UBC's power trio of (left to right) Ben Cummings, Trivel Pinto and Alex Morrison, had plenty of celebratory moments in Saturday's 81st Hardy Cup clashing Calgary, but in the end, the 'Birds fell victim to the longest field goal in Canadian university sports history. (Richard Lam, UBC athletics)
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“It just rips your heart out” — UBC season ends on longest field goal in Canadian university history

It was a game whose conclusion would have defied the logic of a thousand seasoned bettors. It came on a field goal attempt the football gods, 999 times out of that 1,000, would have pushed wide or pulled up short based solely on its audacity.

Not the gentle falling of snowflakes, nor the impending pass rush of the Regina Rams could prevent UBC quarterback Michael O'Connor from extending his pass efficiency streak to three games... and four wins and counting. (Richard Lam, UBC athletics)
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TSUMURA: My 5 Big Takeaways as UBC football edges Regina for Hardy Cup and national Final 8 berth

VANCOUVER — Blake Nill said it in the aftermath of of his team’s defeat back on Sept. 29 to the visiting Calgary Dinos: Everything his UBC Thunderbirds wanted to accomplish this season wouldn’t happen without first going through Calgary and finding a way to beat the Dinos.

UBC's fifth-year receiver Alex Morrison celebrates some heavy lifting accomplished, striking a pose in the end zone last Saturday, following the first of two touchdowns in a win over the Regina Rams. (Richard Lam/UBC athletics)
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Q&A: UBC’s big-play receiver Alex Morrison on getting wide, going deep and loving his football journey

VANCOUVER — Take a chance, head west young man. Alex Morrison did just, packing his bags in the fall of 2012 and leaving home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for a brand new adventure in Vancouver. All these years later, he is the collegiate version of the pro’s pro.

UBC defensive backs Stavros Katsantonis (left) and Malcom Lee set the old-school tone prior to Saturday's massive 17-16 win at Manitoba, by putting in the study prep necessary to make a defensive impact. (Richard Lam/UBC athletics)
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Like blue-collar Boy Scouts, UBC defensive backs Katsantonis, Lee came prepared, then stole victory from Manitoba Bisons

Like a pair of Boy Scouts living up to their famous motto, UBC defensive backs Stavros Katsantonis and Malcom Lee challenged each other in the week leading up to Saturday’s crucial clash at Manitoba to ‘Be Prepared’ for any and all eventualities. And when their turn came to turn a tight game on its ear, each […]

Now in their third season together, UBC head coach Blake Nill swears by his quarterback Michael O'Connor. (Bob Frid/UBC athletics)
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TSUMURA: On the bond between a coach and his QB, UBC’s Nill & O’Connor survive a Saturday in Saskatoon

As a performance, it was hardly an oil painting. Yet you would be mistaken to think that UBC quarterback Michael O’Connor’s three interceptions on Saturday night in any way sullied the final result of the ‘Birds near-total collapse in the heart of the Canada West playoff chase.

Calgary receiver Michael Klukas (front) battles UBC defensive back Jean Ventose on Friday at Thunderbird Stadium. (UBC athletics photo by Bob Frid)
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Nill labels UBC loss to Dinos “…an ass kicking” as all roads to Vanier now go through Calgary

VANCOUVER— Blake Nill has never pulled punches, and the UBC Thunderbirds head coach wasn’t about to start a new trend Friday.“You can call it what you want but it was an ass-kicking,” Nill said following his team’s 31-17 loss to the Calgary Dinos at Thunderbird Stadium. “When we had momentum, we were stopping the run […]