For the first-time since 2006, University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team is Vanier Cup bound, after a thrilling, come-from-behind 14-10 win over the Montreal Carabins in the Uteck Bowl.
Langenburg’s Noah Zerr #60 and Esterhazy’s Sam Baker #85 are two cornerstones of the Huskies offence. Zerr is an offensive lineman who starts at the left tackle position, while Baker is a wide receiver.
Huskies running back Adam Machart ran in the go-ahead score — a 13-yard scamper — with just five seconds left to send Saskatchewan’s sidelines into madness, while simultaneously silencing the hometown crowd.
“I’m just so proud of my guys. The way they fought back. The resilience on this team; it was just great to see. It was a crazy last little bit there, but I’m just happy to get the win,” said Huskies quarterback Mason Nyhus. “Obviously Machart is a heck of a player and we just need to get him the ball.”
“I knew we needed it. We didn’t want a tie, we wanted a win,” said Machart. “[The Vanier] represents two years of hard work. We’ve fought so hard for it and now we have a chance to get there.”
Machart’s score capped what was an improbable 10-play, 83-yard drive, all orchestrated by Nyhus, who was calm and collected despite the pressure of a season-ending loss looming. The quarterback delivered in the final drive of the game, hitting Sam Baker for gains of 10 and 16 yards, as well as Colton Klassen for a massive 17-yard completion to kickstart the drive.
While Saskatchewan struggled to get their offensive clicking throughout the contest, they got it done when it mattered most to win their first Uteck Bowl in program history.
The Huskies will play in their first Vanier Cup since 2006, as they search for their fourth national championship in program history and first since 1998.
Saskatchewan will take on the Western Mustangs in the Vanier — a rematch of the 2018 Mitchell Bowl — next Saturday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. CST in Quebec City, Que. with the game being televised on CBC and broadcasted on radio over HuskieFAN.