Anton Amundrud (Image Credit: Liam Richards/Electric Umbrella/Huskie Athletics)
Huskies clinch playoff spot with win

Saskatchewan takes season series from Bisons

Oct 17, 2026 | 1:14 AM

The USask football team made amends for an 18-point week one loss to the Manitoba Bisons with a 19-point, 39-20 victory at Griffiths Stadium on Friday night, securing a Canada West playoff spot. Huskie quarterback Anton Amundrud threw for a season high 474 yards and three touchdowns, continuing his climb up the school record book. 

Amundrud hit Rhett Vavra on a first-quarter 20-yard TD strike then connected with Dawson Lennea for a 31-yard second quarter major as the Huskies took a 15-0 lead. While the Huskies were dominant, they weren’t perfect, allowing Manitoba to stay in the ball game for parts of the second quarter. 

With a minute and a half to go in the first half, the Huskies appeared to score a 40-yard touchdown on a fake punt, but the play was called back on a penalty. On the very next play a snap went over Huskie punter Lukas Scott’s, giving Manitoba the ball at the Saskatchewan 15-yard line. Aiden Wiberg finished off the short Bison drive with a one-yard run, cutting the Huskie lead to 17-9 at the break. 

The teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, before the Huskies broke the game open in the final 15 minutes. Amundrud found Huskie leading receiver Keaton Belsher for a 22-yard touchdown as the home side opened up a 26-13 lead early in the fourth. 

Saskatchewan’s defense played a physical brand of football as defensive backs such as Taz Smith-Windsor and Ethan Laing made big hits on Bison players. Defensive lineman Riece Kack registered a sack for USask as it was evident they were starting to wear Manitoba down. 

The Huskies put together another scoring drive which was capped off by Jake Farrell one-yard plunge, making it a 33-13 ball game midway through the final quarter. Bison tailback Ishe Matanga did cap off one late drive with a Manitoba score, however the Huskies were in command on both sides of the ball. 

With the final drive of the game, Saskatchewan got in to field goals range, allowing James Keane to boot a a 44-yard three-pointer and lift the Huskies to the 19-point win to claim the season series with Manitoba. 

Amundrud is now just 219 yards away from setting the Huskie career all-time passing yards record and is two touchdown passes away from breaking the career school record set by Brent Schneider at 56.

 

While happy with the victory, Huskie head coach said his team has to improve on certain facets of the game including discipline. Saskatchewan was flagged 11 times for 133 yards in the game.  

 

 With the win the Huskies improve to 5 and 1. UBC is next in the Canada West standings at 4 and 2 thanks to a 34-18 win over Calgary. The Bisons now join Regina at 3 and 3. The Rams were 43-17 winners over Alberta on Thursday night. The Dinos are 2 and 4, while Alberta is 1 and 5. The Huskies host the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 PM at Griffiths Stadium.

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 wray.morrison@pattisonmedia.com

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