Around U Sports: Regina Rams upset Saskatchewan Huskies to reach Hardy Cup

Photo: Regina Rams

Around U Sports is a weekly feature on 3DownNation that takes readers across the country to summarize collegiate football action, highlighting standout performances and tracking possible playoff matchups. It will run until the second round of the playoffs, at which point 3DownNation will produce standalone articles for each game.

Regina Rams, 39 — Saskatchewan Huskies, 27

This game was delayed five hours due to high winds, but it doesn’t appear the weather slowed down either offence. Regina exploded for three touchdowns in the second quarter, which powered them to a victory over their provincial rivals. Owen Sieben threw for 216 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception for the Rams, while Carter Ashman ran 16 times for 139 yards and one score. Huskies quarterback Anton Amundrud threw for 387 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions in what turned out to be his final collegiate game.

Manitoba Bisons, 23 — UBC Thunderbirds, 30

Drew Viotto threw for 369 yards, one touchdown, and one interception to lead UBC to victory, while Josh Martin and Riley Michaud added scores along the ground. The Bisons forced five fumbles, three of which resulted in takeaways, though the team ultimately fell short. Cole Anseeuw threw for 245 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the loss, with the pick coming deep in UBC territory on Manitoba’s final drive. The Thunderbirds will now host the Hardy Cup for the first time since 2023 and second time since 1997.

McGill Redbirds, 21 — Montreal Carabins, 28

Jerry Momo rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns in his return from injury, but it wasn’t enough to help the Redbirds earn the upset. Esteban Bedoya threw for 253 yards and one touchdown for the Carabins, as Pepe Gonzalez, the reigning U Sports Rookie of the Year, remained out due to injury. Merton Theagene ran for 164 yards in the win, while Mathieu Barsalou added two short touchdowns along the ground. Benjamin McDougall tallied two tackles for loss for Montreal, while Raphael Aube snagged an interception.

Acadia Axemen, 17 — St. FX X-Men, 48

St. FX recorded 556 yards of offence to dominate the Axemen and advance to their fifth conference championship game in six years. Giancarlo Wylie ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the win, while Zach Houde made 10 catches for 200 yards and one score. Acadia’s two touchdowns were recorded by Jase LeBlanc and Mason Jude. The X-Men and Saint Mary’s Huskies were by far the two best teams in the AUS this season, so it’s only fitting that they’ll meet in next week’s Loney Bowl.

Ottawa Gee-Gees, 27 — Queen’s Gaels, 45

The Gee-Gees led 24-21 well into the second half but were ultimately unable to sustain their upset bid. Alex Vreeken threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns for Queen’s, while Jayce Baldwin rushed 13 times for 195 yards and two scores. Josh Janssen threw for 410 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for Ottawa, while Emyl Gregoire caught seven passes for 135 yards. Jacob Baldwin had a dominant day for the Gaels on defence, tallying 7.5 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception.

Windsor Lancers, 33 — Western Mustangs, 43

The Mustangs trailed to start the fourth quarter but got two rushing touchdowns from Ethan Dolby to earn the win and get back to the Yates Cup after a one-year absence. Ben Casselman threw for 345 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for Western, and rushed for a team-leading 104 yards. Weagbe Mombo was the standout for Windsor, as he rushed 13 times for 177 yards and two scores. Hec Crighton Trophy hopeful Kareame Cotton threw for 213 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the loss.

Concordia Stingers, 4 — Laval Rouge et Or, 42

This game was always going to be a beatdown, and it lived up to its billing. Victor Charland threw a touchdown pass to Nathan Carignan, while Angel Vital added a score along the ground. Laval also got touchdowns in two other phases, as Tristan Thibault scored on a missed field goal return and Benjamin Carlisle scored on a pick-six. The Rouge et Or will now host the Montreal Carabins in the Dussault Cup, marking the 14th consecutive meeting between the two teams in the RSEQ championship game.