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The Saskatchewan Roughriders snapped any hope of a Toronto Argonauts sweep with a 28-24 victory at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on August 29, 2026. A sold-out crowd of 33,350 — the largest CFL attendance of the season — watched the Roughriders capitalize on a series of costly Argonauts mistakes to secure the win.
Special Teams Errors Prove Costly for Toronto
The Argonauts entered the game with momentum but struggled to sustain it. Two botched convert attempts proved particularly damaging, creating a four-point swing that ultimately shaped the outcome.
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After Toronto’s second touchdown, receiver David Ungerer lined up on the wrong sideline. The resulting illegal substitution penalty pushed the point-after-touchdown attempt back 10 yards, and the kick struck the upright. The Argonauts lost the single point entirely.
Later, following a third Toronto touchdown, kicker Brady Lidster’s convert attempt was blocked by Mike Rose. Linebacker Marcus Sayles scooped up the ball and returned it 79 yards, giving Saskatchewan two points on the play. Argonauts head coach Mike Miller declined to place the blame squarely on his special teams unit.
“It really doesn’t come down to one play,” Miller said. “It changes the cosmetic of the game but we still have to overcome it. We had opportunities to do that and we weren’t able to.”
Kelly Battles Through Injury in Losing Effort
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly delivered a strong statistical performance despite the defeat. He completed 28 of 38 passes for 416 yards, throwing three touchdowns and one interception.
Kelly absorbed a pair of sacks and briefly left the field in the third quarter, with backup Nick Arbuckle stepping in. After the game, Kelly revealed he had played through a broken toe. He pointed to offensive inefficiency as the primary reason for the loss.
“I think we had seven two-and-outs today,” Kelly said. “They have a good defensive line and they’re very well coached. They have great players up front.”
Earlier in the contest, Kelly connected with Damonte Coxie on a 58-yard pass to set up Tyler Kahmann’s second touchdown catch of the game, giving Toronto a 13-7 lead in the second quarter. The Argonauts, however, could not hold the advantage.
Roughriders Find Their Rhythm at the Right Moment
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris bounced back after back-to-back losses, throwing for 313 yards. His connection with receiver KeeSean Johnson was a highlight, as the pair linked up 10 times for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Harris credited the contributions of his full receiving corps for the performance. “Dhel made some big plays tonight. Shemar made a couple big catches and then we had Mimbs make a big catch on second-and-15 to keep a drive alive,” Harris said. “Everybody was kind of doing their part.”
The decisive moment came late in the fourth quarter. With Saskatchewan trailing 24-21 and lining up for an 11-yard field goal attempt, Argonauts defensive back Tarvarus McFadden jumped offside. The penalty gave the Roughriders a fresh set of downs, and quarterback Tommy Stevens punched the ball in from two yards out. That touchdown gave Saskatchewan a 28-24 lead they would not relinquish.
Mace Sees the Urgency His Team Needed
Roughriders head coach Corey Mace had spoken earlier in the week about the importance of avoiding a prolonged losing streak. He said he saw the necessary urgency from his players, particularly in the second half.
“I thought we were doing some really good things in the first half but the ball just didn’t fall our way in certain situations,” Mace said. “I thought it was more visible in the second half.”
Both teams return to action over the Labour Day weekend. The Argonauts travel to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats on Monday, September 7, while the Roughriders host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, September 6.
