Top spot on line for Dinos in Regina
Perhaps they can organize a tour after the dust has settled.
Right now they’ve got work to do.
Indeed, the Calgary Dinos (6-0) walk into Regina’s new Mosaic Stadium for the first time Saturday afternoon with the knowledge a football victory over the host Rams (2 p.m.) would clinch top spot in the Canada West conference and home field advantage through to the Mitchell Bowl.
The last time his Dinos were in a similar position — a late season 50-31 loss to the Manitoba Bisons during their first visit to Investors Group Field in Winnipeg in 2014 — head coach Wayne Harris admitted he didn’t get the outcome he was looking for.
“It’s always tough playing Regina in Regina and being our first time at the new stadium, guys will have to get that out of their minds and focus on playing football,” Harris said.
“I remember the first one against Manitoba. We didn’t play very well in their brand new stadium, and hopefully, we won’t make those mistakes again.”
The Rams (4-2) and UBC Thunderbirds (4-2) are the only two teams with a shot at catching the Dinos in the standings and the Dinos hold the tiebreaker over the Thunderbirds.
Given that the Dinos beat the Rams 46-26 in the their only other meeting of the season on Sept. 8, a win or a loss by fewer than 20 points will lock up top spot for Calgary.
Behind two of the most efficient quarterbacks in the conference — the Dinos’ Adam Sinagra and the Rams’ Noah Picton, the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner — Saturday’s tilt will feature the two most prolific offences in Canada West.
The Dinos are averaging 542 yards of offence per game to lead Canada West, while Picton’s Rams are No. 2 with 493.7.
Picton is just 15 yards away from breaking the Canada West career passing record of 9,449 yards, currently held by former Rams pivot Teale Orban.
With two games to play, Picton is also within striking distance of becoming the first player in Canada West history and just the sixth nationally to throw for 10,000 yards in his career — and all this with a year of eligibility remaining.
If you’re looking for a broadcast of the big game, TELUS Optik TV (channels 997/998) will have live coverage. Meanwhile, the contest has been designated as the game of the week on CanadaWest.tv, with complementary viewing.
Calgary wraps up the regular season next weekend at home against the Alberta Golden Bears with a Canada West semifinal set for McMahon Stadium on Nov. 4.