Life University used smart positional play and an unflinching forward effort to defeat University of British Columbia 32-12 Saturday at the CRAA Fall Classic.
This was the game that everyone gathered to watch and it didn't disappoint. Despite the fog rolling in, making it tough to see the other side of the field, the two teams hammered each other in a bragging rights bowl game between the 2024-25 D1A runners-up and the fall 2025 Canadian bronze medalists.
Life opened the game in the UBC end. The Thunderbirds were able to keep the Running Eagles out, but a long clearance kick that could have turned the field around actually went out on the full. That was a break for Life and they instead had an attacking lineout in the UBC half. That set up a smart, flat pass from flyhalf Jonty Lee set up the charging Adam Chadwick; the hooker kept on charging and was over for the opening score.
The Thunderbirds defended with pride and certainly had weapons to threaten, but first they needed better field position. In the end it was Life that scored the next one as well, with a long series in the UBC 22 the Thunderbirds started giving up penalties. A bunch of those penalties happened in within 10 meters of the tryline, and after a couple of warnings, a high tackle was too much. Sin bin for UBC and soon thereafter prop Seth Kros crashed over.
Lee converted both of those and Life led 14-0.
But UBC was able to put some phases together and with two capped players in their backs—center Talon McMullin and fullack Tkoda McMullin, Life had to be careful. The Thunderbirds punished some Life penalties of their own, looked to work the maul and were able to pop off the back, consolidate, and put flanker Liam Kinghorn over under of the posts.
That kind of stunned Life for a bit and in a way the Running Eagles got too frantic trying to get that cushion back. More penalties by Life and UBC worked a maul that spun around, setting up hooker Ethan mcCarthy to break off and go untouched to the line.
Now it was 14-12.
But as the half progressed Life started to get the better of the kicking exchanges. As flanker Logan Ballinger described it acter the game, they don't call it a kick chase, they call it a kick race. With scrumhalf Bautista Araujo working the tempo and the center paring of Kade Cunningham and Jameson Beatty asking questions, Life spent a long period in the UBC 22 before Lee put over a penalty goal as halftime approached.
This was a smart move as it looked like we would have a 17-12 Life lead going into the break. Instead, it was 24-12. Right off the restart Life punched through the middle with those midfielders connecting with lee and almost getting Jordan Vassel free on the wing. He was dragged down—UBC's cover and scramble defense was very good all night—and fullback Nahuel Wingord sped in to make sure they won the ruck. Quick ball out and the Running Eagles scored under the posts.
