Slumping Saskatoon Hilltops look to flip the page against Wildcats in playoff opener

The Saskatoon Hilltops are counting their lucky stars that they’ll get the chance to play Prairie Football Conference semifinals in front of their home crowd again.

Thanks to a math equation and some unexpected parity in the league to end the regular season, the ice-cold Hilltops will open playoffs at SMF Field on Sunday afternoon against the Edmonton Wildcats.

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“We got a bit of, I would say, a lucky chance getting another home game here,” said Hilltops wide receiver Luke Bednarek.

“I don’t know if we fully deserved it. We weren’t really that happy with how we ended the season, but now it’s a new season and 0-0 here.”

The Hilltops appeared destined to hit the road for PFC semis for the first time since 1990 last weekend after a 27-11 loss to the Winnipeg Rifles in their regular season finale, which dropped their record to 4-4 on the year.

Even though the Wildcats held the head-to-head tiebreaker, an unexpected victory by the Calgary Colts over the previously undefeated Regina Thunder last Sunday threw the conference into chaos, with the Hilltops, Wildcats and Colts all tied for second place at 4-4.

Head-to-head records were not applicable with unbalanced schedules between the trio of teams, which saw the conference use a formula percentage based on points scored divided by points gained and points lost in meetings between Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary.

The Hilltops’ percentage of 52.8 per cent beat out Edmonton’s 51.2 per cent, giving Saskatoon the opportunity to kick off playoffs at home.

It’s not the way Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant envisioned his team securing second place in the conference, but he’s not interested in the specifics on how his team locked up home field advantage.

“We could be at 7-1 in second place or you can be 4-4 in second place,” Sargeant said. “At the end of the day, we’re playing at home. Whatever formula that was put forth, we’re happy for it.”

Some soul-searching will be needed this weekend for a Hilltops team which has been a far cry from last season’s squad, which captured the program’s 24th national championship.

A 3-1 record at the midway mark of the season has been flipped on its head for Saskatoon, as the Hilltops dropped three of their final four games of the regular season to finish with their worst record in 36 years.

Sargeant said they’ve fallen short of expectations both internally and externally, but added there’s a new chapter ahead with the start of playoffs.

“We’re just trying to figure out what game plan we can put out there where these players come out and play physical, play fast and execute it,” Sargeant said.

“We’ve just been getting in our own way and haven’t been playing up to the standards of what probably they want, what we want.”

Saskatoon has struggled to get their offence in gear since the start of September, as they’ve recorded over 13 points just once in the span and have been outscored by their opponents 104-60 in those four games.

Bednarek said that while they’re moving the ball effectively, it’s been a problem all year getting points on the board.

“I would say honestly that’s probably more of our weak spot, we just can’t score right now,” Bednarek said.

“I think that’s just biting down on the mouth guard in the red zone, and really that effort and that push to get into the end zone is where we need to improve.”

Last weekend in their loss to Winnipeg, the Hilltops put all three of their quarterbacks on the field — Griffin Sander, Sam Bazarkiewicz and Kyren Houmphanh.

Bazarkiewicz was the only pivot to throw for a touchdown against the Rifles, while Sander completed 10-of-22 passes for 125 yards through the air.

Sander has thrown for only 205 combined yards passing in Saskatoon’s final two games of the regular season, though Sargeant isn’t prepared to make a change and will likely put his Canadian Bowl-winning quarterback out against the Wildcats.

“There’s a real good chance you’re going to see Griffin under centre,” Sargeant said.

“He’s the guy that’s taking 90 per cent of the snaps this year. As we march forward, we believe he’s going to have a big impact in the direction we’re going.”

According to defensive back Hudson Arneson, who recorded his first interception of the season last week against Winnipeg, the key will be in simplifying their process with their season on the line.

“I think a lot of guys are trying to make plays when it’s not their job,” Arneson said.

“I think this week we got to just stick together, keep doing what we’re doing and go back to the basics a little bit.”

Press play and watch ‘em go 😤 Congratulations to LB Zaden Taylor and REC Luke Bednarek - 2026 PFC All-Stars! https://t.co/VMQ8zfBkaO
— Saskatoon Hilltops (@SaskHilltops) October 9, 2026

After they boasted seven conference all-stars a year ago, two Hilltops players received PFC all-star nods on Friday in Bednarek and linebacker Zaden Taylor, while defensive back Simon Dube was named to the conference’s all-rookie team.

Bednarek, who finished third in the conference with 563 receiving yards and two touchdowns, believes the Hilltops still possess that championship DNA.

“There’s still lots of work to be done now,” Bednarek said. “I think we’re confident that we can turn it around. We have all the pieces here to be great and we know that.”

Both meetings against the Wildcats this season were separated by less than a touchdown, with Sargeant expecting another tight battle Sunday with their playoff lives at stake.

“There’s a reason that they’re right with us and expectations are high for them, just as high as they are for us,” Sargeant said.

“It’s going to come down to which team wants it more.”

The Hilltops and Wildcats will meet at SMF Field with a 1 p.m. kickoff for a spot in the PFC championship game, which will be played next weekend against either the Regina Thunder or Calgary Colts.

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