Due to severe weather conditions on Wednesday night, the University of Saskatchewan’s preseason game against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds had to be stopped.
Despite being cut short, the Huskies produced an impressive showing in two quarters of exhibition football, building an 18-2 lead over the visiting UBC Thunderbirds before the game was called.
Saskatchewan started the game fast, with fantastic field possession inside B.C. territory after running back Kayden Miller returned the opening kickoff 68 yards. Four plays later, fourth-year quarterback Anton Amundrud spotted rookie receiver Ethan Clazie in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown.
On UBC’s first possession, they moved the ball down to the Huskie 5-yard line before Lucas Scheck intercepted a Derek Engel pass. Scheck took the ball 65 yards in the opposite direction, again setting up the Saskatchewan offence in T-Bird territory.
Huskies’ first-year offensive coordinator Mason Nyhus’s offence continued to move the ball with Amundrud leading the game's second scoring drive, ending in an 11-yard touchdown to fifth-year receiver Rhett Vavra.
Vavra would finish the game as the team's second-leading receiver with 33 yards and a major.
A kickoff through the endzone would make it a 15-0 Saskatchewan lead at the end of the first frame.
The second quarter saw the Huskies continue to extend their lead, with second-year kicker Lukas Scott connecting on a 27-yard field goal to give the Dogs a commanding 18-0 advantage.
The Thunderbirds' only score of the evening would come soon after, with the Huskies being forced to surrender a safety from deep in their own territory.
Amunrdrud finished as the game's leading passer, connecting on 10-of-13 attempts for 110 yards and two touchdowns, besting UBC's Derek Engel, who recorded 105 yards and an interception. Second-year QB Jake Farrell was the only other Huskies quarterback to see the field in the shortened matchup, going 5-for-10 for 73 yards and an interception before the game was called due to severe weather moving into Saskatoon.
The Huskies next action comes in just over a week's time, with the Dogs set to travel to Edmonton for their 2025 season-opener against the Alberta Golden Bears.