Huskies’ offence sputters in football loss to UBC

The Canada West football standings got all bunched up Friday night.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies turned the ball over five times while losing 20-10 to the host UBC Thunderbirds, creating a jam with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Calgary Dinos, who beat the Manitoba Bisons 34-16 Friday, are 6-0 and have clinched a playoff spot. They’re followed by three teams at 3-3, including the Huskies, Bisons and Thunderbirds.

Alberta (2-4) and the Regina Rams (1-5 after a 32-17 victory over Alberta on Friday night) bring up the rear; the Rams were 3-2 before forfeiting all three victories because they used an ineligible player.

Saskatchewan started their season at 3-1, but they lost 33-13 to host Calgary in their previous stop. The UBC loss dropped their record to .500.

The Huskies trailed 13-3 at halftime, closed the gap to 13-10 with a third-quarter Colton Klassen touchdown, but a fourth-quarter UBC major put the visitors away.

Saskatchewan scored those 10 points on 434 yards of total offence, which eclipsed UBC’S 355.

Huskies’ starting quarterback Kyle Siemens hit nine of 18 passes for 117 yards and an interception. He was replaced at halftime by backup Mason Nyhus, who hit 12 of 24 for 220 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Klassen caught a game-high seven passes for 127 yards, including a 31-yard TD catch. Sean Stenger added a 27-yard field goal.

UBC’S Trivel Pinto scored on an 11-yard pass and Lliam Wishart on a pass from 31 yards out. Greg Hutchins booted field goals of 43 and 47 yards.

The Huskies are back in action next Saturday afternoon with a home game against the Manitoba Bisons. It’s their final home contest of the regular season; they wrap things up the following weekend with a road game in Regina.