A Friday night win for the Regina Rams could put them into the driver's seat for nailing down a home playoff game.
The Rams get another crack at the UBC Thunderbirds at Leibel Field in a rematch of one the best finishes all season from September when the Rams lost on two last play Hail Mary throws.
In what will be the Rams' final home game of the regular season, a win over UBC would move them into a second-place tie with the Thunderbirds at 4-3. A win by six or more points would also grab the tiebreaker from the T-Birds, which would put Regina on track to host a playoff game.
The importance of snagging that tiebreaker isn't lost on Rams coach Mark McConkey.
"If the end of the game comes down to it and we have an opportunity to win by six or more, we're going to go for it," McConkey said. "But we're not going to jeopardize the win.
"An example I gave the team was if we're up by three with 45 seconds left, we're not going to go for it on third and five from our own 20-yard line because that would be just stupid. But if we're on their 15 and we're only up by two, we might go for it to get that touchdown.
"But first and foremost, the win is the most important thing."
A five-point Regina win would also give the Rams the tiebreaker, at least temporarily, based on points for and against, holding a 25-point advantage on the T-Birds entering the week. A four-point Regina win would leave the tiebreaker with UBC.
A Thunderbirds win would clinch a home playoff game for UBC.
A Rams win in this game, regardless of victory margin, combined with Calgary Dinos loss at home to Manitoba on Saturday, would clinch a Regina playoff berth.
Opinions are usually mixed from both the Rams and the visiting teams about whether it's better to play at Leibel Field, which provides a more intimate setting, or the luxurious amenities of Mosaic Stadium, still regarded by many as the finest football stadium in Canada.
The wind usually plays a bigger factor at Leibel and Rams quarterback Owen Sieben is ready for that.
"We're expecting a little bit of rain and a little bit of wind," Sieben said. "But ultimately, we can't control those things so we've got to control what we can control and go execute."
The Rams came within 10 yards of their single-game team rushing record when they ran wild over Alberta last week with 317 rushing yards, mostly from Carter Ashman. The quarterback feels like their whole offence is back on track too after putting up four touchdowns in that win.
"I think just us remembering what a win felt like made us feel the energy on the sideline after the game," Sieben said. "In the week of practice since, we've got more energy and we've got that chip on our shoulder back."
As shown in that win over the Golden Bears, the run game has been the Rams' bread and butter on offence for a few years on a team that has had success with no fewer than four different running backs. Their offensive line is getting more attention all the time because of it so nobody should be surprised if they try to run against UBC, too.
It's a showdown of the two best defences in Canada West and UBC quarterback Drew Viotto will have his work cut out for him against the Rams star-studded secondary.
"They're a really good team and have a very good defence," Viotto said. "They like to mix it up and bring all kinds of different pressures so we've got to be ready for that.
"Definitely not a team you want to take lightly. (The Rams) have got a lot of talent on that defence."
Rams defensive back Jacob Tkachuk says the UBC quarterback will keep him and his teammates on their toes.
"He's a gunslinger for sure," Tkachuk said. "His receivers are really talented."
Like the U of R, the Thunderbirds can run the ball, too. Their star running back Marvyn (The Missile) Larozar burned Regina for 210 yards and two long touchdowns runs in their last meeting, including one for 70 yards. The Rams will have to contain him if they expect to win.
The Rams are 5-1 all time at Leibel Field, their only loss coming in the regular season finale last year to this same UBC team.
Double-digit temperatures are expected at kickoff but the forecast does call for things to cool down to 5 C by the end of the game with a small chance of rain. Wind is expected to be light but still could play a factor in the wide open space of Leibel Field.
This game will be broadcast live on www.620ckrm.com by clicking on the CKRM 2 option. Pregame show is at 6:45 p.m. with kickoff at 7.
