Prairie Showdown for Hardy Cup Spot Returns to Griffiths

The Saskatchewan Huskies and Regina Rams will meet in the Canada West semi-finals on Saturday, November 7, with a spot in the Hardy Cup on the line.

Kickoff is set for 2:00 PM CST at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park.

This marks the first time the two programs have faced each other in the semi-finals since 2012.

It will be the fourth semi-final matchup between the Huskies and Rams all time.

The game also represents the eighth postseason meeting in the history of the rivalry.

Saskatchewan comes into the game as the defending conference champion.

The Huskies won their 22nd conference title in 2025, defeating Regina in the Hardy Cup.

That victory avenged a loss in the 2024 Hardy Cup, when the Rams reigned supreme in Canada West.

Each program has beaten the other for a conference title in the past two seasons.

The regular season meeting between these two teams earlier this year was a thriller.

Saskatchewan defeated Regina 38-31 in Week 4 at Mosaic Stadium.

That game featured two fumbles returned for touchdowns.

The third quarter saw a dominant momentum swing in favor of the Huskies.

Regina mounted a fourth-quarter comeback attempt that fell short.

The Rams’ final drive ended on the Saskatchewan 29-yard line with 51 seconds remaining.

The Huskies escaped with the win, improving to 6-0 at that point in the season.

Regina fell to 4-4 with the loss.

Recent history suggests fans should expect the unexpected when these two teams share the field.

In each of the past five meetings, the rivalry has featured an average of three turnovers per game.

Those matchups have included two second-half shutouts.

There have been two fourth-quarter comebacks in that span.

Countless momentum swings have defined the series, as the two programs have continuously exchanged haymaker after haymaker.

The offensive approaches of the two squads also draw similarities to prior matchups.

Saskatchewan has relied heavily on the nation’s most productive passing attack.

The Huskies have averaged over 370 yards through the air per game this season.

Regina, by contrast, has leaned on a conference-leading run game.

The Rams have averaged nearly 200 rushing yards per outing.

The Huskies’ potent air raid offense is led by fifth-year quarterback Anton Amundrud.

Amundrud finished the regular season with 2,686 passing yards.

That total is the highest of any quarterback in U SPORTS this season.

In his final season in green and white, Amundrud has enjoyed the luxury of one of the country’s deepest receiving rooms.

Rookie sensation Keaton Belsher has led the group all season.

Belsher recorded 883 receiving yards and five touchdowns in his debut campaign.

He is followed by veteran pass catchers Rhett Vavra and Dawson Lennea.

The pair of slot backs also finished top-5 in the conference in receiving yards.

Tickets for the semi-final are available at HuskieTickets.com.

Fans unable to attend can watch the game live on SaskTel Max TV and CanadaWest.tv.

Audio coverage is available on HuskieFAN.ca or the HuskieFAN app.

The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to the Hardy Cup, the Canada West championship.

The Hardy Cup winner earns a berth in the U SPORTS national semifinal, the Mitchell Bowl.

The U SPORTS national championship game is the Vanier Cup.

Saskatchewan has won 22 conference titles in program history, the most in Canada West.

Regina has won three conference titles, most recently in 2024.

The Huskies and Rams first met in postseason play in 2002.

Saskatchewan holds the all-time postseason record in the series.

The rivalry has been marked by close games and dramatic finishes.

Saturday’s game will be played on natural grass at Griffiths Stadium.

Griffiths Stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 5,000.

The stadium is located on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon.

The weather forecast for Saturday calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Kickoff temperature is expected to be around 27 degrees.

Both teams are coming off a bye week in the first round of the playoffs.

The Canada West conference uses a six-team playoff format.

The top two seeds receive a first-round bye.

Saskatchewan entered the playoffs as the second seed.

Regina entered as the fourth seed.

The Rams defeated the fifth-seeded Manitoba Bisons in the quarter-finals on October 31.

Regina won that game 27-17.

The Huskies have not played since October 25, when they closed the regular season with a win over Alberta.

Saskatchewan finished the regular season with a 7-1 record.

Regina finished with a 5-3 record.

The only common opponent between the two teams this season was Manitoba.

Saskatchewan defeated Manitoba 41-10 in Week 3.

Regina defeated Manitoba 27-17 in the quarter-finals.

The winner of Saturday’s game will face the winner of the other Canada West semi-final between Alberta and UBC.

The Hardy Cup is scheduled for November 14 at the home of the highest remaining seed.

If Saskatchewan wins, they would host the Hardy Cup at Griffiths Stadium.

If Regina wins, the Hardy Cup would be played at the home of the Alberta-UBC winner, whichever has the higher seed.

The Battle of the Prairies nickname refers to the rivalry between the two Saskatchewan-based programs.

Both schools are located in the province of Saskatchewan, roughly 150 miles apart.

The rivalry is considered one of the most intense in U SPORTS football.

Saturday’s game will be the 38th all-time meeting between the two programs.

Saskatchewan leads the all-time series.

The Huskies have won 14 of the last 20 meetings.

Regina has won six of the last 20.

The teams have split the last four meetings, each winning two.

The 2024 Hardy Cup was played at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, with the Rams winning 27-24.

The 2025 Hardy Cup was played at Griffiths Stadium, with the Huskies winning 31-28.

Both conference championship games were decided by three points.

The 2012 semi-final between these two teams was won by Saskatchewan 34-13.

The Huskies went on to win the Hardy Cup that season and advanced to the Vanier Cup.

Saskatchewan has not won a national championship since 1996.

Regina has never won a Vanier Cup.

The Rams made their only national championship appearance in 2000, losing 42-39 to Ottawa.

The stakes for Saturday’s game are clear: win and keep the season alive, or lose and go home.

Both teams have everything to play for.

The game will be broadcast live on SaskTel Max TV and CanadaWest.tv.

Radio coverage is available on HuskieFAN.ca and the HuskieFAN app.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early, as parking near Griffiths Stadium is limited.

The university has arranged additional parking at the nearby Education Building lot.

Gates open at 12:30 PM CST.

A pre-game tailgate is planned in the Nutrien Park lot starting at 11:00 AM.

The game is expected to draw one of the largest crowds of the season.

Tickets remain available online at HuskieTickets.com.

Walk-up sales will be available at the stadium box office starting at 12:00 PM.

Cash and credit cards are accepted at all concession stands.

The stadium’s concession menu includes hot dogs, hamburgers, poutine, and coffee.

Fans are reminded that no outside food or beverages are permitted inside the stadium.

Griffiths Stadium is a smoke-free and vape-free facility.