A classic KICKOFF thriller: Dinos show grit but fall short in overtime loss against Regina 

By Maggie Hsu and Leigh Patrick, September 1 2025—

In front of a crowd of over 5300, the Calgary Dinos kicked off their 2025-26 season with an overtime loss against the University of Regina Rams by a score of 36-43.

The Dinos, one of the youngest teams in Canada West with more than 50 freshmen on the roster, came into the season opener with plenty of unknowns. What they proved to their fans, though, was clear: this group may be young, but that may be their biggest strength.

Headlined by David Jordan at quarterback, the NCAA transfer from Los Angeles threw for 238 passing yards and 23 completions in 38 attempts.

“The future’s bright here,” said Dinos head coach Ryan Sheahan on the youth revival of the Dinos. “We had two freshman quarterbacks in the game. We had freshman receivers all over the place and on special teams. The next four or five years are going to be intense — they’re going to be fun.”

Calgary came out swinging, with Jordan finding Matt Sibley and Matthieu Clarke before Clarke punched in the Dinos’ first touchdown of the season. A booming field goal from Vince Triumbari sent the student section into a frenzy. 

The Rams responded quickly as they leaned on Marshall Erichsen, who ran in three of his four rushing touchdowns in the first half alone, building a 24–10 halftime lead. 

Calgary’s defence tightened up in the second half, and their offense came to life in response. Late in the fourth, Austin Sladek pulled in his first touchdown of the season — a 28-yard pitch-and-catch to bring the fans to their feet and the Dinos back into the game. Matt Sibley followed up with a two-point conversion, and kicker Vince Triumbari sealed the comeback with a strategic rouge on the ensuing kickoff to knot it at 36–36 with just six seconds remaining. It was a familiar sight for the Dinos, whose trademark fourth-quarter resilience has become a defining trait.

“It was a little bit of a chess game down the stretch, and boy oh boy, what a kick by Vinny,” Sheahan said on that final play to tie the game in the dying seconds of regular time. “Our guys are resilient. We just need to learn how to play five quarters — we played a really good four.”

The Rams, defending Hardy Cup champions, ultimately steadied themselves in overtime, with running back Marshall Erichsen setting up the winning field goal. Experience won the night, but Sheahan was quick to remind that this is only the beginning of a new chapter for Calgary football.

For a night, though, the scoreline almost felt secondary. The crowd, the noise, the fight in a young Dinos team — Friday was a reminder of what makes the back-to-school game a staple on the Calgary calendar.

Up Next

The Dinos stay at McMahon Stadium next Friday, Sept. 5, when they host the Manitoba Bisons. Off the field, women’s soccer and women’s rugby 15s kick off their regular seasons, while men’s soccer continues into week two of play.