EDMONTON -Â Â The Alberta Golden Bears will look to end their three-game losing skid with a date in Winnipeg this Friday against the Manitoba Bisons.
Both teams sit at 2-4 this season, with the fourth and final playoff spot at stake this weekend. The Bears earned a 34-11 win over the Bisons in Week 2, and currently hold the tie-breaker over Manitoba.Â
Alberta struggled to get the offence going last week, losing 24-11 in a marquee matchup to the Calgary Dinos. Played within the confines of Commonwealth Stadium, the Bears managed just 271 yards of total offence and punted a season-high 10 times. Jonathan Ericson, playing QB for the Bears in relief of an injured Eli Hetlinger, finished the day completing 11 passes on 25 attempts for just 198 yards. His counterpart Dinos second-year QB Daniel Sananes threw for 317 yards with two touchdowns and interceptions a piece. Fourth-year Dinos DL Josh Hyer was a standout among a ferocious Calgary defensive attack, recording a sack and three tackles for losses.
The Manitoba Bisons lost an exciting matchup against the UBC Thunderbirds (3-3) 27-21 in Vancouver which saw the Bisons fall just short of a comeback after scoring 13 points in the final four minutes. Fifth-year Manitoba QB Des Catellier had a busy day, going 17/24 for 231 yards through the air and adding a career-high 83 yards on the ground. The TBirds offence proved too much to overcome however, as they slashed through the Bisons run defence to the tune of a 241 yard, two touchdown day on the ground.
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GAME INFORMATION
Golden Bears Football (2-4 Conference, 3-4 Overall)
Conference
Saturday, October 22
Alberta @ Manitoba Bisons (2-4), IG Field, 12:00 p.m. MT
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HEADLINES
- The squads met up in early-September this season, a Bears 34-11 victory at Foote Field.
- The Bisons swept the season series last year, with a 31-17 regular season victory at Foote Field and then a 43-17 Hardy Cup playoff victory in Winnipeg.
- Alberta edges Manitoba in their all-time head-to-head clashes with a 49-44-2 record. However, this includes a 24-29-1 record playing in Winnipeg.
- A win for Alberta would mark their first two-game sweep over the Bisons in one season since 2010.Â
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alberta: DB Jonathan Giustini (#20) - The 2021 Canada West All-Star place kicker is once again having a dominant season, both as the Bears primary kicker and starting safety. Giustinin leads the Bears with five pass breakups, adding 29 total tackles and one interception. He has also converted on five of his seven field goal attempts, making all 14 of his extra point attempts.Â
Manitoba: RB Breydon Stubbs (#22) - The second-year ranks fifth in the league in rushing yards helping the Bisons to achieve the second-best rushing attack in the CW. Playing behind a talent in Catellier, Stubbs provides an equal danger to keep defences honest and will provide a hard matchup for the Golden bears defence.
