University of British Columbia Thunderbirds' Shemar McBean (13) hoists the Hardy Cup while celebrating with his teammates after besting the University of Alberta Golden Bears for the Hardy Cup Canada West football championship, in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Regina Rams looked destined for a last-place finish in the six-team Canada West football standings just two short weeks ago.

A pair of dramatic comeback wins now have them a victory away from a spot in the U Sports final four.

"I tell our players that you can't write a better script," said Rams coach Mark McConkey. "We were down, out, on life support and now we're in the Hardy Cup."

Playoff hopes looked faint in Regina's regular-season finale against the Alberta Golden Bears on Oct. 25. The Rams were down by 18 points in the third quarter before reeling off 25 unanswered points for the victory.

Regina claimed the fourth seed in the conference at 3-5, a slightly misleading record since three of those defeats were by three points or fewer.

Undaunted by the challenge of playing the top-seeded Manitoba Bisons on the road, Regina pulled off a 28-25 upset win last week. The Rams marched the length of the field late in the fourth quarter, with Nicholas Sirleaf's 16-yard touchdown catch with 19 seconds left capping a 101-yard drive.

The victory set up a date with provincial rival Saskatchewan for the conference title on Saturday. The Huskies, who split their two regular-season meetings with the Rams, advanced with a 38-33 win over British Columbia.

It will be the first time since 2002 that Regina and Saskatchewan have played for the Canada West crown.

"The players are pretty excited about it," McConkey said. "It's a big rivalry. There's a lot of respect there. But at the end of the day, they're not fans of us and we're not fans of them."

Two of the three other conference finals Saturday will also feature provincial rivals.

In Ontario, the undefeated Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks will entertain the Western Mustangs in the Yates Cup. In Quebec, the reigning Vanier Cup champion Montreal Carabins face the Laval Rouge et Or in the Dunsmore Cup.

The Atlantic conference's Loney Bowl pits unbeaten Bishop's against Saint Mary's.

The winning teams will advance to the national semifinals on Nov. 16.

The Mustangs beat the Golden Hawks 29-14 last fall for their third straight Yates Cup victory. Laurier has home-field advantage this year and a full house is expected at University Stadium in Waterloo, Ont.

"They tend to play their best football in late October and into November," Laurier coach Michael Faulds said of the Mustangs. "We've got that identity as well. We do have a great quarterback (six-foot-six Taylor Elgersma) who can throw the ball and spread it out all over the field.

"But we also have a mindset that when we really need to, we can be tough and gritty and run the football as well. Western obviously has the history and the background of playing in this game but now we do as well."

Laurier closed the season just one ranking point behind the top-seeded Carabins, who like the Rouge et Or finished the campaign at 7-1. Montreal crushed the McGill Redbirds 42-3 last week while Laval topped the Concordia Stingers 41-18.

The Carabins beat visiting Laval 12-6 a year ago, but this time the Rouge et Or will host.

Bishop's, meanwhile, is coming off a 59-0 laugher over the Acadia Axemen. The Huskies held on for a 21-17 win over the St. Francis-Xavier X-Men in the other Atlantic semifinal.

Saturday's game will mark the first time that the Loney Bowl is contested at Coulter Field.

The winner will host the Ontario champion in the Uteck Bowl. The Quebec champion will visit the Canada West winner in the Mitchell Bowl.

The Vanier Cup will be played Nov. 23 at Kingston, Ont.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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