Golden Bears show real progress in close loss to Huskies

The University of Alberta Golden Bears went drive for drive with one of the best football teams in the country on Saturday night. They fell 31-24 to the number five-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies at Griffiths Stadium, but not without a shootout. This loss felt like another big step forward for the Bears.

The game kicked off with a lucky break for Alberta. A high snap on a Huskies punt rolled into their own end zone for a safety. Two quick points and a good start. But Saskatchewan wasted no time answering back. Backup quarterback Jake Farrell hit All-Canadian Daniel Wiebe deep for a 55-yard touchdown. Just like that, the Huskies had the lead.

Farrell struck again early in the second quarter. He capped a long 12-play drive with a short pass to Dawson Lennea for another score. Down 14-2 against an elite team, the Bears needed a break. They found it when running back Duncan Critch pushed across the goal line from two yards out before halftime. That long, efficient drive showed a fight. The Bears offense seemed to have gained a confidence that was not present earlier in the year.

Then the Bears really started rolling. Quarterback Trey Reider opened the third quarter with a sharp four-play drive, finishing it with an eight-yard toss to Carter Kettyle. Alberta had scraped back its lead: 15-14. The Huskies answered with a rushing touchdown from Ryker Frank, but Alberta’s defence forced a safety soon after. Reider then found Kettyle again, this time for a 62-yard bomb down the sideline to take back the lead. A perfect throw to a well run route, highlighting Kettyle’s star-power as a playmaker.

The Huskies tied it midway through the fourth with a 31-yard field goal. Bears fans teemed with excitement as they had a chance to make a crucial stop to force overtime. 

With just over a minute left, Farrell led a final charge. Two quick runs moved Saskatchewan to midfield. Then a 28-yard deep shot to rookie Mason Grabowski found the end zone. Just like that, the Bears were down by seven with one minute on the clock.

Reider tried to rally his team, starting from deep in his own zone, but pressure came fast. He scrambled, looking for space and time. On one final deep shot, he was hit mid-throw, and the ball sailed over Kettyle’s head. The Huskies’ John Stoll picked it off to end the comeback.

The numbers don’t lie

Despite the loss, Alberta’s run game was efficient with 26 carries for 139 yards and one touchdown, split between Ope Oshinubi, Reider, Seth Poelzer, and Critch, who walked his only attempt into the end zone.

The air attack was not as efficient, with Reider completing only 16 of his 29 attempts (55 per cent). However, when the passes did connect, they usually moved the sticks. Despite the low completion rate, Reider still managed to put up 238 passing yards, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. Although this may seem low, the Huskies’ defence has allowed opposing offenses an average of only 7.5 yards per attempt this season. Relative to how other teams have performed against the elite Saskatchewan secondary, Reider performed above average.

The defence did not disappoint against the strong Huskies offense. Although they were missing star quarterback Anton Amundrud, Farrell played a solid game. Still, the Bears defence limited them to 364 yards of total offense: lower than their season average of 440. 

The run defence limited big plays on the ground, which was a problem earlier in the season. They held them to a healthy 5.1 yards per carry, which is a huge step for this growing run defence unit. Dayton Ingenhaag, who is leading the country in tackles per game, racked up 14 tackles, putting a stop to any large gains.

Playoff hopes

With only two two-win teams remaining in Canada West, the Golden Bears’ only chance for playoffs is to win the next two games. With an impressive game from Reider, this offense is on a roll. The team proved that they can compete against elite opponents, and although they did not bring home the win, it gives the team hope against two lesser opponents.

If the Bears can recreate this performance against the Regina Rams, and later the Calgary Dinos, they will likely end the season with a 3-5 record. Depending on how the other 2-4 teams perform, the Bears may have a shot at sneaking into the Canada West Championship playoffs.