Bisons grind out win over Rams, improve to 5-0

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This article was published 28/09/2024 (401 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba Bisons broke open a tight game with a devastating ground attack and a pair of third-quarter touchdowns en route to a 22-13 triumph over the Regina Rams in Canada West university football action at Princess Auto Stadium Saturday night.

Manitoba, which clinched a playoff berth with the win, is now 5-0 for the first time in 17 years and sits all alone atop the conference standings.

Breydon Stubbs carried the ball 27 times for 121 yards and one touchdown to lead all Manitoba runners but the hosts also got 45 rushing yards on six attempts from tailback Shakur Harris.

“I think it’s just the mentality when the running back gets the rock and the O-line know that, we’re getting five to 10 yards per carry,” said Harris.

“That’s what we strive to do as probably the best running team in the league and we don’t even have a tight end set. We only do it on second-and-short, so that’s pretty big. Our front five are the best O-linemen in the country.”

Stubbs now has 471 rushing yards in five games, 37 short of a career high established over eight games in 2022.

Quarterback Jackson Tachinski was also a rushing threat, getting 31 yards on four carries including a 13-yard touchdown gallop early in the third quarter to give Manitoba a 14-6 lead.

“After I dodged the second guy all I saw was green grass everywhere,” said Tachinski. “I just took off and knew I had a touchdown.”

The Bisons got a one-yard touchdown from Stubbs late in the second quarter to take a 7-6 lead at the intermission.

“In previous years we would’ve started to panic,” said Tachinski. “With this team, whenever we’re down, we’re always so calm on the sidelines. It doesn’t really matter what the score is.”

The Bisons finished with 29 first downs, 230 rushing yards and 428 yards of total offence.

“We just told ourselves we’ve got to execute,” said Tachinski about the halftime discussion. “There were some pretty uncharacteristic mistakes at the beginning. We were a little slow, a little flat. The coaches told us to get on our horse and start executing plays, start playing at full speed and (the Rams) are going to wear down and we’re going to start getting yards.”

Tachinski completed 15-of-22 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown, a play covering 25 yards to Mula Yitna to stretch the lead to 21-6.

Marshall Erichsen, who had 86 yards on 16 carries, scored on a seven-yard run to pull the Rams to within eight points at 21-13 in the fourth quarter but that was as close as the visitors would get.

Manitoba’s Stephen Adamopoulos, with 2:11 left in fourth quarter, and Dario Macchia, with 56 seconds remaining in the game, intercepted passes thrown by Rams quarterback Noah Pelletier.

“It’s really been a progression and it just feels like right now is where it’s all coming together and we’re all able to really communicate with one another and just play in the system that (defensive co-ordinator Stan Pierre) has designed for us,” said Adamopoulos, a fifth-year senior.

Pelletier went 16-for-32 for 220 yards.

The Rams had 99 yards rushing and 297 yards in total offence.

Regina fell to 2-3 but remains in contention for the post-season.