The UCalgary Dinos bounced back with three consecutive wins late in the university football season but it wasn't enough to make the Canada West quarterfinals.

Yesterday, the Dinos posted a 35-23 win over Manitoba but needed to win by 13 to edge out the Bisons to wrap up a playoff berth. Instead, the Bisons are heading to the UBC stadium to face the 6-2 Thunderbirds.

The Dinos looked to have it locked until T-Bird Nick Conway scooped up a fumble recovery with eight seconds remaining to make a 30-yard dash into the end zone. A two-point convert with zeros on the clock ended the Dinos season in front of a stunned hometown crowd.

Cochrane quarterback Xavier Vaillancourt helped to keep the Dinos playoff hopes alive. He came in for a couple of plays to throw the lone touchdown pass in a 13-12 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies on Oct. 21.

It was a little redemption for the first-year quarterback. Vaillancourt got his first start on Sept. 22 in a 28-12 loss to the Huskies at McMahon Stadium.