Dinos football opens 2025 season Friday at home

CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos officially kick off the 2025 season Friday with a big home opener, welcoming the University of Regina Rams to McMahon Stadium.

The action is set for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, with festivities for fans starting at 3:30 as part of the annual KICKOFF event.

HEADLINES

• The Dinos and Rams squared off two times a season ago. Regina spoiled last year's KICKOFF event with a 24-16 win in Calgary before the Dinos bounced back with a dominant defensive showing in Saskatchewan in Week 5 for a 23-20 victory.
• After dominating the head-to-head series 22-2 from 2008-2019, the Dinos ended a five-game skid last season with that Week 5 win in Regina.
• Regina has been Calgary's opponent for the annual KICKOFF event three times prior to Friday's opener. The Rams have managed to keep things close in those two meetings, falling 24-21 back in 2010 before a 49-35 Dinos win in 2017. Last year, the Rams held on for a 24-16 win.
• Both Calgary and Regina are coming off exhibition wins during fall camp. The Dinos turned in a dominant 45-13 win over Alberta in Red Deer, while the Rams edged Manitoba, 31-28.
• For the second straight season, the Dinos and Rams will face each other two times in the regular season. This year's second meeting is scheduled for Oct. 4 at Mosiac Stadium. The Dinos' other two home-and-home series this season will come against Manitoba and Alberta.

Calgary Dinos (0-0)
Next week: vs. Manitoba

• The Dinos are coming off a 2-6 showing a year ago, but the record far from tells the story of the season. Five of those six losses came by one score, including a double-overtime heartbreaker at Saskatchewan. Outside of a Week 7 game played in a monsoon in Vancouver, the Dinos where right there at the end of each game last year.
• With his first full season under his belt, head coach Ryan Sheahan has quite the number of new faces on this year's roster. Sheahan has brought in a total of 52 newcomers to this year's roster, welcoming talent from high school, junior football, U SPORTS transfers and NCAA transfers to this year's squad.
• Under first-year defensive coordinator Ben D'Andrea, the Dinos defence was once again one of the most feared in the country a season ago. Calgary conceded more than 24 points just two times all season, with one of those coming in a double-overtime contest. The vast majority of last year's defensive unit returns this year, with the obvious exceptions of CFL Draft selections Nate Beauchemin and Ethan Ball.
• Calgary remains at home for a Week 2 contest against Manitoba next Friday at 7 p.m. This marks the first time since 2012 the Dinos will start the season with back-to-back home games.

Regina Rams (0-0)
Next week: vs. Alberta

• The Rams are coming off their second ever Canada West championship a season ago, using a late push just to get into the playoffs before going on a run and nearly knocking off eventual Vanier Cup champions Laval in the Mitchell Bowl.
• Head coach Mark McConkey enters his fifth year at the helm of the Rams. The Calgary native holds a 10-20 mark in conference play through his first three seasons.
• The Rams will host their home opener next weekend as Alberta heads to Leibel Field for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Friday.