EDMONTON – For the first time in meaningful competition since last year's Hardy Cup Semifinal meeting in Edmonton, the Alberta Golden Bears and Saskatchewan Huskies will meet. Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon will play host to the Week 5 matchup between Western Canadian rivals, with playoff implications already hanging heavy over the matchup.
 
Alberta enters Week 5 sitting second in Canada West with a 2-2 record, jumping up the standings thanks to a 30-6 home win over Regina last Friday. True to their identity, the Golden Bears ran for 252 yards in the win over the Rams, also forcing five Regina turnovers in the blowout win. Halfway through the 2024 campaign, Alberta sits atop a cluster of programs fighting for three playoff spots with their 2-2 record.
 
The Huskies, meanwhile, have struggled out of the gate with a 1-3 record through four games. The Huskies faltered in a 38-24 road loss to UBC in Week 4, and have given up 33 or more points in each game this season.
 
The Golden Bears won all three matchups against Saskatchewan in 2023, including their 40-17 Hardy Cup semifinal win at Foote Field. It is the first three-game win streak for the Bears over the Huskies since 2003/2004. The last time Alberta won more than three-straight conference/playoff games over the Huskies was the mid 80's, when Alberta won seven-straight between October 1983 and September 1986.
 
The Bears were boosted by explosive plays and turnovers in their playoff win over Saskatchewan last fall. Alberta scored 23 unanswered points in the first half, also sacking Huskies QB Anton Amundrud twice, and forcing five Huskie turnovers. Bears pivot Eli Hetlinger also tossed for 279 yards and four touchdowns in the 23-point win, which was the first playoff victory for head coach Chris Morris.

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GAME INFO

Golden Bears Football (2-2 Conference, 2-3 Overall)
Conference
Friday, September 27
Alberta @ Saskatchewan Huskies (1-3), Griffiths Stadium, 7:00 p.m. MT

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KEY STATS

• The Golden Bears have a tried and true offensive identity. Alberta leads the country averaging 230.5 rush yards per game, with a bulk of the carries going to 2023 CW MVP Mathew Peterson. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats draft pick leads the conference with 434 rushing yards, with fellow RB Ope Oshinubi sitting fifth with 287.
• Thanks to their dominant ground game, Alberta also leads U SPORTS in time of possession, averaging 35:23 minutes per game of offence. No team in the country is within two minutes of the Bears mark, with Saskatchewan (31:07) being the next closes CW school.
• The Saskatchewan defence is a large factor in the Huskies 1-3 start to 2024. Saskatchewan has allowed 460 yards and 37.0 points against per game, both ranking last in Canada West. The Huskies have just one sack in four games, and are still looking for their first interception of the season.
• If the first four weeks are any indication, Friday night's game should be high-octane. Saskatchewan's four games have seen an average of 67 points scored, highlighted by a 44-40 2OT win over Calgary in Week 3.