The University of Saskatchewan Huskies didn’t leave much to doubt in their Canada West football match-up with the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday night.
Saskatchewan scored 31 points in the second half and had six touchdown passes from Anton Amundrud on their way to a 65-12 victory in Edmonton.
The Huskies improve to 2-1 on the campaign, Alberta falls to 1-2.
Saskatchewan had the first big play of the game three minutes into the contest when Lucas Scheck hauled in an interception at the Alberta 52 and took it back 41 yards to the Alberta 11.
A couple of plays later, Amundrud found Ryder Varga in the back of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 11:55 to play in the first quarter.
Alberta got up to midfield on their next possession, but Scheck would strike again, this time hauling in a pass over the middle and taking it back to the Huskies 52. That drive got up to the Golden Bears’ 23, and James Keane would kick a 30-yard field goal to give Saskatchewan a 10-0 edge with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
The Huskies special teams got in on the action to start the second quarter. Owen Mazur got through to block an Alberta punt, and Javin Boynton would recover the loose ball to set up Saskatchewan at the Bears four yard line.
Aulain Penner finished the drive off one play later, and the Huskies had a 17-0 lead.
The Saskatchewan defence struck again on Alberta’s next drive, as Sam Pratt recovered a fumble at the Alberta 30, and a handful of plays later, Keane would hit a 27-yard field goal to give the Huskies a 20-0 lead with 11 minutes to go in the half.
A slick seam route by Dawson Lennea closed out Saskatchewan’s next series, as Amundrud would find him wide open for a 27-yard touchdown catch and a 27-0 edge with 7:21 to play in the second quarter.
The beat just kept on the next time the Huskies had the ball, and this time Saskatchewan broke out the big-play playbook. Amundrud threw up a pass from the Huskies 53 that receiver Keaton Belsher would haul in at the 10 before going the rest of the way for the major and a 34-0 lead.
Alberta kicked a 15-yard field goal with two minutes left in the half, but Saskatchewan wasn’t done yet, as Ryder Varga hauled in a five-yard pass on a crossing route to make it 41-3 Huskies at the halftime break.
Things didn’t get any better for Alberta after the break. Only three minutes into the third quarter, Amundrud flipped the ball to Belsher on a third-and-two and he’d go 52 yards on the jet sweep to make it 48-3.
Saskatchewan got home for another blocked punt on the Bears next series and they’d start their next drive from the Alberta 24. The Bears defence stood tall, though, getting a stop on a third-and-short gamble to hold the Huskies without any points.
A penalty-aided drive late in the third quarter led to Alberta’s first touchdown of the game. Eli Hetlinger found the end zone from a yard out, and after a two-point convert the Huskies had a 48-12 lead with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
Huskies running back Javin Boynton got in on the action on the Huskies’ next drive, taking a swing pass and rumbling 20 yards for the major and a 55-12 edge.
That’s where things stood through three quarters, and Saskatchewan would extend their lead early in the fourth on a 35-yard field goal from Keane.
Jake Farrell took over at quarterback for the Huskies, and Kyle Conteh would be the beneficiary, hauling in a pass over the middle at the 40, breaking a handful of tackles and going 62 yards for the major and a 65-12 lead.
Amundrud finished 12-for-18 passing for 279 yards and his six majors. Eight different players had carries for the Huskies, with Kayden Miller leading the way with eight carries for 40 yards. Keaton Belsher once again led the receiving corps, with his two big plays leading to four catches for 117 yards. Conteh finished with three catches for 107 yards.
Christian Veilleux went 26-for-44 for 229 yards and the two interceptions for Alberta, Seth Poelzer ran 14 times for 88 yards and Alejandro Ogunyemi was their top receiver with seven catches for 55 yards.
Saskatchewan had 492 yards of offence, Alberta 368.
The Huskies are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 26 when they’re in Regina to face the University of Regina Rams. Game time is 2 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.
