EDMONTON – It was the Gavin Cobb show on Friday night under the lights at Foote Field, as the fourth-year receiver scored a trio of touchdowns, leading the Manitoba Bisons to a 31-17 win over the Alberta Golden Bears.
 
Cobb scored a pair of majors through the air, hauling in a pair of receiving touchdowns from quarterback Jackson Tachinski, before capping off his remarkable night with a 91-yard punt return TD in the second quarter.
 
The win is the Bisons second this season, as they improve to 2-0 on the season. Alberta falls to 1-1 following the home loss.
 
The visiting Bisons controlled the game for the majority, scoring first, and never relinquishing the lead. Tachinksi finished with 180 passing yards and three TD passes, adding 52 yards on the ground on nine carries in his first career start.

Another TD for the Manitoba Bisons and Gavin Cobb. This time he takes it 91 yards for a punt return touchdown.

Cobb's third major score of the game gives @umbisons at 21-2 lead over @UABearsFootball. pic.twitter.com/cbo15WYcl0

— UAlberta Golden Bears & Pandas (@BearsandPandas) October 2, 2021

 
By comparison, the Golden Bears struggled to find any rhythm on Friday night, with a late fourth quarter push negated with a handful of costly Alberta penalties.
 
Bears starter Brad Launhardt, who was benched for parts of the second and third quarter, finished with 85 passing yards of 10/19 throwing, adding 59 yards on the ground and one rushing score.
 
Zac Montgomery showed flashes in relief at QB for Alberta, throwing for 103 yards on 4/7 passing, also adding a rushing TD and 18 yards on the ground.
 
One bright spot for the home side was second-year tailback Matthew Peterson, who followed up a three-TD performance in Week 1 with 96 rushing yards and 22 receiving yards in Week 2.
 
Cobb scored both of his receiving touchdowns early in the first quarter, as the Bisons raced out to an early 14-0 lead. Tachinski found Cobb for a 31-yard TD, before finding him for a 22-yard score two minutes later.
 
The Victoria, BC product found the end zone again midway through the second, giving the Bisons a 21-2 lead with an electrifying punt return score along the Bears sideline.
 
Montgomery capped off a 107-yard drive early in the third quarter with his TD run during one if his three offensive series'. The lead cut the Bison lead down to 24-9.
 

?????????????????? ?????????? ??

Zac Montgomery leads @UABearsFootball on a 107-yard drive, capping it off with a one-yard TD plunge!!

Bears cut the @umbisons lead down to 24-9 in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/LRkGwSQDVp

— UAlberta Golden Bears & Pandas (@BearsandPandas) October 2, 2021

However, Tachinski found Michael Ritchott for a 10-yard TD score to restore the 22-point Bison lead.
 
After a Launhardt TD early in the fourth cut the lead to 31-16, penalties and stalled drives ended the Bears comeback bid. Launhardt himself was flagged late in the fourth for a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties, killing the Bears final drive.
 
Both teams will be off next weekend for the Thanksgiving 'Bye' Week, before returning to action on October 16^th, when Alberta visits Saskatchewan, and Manitoba hosts Calgary.