Rams look to hand Dinos 1st loss with season on the line

The University of Regina Rams are facing the biggest test of the team’s season as players travel to Calgary with their season on the line.

Due to sanctions levied against the team for fielding an ineligible player, the Rams had to forfeit three wins from the season. After a compassionate appeal, the Rams player was granted eligible status but the wins were not returned.

In order to make playoffs, the team had to win out its remaining games, the first coming last week which ended in a 32-17 win over the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

But for the Rams to keep their playoff hopes alive, the team will need to do something no other Canada-West team has done in 2018 — defeat the Calgary Dinos.

“It’s a great opportunity in front of us, we’ve got to rally our troops and do what we can to keep our future in our own hands here,” Bryce said during practice on Wednesday.
Unfortunately for the Rams, the injury bug has hit one of the most important positions on a football team during a crucial time.

Noah Picton is continuing to deal with a foot injury which could keep him out for the foreseeable future and Seb Britton, who was the winning quarterback last week, is out with a concussion. If Picton is unable to go, third-year QB Colton Hippe will play.

One player who could be heavily-leaned on if Picton is unable to play will be fifth-year running back Atlee Simon. Simon dealt with his own injury earlier in the year but has since returned to the lineup.

“It’s always tough, they always put out a really good team every year and everyone really respects them and you have to go in doing that,” Simon said.

He said he feels like the team matches up well against Calgary, noting this is one of the stronger offensive linemen groups they have had.

“Hopefully we can control what’s going on up front and go from there.”

Simon said it was a great feeling to get a win last week after everything that has happened with the team.

“It’s just nice to get back to playing football and put that stuff behind us, what happened happened, so all we can do is control what’s in front of us,” Simon said.

Another facet of the Rams game that they’ll need to continue their great play is the Rams defense. The team forced five turnovers last week, including a two-interception performance from Cord Delinte.

“Every week we’ve just been progressively getting better and better and I’m really happy that we’re progressing at the right time,” Delinte said.

He said it’s going to be tough going into Calgary but the Rams are playing with a chip on their shoulder.

“I’d be putting the money on us honestly, a team that has everything to lose and has already been put down, this is the time that we need to show everything we’ve got that we’re not a 1-5 team, that we’re 6-2.”

Kickoff is at 7 p.m.