The University of Regina Rams need a better second half to their season than they've had to their games if they expect any home playoff games in November.
The 2-2 Rams visit the 1-3 University of Calgary Dinos in what looks like a fork-in-the-road kind of moment for the U-of-R's football program. It's the only Rams-Dinos game this season with the winner getting the head-to-head tiebreaker which might loom large at season's end in the ultra-tight Canada West standings.
A win pushes the Rams into an eventual tie with the loser of Saturday night's UBC-Saskatchewan game (unless that game ends in a tie) and firmly in control of their own destiny for getting into a home playoff position.
A loss, on the other hand, drops the Rams under .500 for the first time in nearly two years and possibly out of a playoff position heading into the bye week. The magnitude of the moment is not lost on the never too high or too low head coach Mark McConkey.
"These single head-to-head games are always big every year and it's a big game. The standings are starting to divide themselves and it's really just what section do we want to be in? If we get a win here, we're in a better spot going into the last three games. If we lose, we're not back against the wall but we're kind of getting into territory where we need to win two-out-of-three kind of thing", McConkey said.
The Rams second half's have been a problem in back-to-back losses to UBC and Saskatchewan, third quarters in particular including a 21-0 meltdown suffered to the Huskies last week in a disastrous start to the second half which ultimately sunk Regina's boat in a 38-31 loss, a defeat which has shone a light on Regina's third quarter struggles in which they have yet to score a touchdown in any of their five games this season.
The coach admits his crew has been re-thinking their approach to the second half this week.
"I'd say it's been two games in a row of a bad third quarter and even in UBC it was just the offence. The defence, I thought, played pretty well to start the third quarter. Obviously late in the 3rd, UBC got it going a little bit but last game, everyone was bad", McConkey said.
It's a showdown of sorts for Calgary's high-powered passing offence under American quarterback David Jordan against the Rams high-powered pass defence that includes four reigning all-stars in six key secondary roles. Jordan, in his second year since being steered north by Henry Burris from Florida A&M, can become eligible for the CFL draft and to be a Canadian for CFL purposes if he finishes three seasons with the Dinos and graduates from the University of Calgary.
Regina's head coach has seen plenty of film on the California kid and notices definite improvement from his rookie year.
"He's a little more patient and calm and looks like he's got a little more confidence and that's what happens as quarterbacks move up in age and years of eligibility", McConkey said. "He's definitely taken some big strides forward this year as a passer for sure."
"(Dinos receiver and Canada West leader Matt Sibley) is having a great year and is one of the best receivers in U-sports period. He's a heck of a football player."
The Rams are 7-1 against the Dinos since the pandemic in the time that coach McConkey, who grew up in Calgary, has been leading the way. That includes victories in all three games played at McMahon Stadium during that time.
Quarterback Owen Sieben and running back Marshall Erichsen will make their second straight starts after both returning from injuries last week.
Speedy receiver/kick returner Kaleb Senz is out with an injury and will be replaced on the roster by Taggart Rowell.
A crisp autumn day is expected for this game with a temperature of 14 degrees celsius forecast for kickoff and the temperature rising through out the game under a mix of sun and cloud and very little wind.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on www.620ckrm.com and available on the main network. The pregame show is at 12:45 from McMahon Stadium with kickoff at 1:00.
