Game of the week: Dinos look to rebound against Manitoba
By Maggie Hsu, September 5 2025—
In a rare scheduling twist, the Dinos open their 2025-26 season with back-to-back games at home in McMahon Stadium. After a dramatic overtime loss to the Regina Rams at KICKOFF 2025, the Dinos now turn their focus to the Manitoba Bisons for a Friday night clash under the lights.
Manitoba comes into Calgary with an identical 0-1 record, following a 21-9 road loss to the UBC Thunderbirds in which they dominated time of possession but failed to convert six red-zone trips into touchdowns. For Calgary, that storyline reads as both a warning and an opportunity: the Bisons can move the ball, but their finishing touch remains up in the air.
With kickoff at McMahon scheduled for 7 p.m., make sure you have your all-access student pass loaded up as this is a game you won’t want to miss.
Key to the game #1: Clash of the quarterbacks
This matchup puts two very different quarterbacks in the spotlight. Manitoba’s Jackson Tachinski is a known dual-threat, equally capable of finding targets down the field for long yards or sneaking through gaps in the defense to make rushing yards. While he struggled with turnovers last week, his ability to extend plays still makes him one of the toughest pivots in the conference.
On Calgary’s sideline, David Jordan is still carving his name into Canada West lore — but last week’s showing hinted at his potential. The first-year transfer from the NCAA threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns, including two to his emerging go-to target Matt Sibley, who finished with 132 yards on eight catches. If Jordan can build on that connection while protecting the football, the Dinos’ passing attack could give Manitoba’s veteran defense real problems.
Key to the game #2: Keeping the Bisons from charging
Both teams want to run the ball, but for different reasons. Manitoba leans on veteran back Breydon Stubbs, who posted 92 yards in the opener and now sits just 45 yards shy of cracking the Bisons’ all-time top five in rushing
For Calgary, the challenge lies in shoring up their run defense. The Rams capitalized on the Dinos for 204 yards on the running game last week, a number that is not something to be proud of, as this piques Manitoba’s attention. The Bisons are a squad built to exploit gaps between the tackles.
Key to the game #3: Special teams
If this one turns into a defensive grind, the kicking game will be valuable for both teams. Manitoba’s special teams are coming off a rough outing in Vancouver, where two missed field goals proved costly. Meanwhile, Dinos’ kicker Vince Triumbari is coming off a Canada West Special Teams Player of the Week honour after contributing ten points against Regina. His consistency not only puts points on the board but also helps the Dinos win the field position battle.
No matter what, this is a game you won’t want to miss. The Bisons haven’t beaten the Dinos in back-to-back visits to McMahon since before most of these players were born. Will Manitoba learn from last week’s mistakes to break this generational curse? Or will Calgary continue to prove they are a contending team in the West despite the youthful injection they received in the offseason?
This one has all the makings of a Friday night classic — it’s that energy September football under the floodlights of McMahon can bring.