U of S Huskies beat Alberta Golden Bears 31-24 at Football Day

Thousands of people celebrated the province’s first Football Day, hosted in Saskatoon on Saturday, and festivities ahead of the evening University of Saskatchewan Huskies Canada West game featured players from all across Saskatoon.

The Huskies faced off against a struggling University of Alberta Golden Bears, who came into Saturday’s contest sitting at one win and four loses.

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The U-Sport No. 5 ranked Huskies were without quarterback Anton Amundrud, who sat out the game for personal reasons, and instead it was Jake Farrell who got the start.

Farrell completed 20 of his 32 pass attempts, finishing with 276 yards and three touchdowns, helping lift the Huskies to a 31-24 victory.

“I think he felt a little bit of nerves early,” said Huskies head coach Scott Flory.

“That first throw came out a little funky, I think that Jake (Farrell) just had to settle in.”

Farrell admitted to feeling some nerves as he suited up for his first career start with the Dogs.

“Obviously the pre-game nerves and jitters were pretty evident early on,” he said.

“I have such great teammates and such a great supporting staff around me and it made it easy for me to settle in.”

It started out slow for the Huskies as a snap to punter Lukas Scott went too high resulting in a kick out of bounds through the Huskies end zone, scoring a safety and awarding an early 2-0 lead for the Golden Bears.

After that the Huskies were able to calm their game, as receiver Daniel Wiebe made his way into the end zone and after Scott’s extra point kick went through the uprights the Huskies leaped out to a 7-2 lead, which they held into the second quarter.

The 55-yard pass was the play that Farrell said helped him calm the nerves.

“That throw to Daniel Wiebe for that touchdown,” he said. “Just getting the ball to him and letting him run and get a touchdown was big for me to settle into the game.”

Receiver Dawson Lennea also found the end zone after a pass from Farrell, and the Huskies held a 14-2 lead until Golden Bears running back Duncan Critch cut into the Huskies lead making it 14-8.

In the second half, a touchdown from Golden Bears slotback Carter Kettlye gave the Golden Bears a 15-14 lead before a reply from Huskies running back Ryker Frank made the score 21-15.

That touchdown was also the 31st of Frank’s career, the most by any Huskie football player.

“Super proud of Ryker,” said Flory. “He just does it all right, just really proud of him and he’s just a gem to coach.”

A safety and a buzzer-beater touchdown then gave the Golden Bears a 24-21 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Scott then nailed a field goal tying the game up at 24-24, and to cap the night off Farrell found Huskies receiver Mason Grabowski for his first career touchdown, giving the Huskies the 31-24 lead.

The Golden Bears team, led by quarterback Trey Reider, kept the game close, and made it a scrappy one until the final whistle.

“Alberta’s offence can do some really good things,” said Flory. “Our defence just kept playing … I think it just speaks to the resiliency and the moxie of this group.”

The Huskies are now 5-1 on the season and have a bye week coming up before they head to British Columbia to take on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Oct. 17.

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