Bisons on verge of playoff berth

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This article was published 16/10/2023 (1078 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The outlook was bleak for the University of Manitoba Bisons football program in mid-September.

The team had suffered a 56-10 blowout defeat to the Thunderbirds in British Columbia — its third consecutive loss — to remain in the basement of the Canada West conference standings. The Bisons had gone into battle without starting quarterback Jackson Tachinski, who injured his non-throwing (left) shoulder the previous week in Edmonton and was expected to be shelved for weeks.

That was then. This is now.

Tachinski’s absence was shorter than expected and Manitoba has posted a trio of triumphs.

The Bisons (3-3) will go for another on Friday night at home against the front-running Alberta Golden Bears (6-1) in a pivotal matchup at IG Field (7 p.m.).

A win clinches a fifth straight playoff berth for the Herd.

“I think guys are starting to get more comfortable in our system,” Tachinski said. “Our mentality has shifted a bit that when you start off 0-3 it’s not good, but we just kept chipping away at it. And the wins start falling. Maybe we can (attribute) that to some guys picking it up, but also I think guys (are) getting more comfortable in the system and more comfortable in their spots and knowing their roles.

“I think that’s a big part of football and I think when you figure that out, the game becomes a lot easier.”

The Bisons travelled into enemy territory Saturday and knocked off the Regina Rams 41-34 in a thriller. Tachinski lowered his shoulder into a Rams defender at the goal line to cap an 84-yard game-winning drive and give the Bisons the lead in the dying moments of the game.

It’s been three weeks since the Bisons’ leader returned from injury. The dual-threat pivot has found another gear in that time, racking up 826 passing yards while tossing four TD strikes and yielding no interceptions. He’s also rushed for 233 yards and five majors.

“It’s been so much fun,” said Tachinski, the third-year pivot is in his first full season as the team’s starter. “Compared to the first three weeks, you get that one win and your confidence shoots up and then you just keep piling them up and your team starts rolling a bit.

“It’s always fun to win, especially in this conference because it’s a super hard conference to win in,” he continued. “Anyone can really win any game so anytime you pull out a win or a couple of wins or three in a row, it’s a really good feeling and it’s a lot more winning than losing.”

A major contribution has come from kicker Maya Turner, who earlier this season became the first woman to dress and score points in a regular season U Sports football game. In Regina, Turner went four-for-five on field goals, connecting on a career-long 48-yard try in the fourth quarter. She was also perfect on three-extra-point tries.

Turner has been good on eight of nine field-goal attempts and all 10 extra-point tries in three games to begin her career.

“I’m super proud of her and I know she’ll keep going. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the wins started coming in (when she started playing),” said Tachinski. “I think she’s a big part of why we’ve been winning and I think she’s going to keep it up.”

The Bisons lost to the host Golden Bears 37-16 on Sept. 8.

Tachinski said he thought the Bisons were unprepared in the first meeting but will be ready this time around and a bit more amped than usual.

“Anytime you play the best team record-wise in the conference, you’re gonna bring a little bit more of your A-game.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

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