(Photo courtesy/Get My Photo, Huskies Athletics)

By Ben Tompkins

Welcome week

Huskies’ home-opener to kick off homecoming weekend

Sep 6, 2022 | 3:51 PM

The Huskies football team will play their home opener this Friday night, as they help kick off the University of Saskatchewan’s homecoming weekend.

Rally Alley is returning to Griffiths Stadium, for the first time since 2019 and opens at 5 p.m. on Friday night. The first 1200 fans through the gates at Friday’s game will receive free Huskie O16 sunglasses.

The pregame tailgate will feature live music performed by local Saskatoon band W3apons, as well as food, beverage, games and giveaways.

There will also be the annual toga run (which hasn’t occurred since 2019), postgame fireworks, banner raisings and the capping off of welcome week on campus.

Huskie Athletics events manager Samantha Erhardt told HuskieFAN they are expecting 6,000 plus people throughout the day, as the dogs host their first Friday night game in three years.

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“Students are back on campus and they’ve been excited to get back and return to normal campus life. It’s going to be an exciting night and playing under the lights adds a whole other level to it… We’re just excited to have a true football game back after the COVID season and those two abnormal years for us.”

Friday night’s game will also serve as the first regular-season return to Griffiths Stadium after the dogs’ Hardy Cup and Uteck Bowl wins last season.

Because of this, there will be a pregame ceremony featuring the raising of both banners.

Michael Jenkins, associate athletics officer said he’s excited about the atmosphere as the Huskies defend their home turf and Canada West Title.

“There’s just an unbelievable energy up and down the hallways and in the bowl, and Friday night is kind of one of the bookend events that all of our students look forward to and really rally around,” he said.

“You got to win your home games and we know that we’ve got a really competitive football club this year and we’re expecting a great crowd and a big effort on Friday night in front of Husky faithful.”

This weekend also serves as a welcome back for U of S alumni, as they reminisce about their days as a part of this program.

Jenkins explained, “the fans experience something that they wouldn’t normally expect.”

“It’s a real tone setter not just for the football team but for the academic year and the entire athletic program… this is the one game that our students turn out in the biggest numbers and have a great time,” said Jenkins.

“It’s just a great atmosphere and we really invite the greater community of central Saskatchewan to come out and experience something in our games that they wouldn’t traditionally expect to experience when they come to a Huskie game.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8