Navacord Preview: Birds start Hardy Cup run against Bisons

The No. 5 UBC Thunderbirds (6-2) officially begin the second season Saturday afternoon, November 7, when they host the Manitoba Bisons (4-4) in the Hardy Cup Semifinal at Thunderbird Stadium.

This is a remarkably similar scenario to the last time the two battled in the playoffs.

In 2023, UBC pulled off a comeback victory over Manitoba en route to the team's most recent Vanier Cup appearance.

The Bisons head to Vancouver as underdogs with redemption on the mind.

The T-Birds face a whole new level of expectation.

"Our program's actually been flying under the radar a little bit and there are expectations that the season needs to continue during the playoff run," said UBC head coach Blake Nill.

Nill led his squad to a first place regular season finish for the second time in the last four years.

"It puts a lot of pressure on everyone associated with the program: coaches, athletes, medical people – but it's why you do it and I'm looking forward to having a good week of preparation for Coach Pierre's Manitoba program coming in," Nill said.

Since the T-Birds executed a terrific defensive performance in a 31-6 victory over the Bisons in Winnipeg back on September 26, Manitoba has had a mixed bag of results.

The Bisons went 2-2 over their final four games.

They fell to the fourth and final playoff seed after last week's 26-15 home loss to Regina.

UBC followed up that win in Manitoba with a week five loss at Saskatchewan.

But the T-Birds have since rattled off three straight victories.

That includes last Friday's dominant performance over the Huskies.

Over that stretch, UBC outscored the opposition by a combined 114-59.

Under Nill's tenure, the T-Birds have been known as a program which tends to build momentum over the course of the season.

2026 has been no exception.

Take second-year quarterback Drew Viotto.

He has seemed to have found a new level.

Viotto is completing over 72 percent of his passes over the last three games.

In that span, he has a combined five touchdowns and just one interception.

"Drew has played very well, maybe his best two games in the last two so that's certainly a good sign when your quarterback is starting to feel it going into the playoffs," Nill said.

"He's definitely a guy who's going to do it for us if we hope to have an extended playoff run. My hope is that he can continue to track," Nill added.

The Hardy Cup is the Canada West conference championship trophy.

It is named after William "Bill" Hardy, a legendary Canadian football player and coach.

Hardy played for the University of British Columbia in the 1940s and later coached the Thunderbirds.

He also served as the head coach of the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League.

The Hardy Cup was first awarded in 1936.

The winner of the Hardy Cup advances to the Vanier Cup, the national championship of U Sports football.

U Sports is the governing body for university sports in Canada.

The Vanier Cup has been awarded every year since 1965.

UBC has won the Vanier Cup four times: in 1982, 1986, 1997 and 2015.

The Thunderbirds last appeared in the Vanier Cup in 2023, where they lost to the Montreal Carabins.

Manitoba has won the Vanier Cup once, in 1969.

The Bisons have not appeared in the national final since 2007.

Saturday's game is a single-elimination semifinal.

The winner will face the winner of the other semifinal between the Saskatchewan Huskies and the Regina Rams.

That game will determine who advances to the Hardy Cup final.

The Hardy Cup final is scheduled for the following weekend.

The 2026 Vanier Cup is set to be played on November 28 in Kingston, Ontario.

Kickoff for Saturday's game at Thunderbird Stadium is set for 1:00 PM Pacific Time.

Thunderbird Stadium is located on the UBC campus in Vancouver.

It has a seating capacity of approximately 3,500.

The game will be streamed live on Canada West TV.

Tickets are available through the UBC Athletics website.

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The Bisons will be looking to avenge their 2023 playoff loss.

That game was also played at Thunderbird Stadium.

UBC won that contest 34-28 in a come-from-behind effort.

The Thunderbirds went on to defeat the Saskatchewan Huskies in the Hardy Cup final that year.

They then advanced to the Vanier Cup.

Manitoba will enter Saturday's game with nothing to lose.

As the fourth seed, they are playing on the road against a higher-ranked opponent.

UBC, meanwhile, must deal with the weight of being the favorite.

Nill acknowledged that pressure during the preview.

He noted that expectations are high for a program that has been flying under the radar.

The coach said the pressure is felt by everyone associated with the program.

But he also framed it as a positive.

"It's why you do it," Nill said.

The T-Birds will rely on their defense, which held Manitoba to just six points in their first meeting.

That defensive performance was described as terrific by the UBC communications staff.

Offensively, Viotto's recent surge gives UBC a dynamic passing attack.

If the quarterback can continue his hot streak, the T-Birds will be tough to stop.

The Bisons will counter with their own strengths.

Manitoba's record does not tell the full story.

The Bisons played a tough schedule and have experience in big games.

They will be motivated by the memory of 2023.

Saturday's game marks the beginning of the second season for both teams.

In U Sports football, the regular season is eight games.

The playoffs are single elimination.

One loss ends the season.

That reality raises the intensity for every snap.

The Thunderbirds have been building toward this moment all season.

Nill's teams are known for peaking at the right time.

If the pattern holds, UBC could be a dangerous team in the postseason.

But first, they must get past a hungry Manitoba squad.

The Bisons have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

That makes them a dangerous opponent.

Saturday's weather forecast for Vancouver calls for partly cloudy skies with a high of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

That is typical November weather in the coastal city.

Rain is possible but not expected to be heavy.

The playing surface at Thunderbird Stadium is field turf.

That ensures consistent conditions regardless of weather.

Both teams will have a full week of practice to prepare.

UBC has the advantage of playing at home.

Home field is significant in the playoffs.