The Alberta Golden Bears got their much-needed first win of 2025 and did so in upset fashion over the visiting UBC Thunderbirds. There is now a logjam of one and two-win teams in the Canada West standings fighting to catch the four-win Saskatchewan Huskies and Regina Rams to host a potential playoff game.
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.
UBC Thunderbirds, 18 — Alberta Golden Bears, 38
Alberta got its first win of the season in front of 3,000 fans at Foote Field after outscoring the visitors 31-3 in the second and third quarters. Carter Kettyle, one of the top receivers available in the 2026 CFL Draft, made nine catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns and also threw a 37-yard touchdown to Chevy Thomas. NCAA transfer Drew Viotto had a relatively quiet day for the Thunderbirds, throwing for 196 yards and one score as his team managed only 266 net yards — barely half of the 500 recorded by the Golden Bears.
Saint Mary’s Huskies, 30 — Acadia Axemen, 8
Liam Legge and Malik Williams had a big day along the ground for the Huskies, rushing a combined 35 times for 227 yards and a touchdown. Saint Mary’s was dominant on defence, allowing only 142 net yards and recording three interceptions, one of which was returned 34 yards for a touchdown by Onochie Amuta. Romareo Reid led the Huskies with six tackles, one tackles for loss, and one sack.
Toronto Varsity Blues, 21 — Laurier Golden Hawks, 59
The Varsity Blues scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to make the final score more respectable but this one was all Laurier. Cal Wither threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns in the win, while Ottawa Redblacks draft pick Ethan Jordan became the school’s all-time career receiving yardage leader after making eight grabs for 163 yards and one score. Matteo Laquintana tallied two sacks for the Golden Hawks, while Brandon Thibodeau and Kai Nagamatsu led Toronto with seven tackles each.
Montreal Carabins, 52 — Concordia Stingers, 2
The Carabins bounced back from last week’s shocking upset loss with a dominant win as their defence recorded five interceptions, one of which was returned by award-winning defender Harold Miessan for a touchdown. Pepe Gonzalez threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns in the win, while Lucas Dembele, Remi Lambert, Redval Keita, Jamaal Louis, and Mathieu Barsalou combined for 24 carries for 138 yards and three scores.
Mount Allison Mounties, 3 — Bishop’s Gaiters, 54
Justin Quirion threw for 250 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the win, hitting Joey Julien for both scores, while O’Shae Ho-Sang and Michael Nicoletta added scores along the ground. Bishop’s dominated on defence, limiting Mount Allison to a measly 99 yards of net offence and recording six sacks and a pick. With the loss, the Mounties remain the lone winless team in the country.
McMaster Marauders, 22 — Western Mustangs, 51
The Mustangs kept their perfect record intact with a dominant win against McMaster as Ethan Dolby and Jerome Rancourt combined for 293 yards and three touchdowns along the ground. Evan Hillock threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns in the win, while Luke Thalman threw for 190 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the loss. Dylan Whelan made a team-leading 9.5 tackles for the Mustangs, while Calgary Stampeders draft pick Max Von Muehldorfer notched the team’s lone sack.
McGill Redbirds, 21 — Sherbrooke Vert et Or, 34
Jonathan Martel-Joseph had a career day for Sherbrooke as he rushed 17 times for 187 yards and one touchdown, while Jerome Deblois and Marc-Andre Shaw caught touchdown passes from Jeremy Fyfe. Jerry Momo and Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald were dominant along the ground for McGill, rushing a combined 24 times for 290 yards and two touchdowns, though Latendresse-Regimbald managed only nine completions for 133 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
York Lions, 5 — Queen’s Gaels, 57
The Gaels recorded a whopping 722 yards of net offence in this game as Alex Vreeken threw for 394 yards and four touchdowns with Nathan Falconi making six catches for 258 yards and three scores. Queen’s also had a big day along the ground as Jared Chisari, Isaiah Adams, Ethan Dahl, Jayce Baldwin, and Anthony Lio combined for 26 carries for 269 yards and two scores. Oliver Jackson was a game-wrecker for the Gaels on defence, recording four sacks.
Saskatchewan Huskies, 45 — Calgary Dinos, 22
Anton Amundrud had an exceptional performance for the Huskies, throwing for 429 yards and five touchdowns, three of which went to Roughriders draft pick Daniel Wiebe. Ryker Frank, Kayden Miller, and Amundrud combined for 19 carries for 204 yards and one score along the ground, while Riece Kack added four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack on defence. David Jordan and Jet Zakrzewski combined for 348 passing yards and a touchdown for the Dinos with the latter adding 45 yards and a score along the ground.
Guelph Gryphons, 55 — Carleton Ravens, 28
Guelph quarterbacks Tristan Aboud and Marshall McCray collectively threw for 278 passing yards and four touchdowns and combined with Mason Duvall, Donavin Milloy, and Kanye Nethersole for 37 carries for 330 yards and two scores. Gianni Green made an incredible four interceptions in the win, while Guelph’s defence sacked Tristan Lefebvre four times. Dante Spadaccini scored two rushing touchdowns for Carleton, while Tristan Ready made four catches for 124 yards and a score.
Manitoba Bisons, 8 — Regina Rams, 30
Cole Anseeuw, Manitoba’s first-year quarterback who won’t turn 19 until December, made his first career start and led the Bisons to a 7-0 lead, though it was all Regina after that. Marshall Erichsen ran 18 times for 165 yards, caught two passes for 23 yards, and scored three total touchdowns in the win. Dario Macchia made a team-leading nine tackles for Manitoba, while Carson Sombach and Liam Platt recorded interceptions for the Rams.
Waterloo Warriors, 0 — Windsor Lancers, 35
The Lancers ran the ball by committee as Nick Dimovski, Liam Talbot, Weabge Mombo, Brendan Talbot, and Tyson Noel Charles combined for 25 carries for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while Brady Lidster went a perfect seven-for-seven on field goals. Waterloo managed 267 yards of net offence, though quarterback Emmet Ward was intercepted three times, including once in Windsor territory.
The Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ), Ottawa Gee-Gees (OUA), and St. FX X-Men (AUS) were on bye this week.
The updated U Sports standings can be found below.
Atlantic University Sports (AUS)
Saint Mary’s Huskies 4-1
Bishop’s Gaiters 4-1
St. FX X-Men 3-1
Acadia Axemen 1-4
Mount Allison Mounties 0-5
Ontario University Athletics (OUA)
Laurier Golden Hawks 6-0
Western Mustangs 5-0
Queen’s Gaels 4-2
Ottawa Gee-Gees 3-2
Windsor Lancers 3-2
Carleton Ravens 2-3
York Lions 2-3
Guelph Gryphons 2-4
McMaster Marauders 1-4
Waterloo Warriors 1-5
Toronto Varsity Blues 1-5
Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ)
Montreal Carabins 4-1
Laval Rouge et Or 3-1
McGill Redbirds 2-3
Sherbrooke Vert et Or 2-3
Concordia Stingers 1-4
Canada West
Saskatchewan Huskies 4-1
Regina Rams 4-1
Manitoba Bisons 2-3
Calgary Dinos 2-3
UBC Thunderbirds 2-3
Alberta Golden Bears 1-4
