The Calgary Dinos spent Saturday afternoon refusing to go away.
Down 18 points in the second quarter, Calgary fought back to force overtime. When one extra period was not enough, the Dinos answered Manitoba again.
Only a failed two-point conversion finally ended it.
The Bisons escaped with a 38-36 double-overtime victory at Murray Field in Winnipeg, handing Calgary a heartbreaking loss after one of the wildest finishes of the Canada West season.
The Dinos trailed 21-3 after Manitoba scored twice early in the second quarter. It had the makings of a long afternoon for Calgary, but Evan Smith’s two-yard touchdown run before halftime provided the first hint that the game was not finished.
Calgary took control in the third quarter.
Quarterback David Jordan found Zion Grant for an 18-yard touchdown before Boaz Comeau kicked a 20-yard field goal, trimming Manitoba’s lead to 21-20 entering the fourth.
The Bisons answered with another touchdown but failed on the two-point conversion, leaving the door open at 27-20.
Calgary’s defence kicked it down.
De’Von Young jumped a short pass from Manitoba quarterback Cole Anseeuw and raced 49 yards before finally being caught. Jet Zakrzewski completed the job with a one-yard touchdown run, pulling the Dinos even at 27-27 with less than three minutes remaining.
Manitoba had one final chance to win in regulation and moved into field-goal range. The Dinos, however, found an unusual way to kill the clock. Calgary’s defenders kept the ball-carrier upright on the final play, preventing the Bisons from stopping the clock and bringing out their kicking unit.
On to overtime.
Comeau and Manitoba’s Maya Turner traded field goals in the first extra session, sending the game to a second overtime tied 30-30.
Manitoba struck first with a touchdown and converted the required two-point attempt to lead 38-30. Jordan immediately responded, connecting with running back Matthieu Clarke for a touchdown.
The Dinos needed two more yards to complete the comeback. They did not get them.
Calgary’s conversion attempt failed, ending a frantic game in which the Dinos repeatedly found another answer until the final play.
Jordan completed 18 of 32 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Matt Sibley was his top target, catching eight passes for 137 yards.
Clarke carried the ground game with 112 rushing yards before adding Calgary’s final touchdown through the air.
Anseeuw completed 23 of 36 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns for Manitoba. Ishe Matanga scored three times, while Nathan Udoh caught nine passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
The result dropped Calgary to 1-2. Manitoba improved to 2-1, according to the Canada West game report.
There are losses that leave a team with little to take home. This was not one of them. Calgary erased an 18-point deficit, produced a game-saving interception and forced overtime with some creative clock management.
None of that will make the two-point margin feel better.
The Dinos return home Friday to face the Alberta Golden Bears at 7 p.m.
