Howie’s Hamper is back again with the Top Five games to watch live and in person this weekend.
The theme here is rivalries, and that’s going to make the atmosphere all the more electric.
1. Alberta at UBC (Saturday, 2 p.m., Thunderbird Stadium)
The Thunderbirds have not won a game on the field of play (they were awarded one by forfeit) since beating the same visiting Golden Bears in the first home game of its 2008 campaign. If you’re a fan of the blue-ajnd-gold, that’s simply too long to wait. So damn the impending rain and head on over to the Point Grey campus and watch one of the best UBC teams in the past few years as they play their home opener. ‘Birds quarterback Billy Greene comes in with 600 yards passing and no interceptions and UBC has looked good in botha win over Regina and a loss to Calgary, both on the road.
2. UBC at Trinity Western (Friday, 7 p.m., Rogers Park at TWU)
These two programs DO NOT like each other. In fact this might be the most heated rivalry in all of B.C. university sport. UBC comes in as the favorite, and the defending CIS national finalists are not only 2-0 in the standings but No. 2 in the national rankings. Expect a gritty Spartans’ effort and a great atmosphere in which to watch a match. Spartans’ fans are among the most vocal in the country and there is the added bonus of the nearby train tracks which cause the entire field to rumble at least a few times a night.
3. Vancouver College at St. Thomas More (Saturday. 1:30 p.m., STM Field)
One of B.C. high school’s best rivalries.
The Knights have got their best team in a number of years, and their No. 5 ranking could take a huge climb if they could find a way to beat the No. 1-ranked, defending B.C. Triple A champion Vancouver College Fighting Irish. A huge barbecue is planned prior to kickoff, and once the game begins, expect to hear two of the most vocal sets of student body cheering sections in the province.
4. Western Washington at Simon Fraser (Sunday, 2 p.m., Terry Fox Field at UBC)
Gooing back to their old days in the NAIA, these two schools have been fierce rivals in all manner of varsity sport. Now that SFU has joined WWU in NCAA Div. 2, it’s on again. Sunday’s game marks the GNAC Conference opener for the Clan, who last season won the title in their first year of NCAA competition. That team went 19-2 and this Clan team has been picked by rival coaches as the team to beat. As well, the Clan’s Terry Fox Field is a great locale to watch a game.
5. Handsworth at Carson Graham (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Confederation Park at Carson Graham)
Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the annual Buchanan Bowl clash between the two teams, crosstown rivals on the North Shore. Last season, Handsworth won the game 35-34 after scoring in the dying moments of the contest and kicking the deciding extra point. Carson Graham leads the overall series 14-10 in a game played on honour of the late James Buchanan, an avid supporter of prep sports on the shore during his time as a coach and administrator at both schools.
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