Saskatchewan Huskies win Uteck Bowl, advance to 2022 Vanier Cup

The Huskies used a dominant second half to beat the St. FX X-Men 36-19 in the Uteck Bowl on Saturday in Antigonish, N.S. The Huskies held a 15-13 lead with about seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter before a pair of big plays blew the game wide open for the visitors.

Huskies move on to face Laval after 36-19 win over St. FX in Antigonish, N.S.

CBC Sports · Posted: Nov 19, 2022 2:46 PM EST | Last Updated: November 20, 2022

The Saskatchewan Huskies celebrate with the trophy after their 36-19 win over the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in the Uteck Bowl on Saturday in Antigonish, N.S. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press)

The Saskatchewan Huskies have booked their ticket to the 2022 Canada Life Vanier Cup.

Tied 6-6 after the first half, the Huskies used a dominant second half to beat the St. FX X-Men 36-19 in the Uteck Bowl on Saturday in Antigonish, N.S.

Saskatchewan will face the Laval Rouge et Or, who toppled the reigning Vanier Cup champion Western Mustangs with a 27-20 comeback win in the Mitchell Bowl later on Saturday in London, Ont.

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The Canadian university football championship will also take place at Western Alumni Stadium in London next Saturday. It will be the second consecutive trip to the national title game for the Huskies, who fell 27-21 to the Mustangs in 2021.

Saskatchewan quarterback Mason Nyhus was named offensive player of the game on Saturday after completing 30-of-38 passes for 327 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both of which came in the fourth quarter.

Defensive back John Stoll with the Huskies was named defensive player of the game as he finished with two tackles and a key interception return touchdown.

WATCH | Saskatchewan uses big 2nd half to beat St. FX in Uteck Bowl:

Saskatchewan uses big 2nd half to beat St. FX, advance to Vanier Cup

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John Stoll's interception return for a touchdown sealed the Huskies' 36-19 win in the Uteck Bowl at St. Francis Xavier University.

St. FX quarterback Silas Fagnan went 17-of-36 passing for 258 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also scored a touchdown on the ground.

The Canada West champion Huskies held a 15-13 lead with about seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter before a pair of big plays blew the game wide open for the visitors.

Following a safety, Nyhus threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Wiebe with 6:26 remaining.

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On the next drive, Stoll intercepted Fagnan and returned it 26 yards for another Huskies touchdown, pushing the Saskatchewan lead to 16 points.

St. FX answered with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Fagnan to Ben Harrington to make it a 10-point game with 3:01 left on the clock, but that was close as the X-Men could get.

Nyhus threw a 26-yard touchdown strike to Daniel Perry with 56 seconds remaining to put the game away.

Watch live coverage of the 57th Vanier Cup next Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android.

It will be the third meeting between Saskatchewan and Laval in the national title game, with Laval having won both previous meetings in 2004 and 2006.

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