49–yard completion. Yet, one play later, UBC committed the first of many unforced errors that would tip the game in Manitoba’s favour. On what would have been a 25-yard completion, the ‘Birds went offside, forcing them to settle for a field goal.
UBC’s mental mistakes continued. On the Bisons’ first drive, a UBC offsides call turned a would-be third down into a second-and-short, which Manitoba converted, before scoring a touchdown on the next play. Directly after, a Rooker interception led to a Bisons’ field goal and on the next Bisons drive, a UBC pass interference call nullified a turnover on downs, leading to a Manitoba touchdown. On the next play, UBC fumbled the kickoff, leading to yet another Bisons touchdown.
After a UBC punt, it only took Manitoba five plays to reach the end zone one more time. Only six minutes into the second quarter, the T-Birds were down 31–3.
Yet, to the Thunderbirds’ credit, they were able to respond to Manitoba’s 31 unanswered points with a streak of their own. A long completion to McBean, an interception by Jerrell Cummings and an excellent two-minute-drill led by Rooker led to three touchdowns, bringing UBC within one score at half, trailing only 31–24.
Despite the honourable effort, the second half proved Manitoba to be the superior team. A suspect UBC run defence got trampled all half, giving up a 50-yard touchdown run on the Bisons’ first drive of the half, before immediately allowing an 11-play, 83-yard touchdown drive in which Manitoba only needed to throw the ball once.
While the ‘Birds were close on the scoreboard, with how thoroughly they were being beaten on the ground by the Bisons, they never came close to the lead.
Humbled, the Thunderbirds must quickly look to turn things around. With the regular season now behind them, they must prepare for their first postseason test — a date with rivals University of Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Thunderbird Stadium.
Share this article
First online
