Action Jackson on a roll QB Tachinksi peaking at right time as Bisons prepare for Canada West playoffs By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 6:46 PM CDT Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025

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This article was published 22/10/2025 (349 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jackson Tachinski hasn’t felt like himself in weeks.

Yet, the University of Manitoba Bisons’ quarterback is perhaps playing some of his best football of the season.

The fifth-year dual-threat pivot, who is playing through an injury to the thumb on his right (throwing) hand after being sidelined for about a game and a half, has caught fire since returning to action full-time, tossing for 574 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 94 yards and five touchdowns in the last two contests.

The Bisons won both games during that stretch, including a 33-31 victory over the Calgary Dinos that punched Manitoba’s ticket to the Canada West conference playoffs for the seventh year in a row.

“For sure. I think those first couple games (of the season), we weren’t really ourselves,” said Tachinski, who set a new career-high in passing yards (333) against the Dinos. “We just didn’t get off to the hottest start, and we kind of just had to jell a bit. But I think these past few weeks, we’ve been a lot more like ourselves.”

The Bisons (4-3) eclipsed 20 points twice in their first five contests. They’ve now scored more than 30 in each of their last two outings, a sure sign that the offence is hitting its stride down the stretch.

Tachinski has been much more pleased with the way he’s played.

“Those first couple of games, I kind of wanted to get my feet wet. The last time I was playing in a football game, I was playing receiver,” said Tachinski, who was invited to the CFL’s Edmonton Elks training camp as a pass-catcher in the spring.

“So, maybe I just needed a couple of games just to kind of get back to the position and get used to it again. I’m not too sure what it was, but, yeah, I think recently I’ve been playing a lot better, and I think I’ve been working a lot harder. I’ve been watching a lot more film, I’ve been working with our guys a lot more, and just being a lot more focused. So I think that’s a contributor to that, too.”

“Those first couple of games, I kind of wanted to get my feet wet. The last time I was playing in a football game, I was playing receiver.”

The Bisons conclude their regular season on the road against the Saskatchewan Huskies (6-1) Saturday afternoon, a game that could impact the Huskies’ playoff seeding and who Manitoba plays in the conference semifinals.

Should the Bisons and the Regina Rams (hosting the University of British Columbia on Friday) win, Manitoba will head back on the road to face the Huskies in the first round of playoffs. If the Bisons or Rams lose, they will face off next weekend in Regina.

First-year Bisons head coach Stan Pierre said he wants his team to enter the playoffs on a positive note, if possible. So he is treating this week like any other, which includes playing his starters.

“We just approach each week individually, we don’t look ahead,” said Pierre. “I’ve been preaching to these guys to stay dedicated to their process and to be consistent with their process, and I think it would be hypocritical for me to deviate from that right now.”

Pierre has been pleased with his offence’s recent stretch, but is looking for a cleaner effort from his entire team. The Bisons were flagged 15 times for 165 yards against the Dinos, while the defence has been uncharacteristically gashed at times.

“I don’t know how many 15-yarders we had, that’s crazy,” he said. “We’re never going to win in the playoffs with that. Those are things right there that it doesn’t matter who’s playing; we can clean those things up.”

The Bisons will look for a more complete effort against a formidable Huskies squad that has scored more points (222) and allowed fewer (131) than other team in the conference.

Fourth-year quarterback Anton Amundrud has 14 passing touchdowns and is averaging 328 yards per game, both tops in Canada West. Meanwhile, Amundrud’s favourite target, receiver Daniel Wiebe, is averaging 118 receiving yards per game and has accounted for nine touchdowns, while running back Ryker Frank is averaging 95 ground yards per contest.

“They’re just really a solid football team,” Pierre said. “They’re really physical. They’re really well coached. They do have some high-end guys — maybe not as many as they’ve had in the past, but their high-end guys are really, really, good. Certainly, we’re going to have to be aware of those guys.”

The Bisons have already solved the Huskies once, handing their Prairie rival a 21-20 defeat in Week 3. Fitting for how their season has gone, Manitoba trailed that game 17-0 at halftime before turning it on in the second half.

“I think as a team, you much rather prefer a slow start to the season and finishing off hot than the other way around,” said Tachinski. “I think we’re in a really good position, and I’m really confident where we’re at right now.”

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Neill makes history at Canada West Golf Championships

On Tuesday, Manitoba Bisons golfer Rory Neill became the first player in program history to individually medal at the Canada West Golf Championships.

Neill captured silver after rounds of 71 and 64 for a two-day 135 (9-under) total to finish one stroke off Owen Croft of Victoria at Chilliwack Golf Club. Neill fired a tournament-low 8-under 64 on Day 2, highlighted by nine birdies, to put himself in contention.

The Bisons finished third in the men’s team event, while Neill was named a conference first-team all-star and Derek Benson was named a second-team all-star.

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca