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The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved firmly into second place in the CFL’s West Division on Sunday, defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-26 in overtime on the strength of a remarkable three-touchdown performance by quarterback Tommy Stevens.
Stevens Delivers in Overtime
The Roughriders received the opening possession of overtime and wasted no time. Stevens punched the ball in from one yard out for his third rushing touchdown of the night, giving Saskatchewan a 32-26 lead. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the door open for Winnipeg.
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The Bombers could not capitalize. Saskatchewan’s defense held firm, stopping Winnipeg on a third-and-six attempt from the Riders’ 31-yard line to seal the victory.
Stevens finished the game with 15 rushing touchdowns on the season, cementing his status as one of the CFL’s most dangerous quarterbacks on the ground. His overtime winner capped a decisive individual performance that proved critical throughout the contest.
A Back-and-Forth Contest
The game was tightly contested from the start, with first downs scarce in the opening quarter. Saskatchewan earned its first first down with five minutes remaining in the first quarter, while Winnipeg did not record its opening first down until three minutes into the second quarter.
The Riders held a 5-3 lead after one quarter. Early in the second, quarterback Trevor Harris connected with Quali Conley on a seven-yard touchdown pass to extend the advantage to 12-3. Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo responded with his second field goal to cut the gap to 12-6.
The Bombers then took a 13-12 lead when Zach Collaros found Kevens Clercius on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left in the first half. Winnipeg carried that lead into the break.
Trailing 16-13 heading into the fourth quarter, Stevens gave Saskatchewan the lead again with a one-yard touchdown run at the 11:21 mark, making it 20-16. Castillo’s fourth field goal of the game pulled Winnipeg back to within one point with 5:44 remaining.
The Riders answered immediately. They drove 70 yards on five plays, with Stevens scoring on a three-yard run to push the lead to 26-19. However, Collaros kept the Bombers alive by hitting Dorian Singer on a five-yard touchdown pass on the final play of regulation, forcing overtime.
Harris Climbs the All-Time Passing List
Sunday’s game also marked a significant milestone for Harris. Early in the second quarter, he completed a 72-yard pass to Daniel Wiebe, moving him past Doug Flutie into 10th place on the CFL’s all-time passing yardage list.
Harris entered the game with 41,228 career passing yards, sitting 127 yards behind Flutie’s mark of 41,355. After throwing for 341 yards on Sunday, Harris now holds 41,590 career passing yards.
He now trails Matt Dunigan, who sits ninth on the all-time list with 43,857 yards. Anthony Calvillo remains the CFL’s all-time passing leader with 79,816 yards.
Standings Impact
The victory improved Saskatchewan’s record to 8-4, placing them second in the West Division. The Edmonton Elks lead the division at 8-3 heading into their Monday game against the Calgary Stampeders.
Winnipeg dropped to 6-6 with the loss. Both teams are scheduled to meet again on Saturday, September 12, with the Blue Bombers hosting the Roughriders in Winnipeg.
