A Rivalry Game That Went Right to the Wire
Saskatchewan had to work through every last second against its oldest rival, but the Roughriders finished the job with an overtime win over Winnipeg at Mosaic Stadium. The 32-26 result gave the Labour Day Classic the kind of dramatic finish fans expected from a matchup with so much history.
A crowd of 34,352 watched the game, setting a new venue record for a CFL crowd in Regina. Winnipeg forced the extra period on the final snap of regulation when Zach Collaros found Dorian Singer from five yards out to tie the score as time expired.
The Roughriders answered first once overtime began. Tommy Stevens powered in from one yard out for his third touchdown of the game and his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, putting Saskatchewan in front before the crucial conversion attempt fell incomplete.
That miss left the door open for Winnipeg, but Saskatchewan’s defense shut it quickly. On third-and-six from the Riders’ 31-yard line, the Bombers failed to move the chains, and Jameer Thurman finished the sequence with a tackle behind the line to seal the victory.
Quarterback Play and Offensive Rhythm
Trevor Harris handled the bulk of the passing work for Saskatchewan and finished 23 of 33 for 362 yards with one touchdown. He said the offense needed time to settle in, but once it did, the unit found enough rhythm to keep the game under control.
Harris also moved up the all-time passing list during the second quarter. A 72-yard strike to Daniel Wiebe pushed him past Doug Flutie and into 10th place on the CFL’s career passing yardage leaderboard.
He later described the milestone as something made possible by the people around him. Harris now has 41,590 career passing yards, leaving him behind only Matt Dunigan’s 43,857 in ninth place and well short of league leader Anthony Calvillo, who sits at 79,816.
KeeSean Johnson added another personal accomplishment for Saskatchewan. His four catches for 32 yards moved him past 1,000 receiving yards for a second straight season, giving him 81 receptions and 1,022 yards so far this year.
Receiver Depth Became the Difference
With Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker sidelined, Dhel Duncan-Busby stepped into a larger role and made the most of it. The third-year receiver caught 10 passes for 140 yards, both career highs, and several of his biggest grabs came on critical downs late in the fourth quarter.
His production pushed his season totals to 35 catches for 504 yards. Duncan-Busby said patience mattered, especially on a roster dealing with injuries that forced other players to take on added responsibilities.
Saskatchewan’s offense did its part, and the defense backed it up with a strong closing effort. Aubrey Miller Jr., making his first career start at linebacker, said the group fed off the points the offense put on the board.
The front seven also made Winnipeg uncomfortable throughout the afternoon. Miller, Derick Roberson, and Seyi Oladipo all recorded sacks, while the defense held Brady Oliveira to 28 rushing yards on nine carries after he entered the contest with 956 yards on the season.
Key Numbers That Shaped the Finish
Winnipeg’s quarterback Zach Collaros completed 27 of 40 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Kevens Clercius and Dorian Singer for scores. On special teams, Sergio Castillo was perfect on four field goal attempts, while Saskatchewan’s Alex Hale converted only one of his three tries.
Quali Conley also found the end zone for Saskatchewan, and Roberson added a safety as part of a game that swung back and forth before the final overtime stop.
- Saskatchewan improved to 8-4 and stayed in second place in the West Division behind Edmonton, which entered Monday at 8-3 before facing Calgary.
- Winnipeg dropped to 6-6 after the loss.
- The teams will meet again on Saturday, September 12, in Winnipeg.
The rematch arrives quickly, and both clubs will have the benefit of a full film review before they meet again. If this contest is any indication, the next chapter in the rivalry could bring another tight finish.