Box Score In a game that saw almost 1100 total combined yards of offence and just under 90 points scored, it was special teams and a defence stop that turned the tide for the #8 Manitoba Bisons football team as they defeated the Alberta Golden Bears by a score of 51-38 at University Stadium (U of Manitoba campus) on Saturday, September 22. The game was the only meeting this season between the two teams. With the home victory, Manitoba improves to a 3-1 record and tied for second in the Canada West conference with Regina. Alberta is now 0-4 and tied for last with UBC in the conference at the halfway point of the 2012 regular season. Early in the second half, special teams were pivotal for the home side. The Bears drove with the 30 km/hr. wind at their back and set-up for a field goal that would push their lead to ten points, as they were ahead 24-17 at the time. Alberta kicker Stephen Fabian (Tilley, AB) missed a 42 yarder and Bison running back/kick returner Nic Demski (Winnipeg) proceeded to weave his way from the back of the end zone all the way to the Bears’ 30 yard line and a 98 yard missed field goal return. On the next play, Bison quarterback Cam Clark (Whalley, BC) found SB Andrew Smith (Nanaimo, BC) for a 30 yard TD pass and a tie score.  On the ensuing Alberta drive, Manitoba stopped them on a 2-and-out and then Fabian punt was blocked and then recovered in the end zone by the same player – Bison FB Andrew Barry (Wellandport, ON). The 14 points came in only a 1:32 span and the Bisons took the lead and continued to hold the advantage for the rest of the exciting match-up. The Bisons scored on their third consecutive possession of the third quarter when Clark found Demski in the end zone on a 37 yard pass play to up the lead to 38-24 with still over six minutes left in the quarter. After Bears quarterback Curtis Dell (Calgary) found WR Ryley Richardson (Spruce Grove, AB) for a 15 yard TD pass, the Bisons regained the 14 point lead when Demski scooted for a 20 yard TD run at the start of the fourth quarter and a Manitoba 45-31 lead. The last turning point of the game occurred after that score when the visitors marched down and were moving in for points when the Bison defence made a big 3-and-1 stop on Manitoba’s 17 yard line and stopped a potential scoring drive. Late in the fourth, Alberta scored a touchdown when Dell ran in from one yard and Bison kicker Nick Boyd (Vancouver) added two field goals for the final score. In a game with high-octane offence, the Bisons had numerous offence standouts. Clark ended up tied for the second most passing yards in a single game in team history with 442 yards (Shane Munson – 442 yards on Sept. 8, ’01 at SK) on 23-27 (85%) with 4 TDs while Demski added 1 receiving TD for 37 yards, 31 rushing yards on seven carries and 1 rush TD along with 128 punt return yards on three attempts and 42 kickoff return yards for a whopping 238 all-purpose yards in the game. RB Anthony Coombs (Winnipeg) had a team-high 81 rushing yards on 14 carries (5.8 avg.) plus Smith hauled in 128 receiving yards on five catches and 2 TDs. SB Danny Turek (Winnipeg) added 108 yards on five catches and 1 TD. SB Matt LaRiviere also has two grabs for 80 receiving yards while in special teams, Brendon Bowman (Winnipeg) had a 40.2 punt average and Boyd was 3-4 on field goals. For Alberta, Dell had an impressive 335 passing yards from 19-33 and 1 TD while also running for 60 yards on nine carries and 1 rush TD. RB Tyler Lewis (Red Deer, AB) had a game-high 115 rushing yards on 16 carries and 1 TD. WR/KR Jess Valleau (Wainwright, AB) had a monster game with a game-high 158 receiving yards on six catches plus added 62 kick return yards and 70 punt return yards for 290 all-purpose yards in the 60 minute contest. Richardson registered 98 yards on six grabs and 1 TD and WR Yembeh Moiba (Winnipeg) had 60 receiving yards on five receptions. Fabian was 1-2 on FGs and posted a 38.9 punt avg. On defence, Alberta was led individually by LB Ryan Dean (Edmonton) with 7.5 total tackles and one forced fumble and LB Duncan Morris (Edmonton) had 7.5 total tackles (with 2.5 for losses). DL Steven Giang (Edmonton) registered 6.5 tackles (one for a loss) with one forced fumble and one block while DL David Beard (Sherwood Park, AB) accounted for 6.0 tackles and one sack. The Bisons had DB Adam Mazowita (Winnipeg) as top tackler with 5.5 total tackles and DL Ranji Atwall (Richmond, BC) had 5.0 tackles followed by LB Thomas Hall with 4.5 tackles and one sack then S Teague Sherman and LB Bami Adewale (Brampton, ON) both notched 4.5 tackles. The team stats stacked up with both teams tied with 23 first downs each; Alberta out rushing Manitoba by a 202-138 margin; Bisons out passing Bears by 474-335 and total offence was 574 for Manitoba and 516 for Alberta. The penalties were 10-85 yards for Alberta and 13-125 yards for the Bisons. The Bears had six tackles for losses with one sack and one fumble recovery while the Bisons has one block, two sacks and stopped Alberta twice on third downs. Alberta led time of possession with 31:18 to 28:42. In week five football conference action, Manitoba (3-1) will have a second place showdown on the road at Regina (3-1) on Friday, September 28 at 7 p.m. MT. Alberta (0-4) goes back home to host UBC (0-4) in a battle for fifth spot on Saturday, September 29 at 1 p.m. MT.  Share this story Top stories from UAlberta