The Saskatchewan Huskies (3-1) are set to take on the Calgary Dinos (2-2) at McMahon Stadium on Saturday for a Week 6 thriller.
With the Huskies coming off a 22-20 win over the Regina Rams, Saskatchewan will be eager to improve to 4-1 and take a firm grip on first place. Meanwhile, the Dinos are looking to get back in the win column at home after a 23-22 loss against UBC in Vancouver last week.
Here's everything you need to know before these two schools clash in the blue sky city this weekend.
Calgary Dinos Team Overview
The Dinos have been this season's sleeper team in Canada West.
The decision to bring in 60 rookies raised some questions in Calgary. Could a young crop of players adjust to the University game quickly enough to compete for a playoff spot? In a conference as competitive as Canada West, it seemed like a tall task.
However, the Dinos find themselves very much in the playoff race after the midway point of the season.
Last week could have been the game that separated Calgary as the third-best team in the conference.
That spot remains as tightly contested as ever, with Manitoba and UBC both holding 2-2 records alongside Calgary. This week presents an opportunity to solidify their argument once again, but they will need things to go their way.
David Jordan will need to follow up his 287 passing yards and one touchdown performance in Vancouver with another solid outing this week, though, if the Dinos want to continue gaining respect as a top team in the country.
And they are very well positioned with some stellar weapons on offence.
It's been Eri Olarubofin, Jibreel Yahaya, and Matthieu Clarke controlling the run game for Calgary, which ranks ninth in the country for yards per game. Olarubofin and Yahaya had a solid week against the Thunderbirds, recording 125 yards on 25 rushes in the loss.
Throw in rookie wide receiver Zion Grant, who leads the team in receiving yards and posted 139 yards and a touchdown last week, and the Dinos will be a tough team to compete with on offence.
It is the same story on defence.
Saskatchewan will be Calgary's toughest test since Regina in Week 1, offering a chance for the Dinos to measure where they stack up in the conference. It will be no easy task to stop an offence that ranks eighth in the country for points per game.
However, the Dinos' defence allows the fewest yards per game in all of USPORTS. Watch to see how the team's sack leader, defensive linemen Crown Otoro and tackling leader Osasere Odemwingie hold up against the Huskies' offence.
This game could push the Dinos not only further in the conversation of being the third-best team in the conference, but also offer them a shot at first place. With Manitoba (2-2) facing Regina (3-1) and UBC (2-2) playing Alberta (0-4), there is a chance of a five-way tie for first place this week.
You can only expect the unexpected in Canada West football.
Saskatchewan Huskies Team Overview
Could last week be the moment the Huskies needed to avoid their season from crumbling?
Squeezing out a 22-20 win in Regina thanks to a fourth-quarter touchdown from wide receiver Daniel Wiebe certainly will come in handy for playoff seeding as the weeks go on.
Wiebe, who is currently leading Canada West in receiving yards per game, has been on fire as the number one option in the Huskies' offence.
The fifth-year wideout racked up 155 yards and one touchdown through the air on eight receptions last week, and will be critical to keeping the Saskatchewan passing game fueled.
It's also been a great start to the season for Wiebe's quarterback, Anton Amundrud. The signal caller tallied 330 passing yards and one touchdown pass on 24 of 33 completed throws last week and ranks third in passing yards per game in the country with 303.
Saskatchewan is tied for first place in the conference; however, this team is not invincible.
The loss to Manitoba was a shocking result. The Huskies were up 17-0 at halftime and ended up losing 21-20 on a missed field goal. The offence has gone cold at points — which is something Calgary will be looking to exploit — but the defence has proven to be one of the best in the country.
Saskatchewan's defence is allowing the sixth-fewest points per game in Canada and has not given up more than 21 points in a game this season. Linebackers Jacob Goldstone and Seth Hundeby lead the team in tackles and have anchored the Huskies' defence.
Accompanied by defensive linemen, Charlie Parks off the pass rush, it's easy to see how Saskatchewan has disrupted every offence they have faced so far in 2025.
When things haven't gone the dog's way, it is because the offence has gone cold. Last week's win against Regina looked to be more of the same as the week prior against Manitoba. Struggling to find consistency on offence and an inability to drive deep into enemy territory.
The Huskies may be the top team in the conference, but they aren't invincible.
There is no question that Saskatchewan knows their Achilles' heel is the cold spurts on offence. It's something they will need to fix before playoff time, but for right now, this team is playing great football and will be a tough team for anyone to beat.
Saskatchewan has a chance to prove they can be the top team in Canada West with a win in Calgary this week. Will they capitalize on the opportunity, or will the Huskies' Achilles heel come back to haunt them?
Previous Matchups
Speaking of Achilles heels, the Calgary Dinos have had their fair share of trouble with the Saskatchewan Huskies at McMahon Stadium in the past. Saskatchewan has won every game at McMahon between these two teams since 2021.
Last season was taken to another level when the Huskies defeated the Dinos in Saskatoon, 44-40, and in Calgary, 16-11.
Is that a sign this week's matchup will be another defensive showdown?
Keys To The Game
Saskatchewan
- Continue feeding Daniel Wiebe
- Avoid falling into cold streaks on offence
- Hold Calgary to 20 or fewer points
Calgary
- Disrupt the Huskies' offence early
- Do not miss on chances in the red zone
- Keep feeding Zion Grant in the passing game
Prediction:
This will be a challenging game for both teams. Saskatchewan has proven they can collapse if the passing game falls apart, and for the Dinos, the Huskies will be their toughest test yet.
Calgary needs to find a way to win if they want a shot at finishing at the top of the conference. And Saskatchewan needs a win this week to squash any narrative that they aren't the best team in the conference.
Both defences have proven to play a massive role in providing their offences with chances to win. It's happened in the past where the defences steal the show when these two schools face each other. It wouldn't be surprising if that happens again on Saturday.
With that being said. It is hard to bet against Saskatchewan. Despite the cold spurts on offence, this team is loaded on both sides of the ball. Calgary still has a lot to prove before they can call themselves a top team in the country — although a win against the Huskies would solve a lot of those problems.
The loss to UBC raised concerns about whether they are the third-best team in the conference.
When facing a team like Saskatchewan, the Dinos will need to deliver their best performance of the season if they want to win. However, the Huskies have proven time and again that they can compete with any team they match up against, and they should come out on top this weekend.
Final Score Prediction: Saskatchewan wins 24-17