Dinos steal the game from the Bisons, earning their first win at home since October 2023

By Maggie Hsu and Leigh Patrick, September 8 2025—

The rookies shone the brightest under the lights of McMahon Stadium as the roster packed with freshmen delivered under pressure. Following a dramatic ending to last week’s home opener loss against the Regina Rams, the Dinos pulled off another dramatic ending. Still, this time, it was a 15-14 win over the Manitoba Bisons – the team’s first win at home since October 2023 and head coach Ryan Sheahan’s first in his tenure in his role.

It was a battle from the start as Manitoba struck first with a 6-yard touchdown pass from veteran quarterback Jackson Tachinski to fifth-year receiver Vaughan Lloyd, followed by a 1-point convert from Maya Turner. That 7-0 lead held until midway through the third quarter, where the Dinos’ resurgence started.

Dinos’ kicker Vince Triumbari opened the floodgates for Calgary, punting the ball for a 73-yard rouge before nailing a 32-yard field goal to cut Manitoba’s lead to 7-4.

The momentum was Calgary’s, and second-year defensive lineman Darius Redhead kept it coming down when he got a sack on Manitoba’s Tachinski deep in their own zone, forcing the Bisons to take a safety, drawing the Dinos to within one of tying the game. The following Dinos’ drive saw short-yardage quarterback Jet Zakrewski break through the Bisons’ defence with a 7-yard run to score his first touchdown as a Dino and the first major for Calgary of the night.

Sheahan praised the play of both quarterbacks, Zakrewski and David Jordan, at the end of the night. “They bring something different to the game… I’m proud to play both of them.”

Following the departure of long-time Dinos quarterback Dom Britton at the end of the 2024 season, a question mark hovered above the quarterback position coming into this year. However, the two first-year Dinos have found their stride, and that sentiment resonates throughout the rest of the young roster.

While the Bisons had a majority of their roster from their 7-1 regular season holding team return for this year’s run for the Hardy Cup, Calgary’s young players are itching to answer the call when they are in need. First-year running back Eri Olarubofin rose to the occasion following the midgame departure of veteran Matthieu Clarke following an injury. Olarubofin, a Calgary native and Lord Beaverbrook High School graduate, finished the game with 56 rushing yards.

“When you lose your senior running back in the middle of a contest, it can suck the air right out of the game,” Sheahan said. “Eri answered the call.”

Olarubofin reflected on his eventful debut in U SPORTS football with the Dinos, beaming as he looked at what’s to come for the team. “With such a young team, we have a bright future ahead. Everybody has four or five years ahead, we share similar goals and it makes our team closer.”

On the outside, fellow rookie Zion Grant had three receptions for 35 yards. “Hopefully, we can build off this,” The first-year wide receiver from Pickering, ON, added. “We had such a good training camp — we have a good connection going.”

With the Dinos heading into the fourth quarter with a 12-7 lead over the Bisons, Manitoba charged on, starting with a 50-yard punt from Robert Lasebnik, which counted as a single as the ball went dead in the Dinos’ endzone. A long Calgary drive that ended in a field-goal attempt and completion from Triumbari gave Manitoba possession with less than six minutes on the clock.

The veteran squad pieced together a grinding drive, capped off by fifth-year running back Breydon Stubbs, who rushed the goal line for a 5-yard touchdown, putting the Bisons behind by just one point.

Down 15-14 with seconds left, the Bisons faced a tough choice: take the safe kick and force overtime, or gamble for the win on a two-point convert. The Bisons chose the latter, but Tachinski’s pass would be ruled incomplete by the official and sealing Calgary’s dramatic victory.

This win wasn’t simply breaking a streak of not winning at home in almost two years, nor was it about Sheahan finally earning a win at home after more than a year as head coach. It was proof that the program’s future is beginning to take shape with so many young players eager and capable of stepping up to shoulder the responsibility.

Up Next

The Dinos head north to Edmonton for a provincial clash with the Alberta Golden Bears, who are still searching for their first win of the season.