REGINA -- The Saskatchewan Roughriders are off to the West Division Final.
The Roughriders outscored the B.C. Lions 15-6 in the second half and would go on to a 28-19 victory in the first round of the Canadian Football League playoffs Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.
The Riders’ defence was the major key in the victory, hauling in three interceptions on the night, including two in the fourth quarter as B.C. attempted to mount a comeback.
The playoff win was the first for Saskatchewan since the 2021 season when they lost to Winnipeg in the Division Final.
Saskatchewan will now rematch the Blue Bombers in the West Final on Saturday, Nov. 9 in Winnipeg.
The Reaction
Roughriders head coach Corey Mace was naturally a happy camper after the huge win, pointing out on the CKRM Rider Radio postgame show how their defensive gameplan worked to a tee.
“I think the main thing is being able to control V.A. (B.C. quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.) and that receiving corps and what they do,” Mace explained. “We felt pretty confident that if they wanted to rely on the run game it would be okay, but we assumed they’d try and attack us through the air. Our DBs and our coaches did an outstanding job just waiting and capitalizing and making them earn everything for the most part outside of that first drive.
“Then the d-line was really getting after it, they were firing off the spot and forcing them into a couple bad throws, and when we needed to capitalize on those turnovers like we did all year, the guys did it. So that was the main thing defensively.”
On the other side of the ball, the goal was to be able to control the game, something Saskatchewan was able to do both on the ground and in the air.
“We have the two horses in the backfield in (Ryquell) Armstead and A.J. (Ouellette) and I thought they did a good job,” Mace said. “Then, of course, it’s Trevor Harris and the receiving corps. It was a good performance… I’m just so pleased and so happy for the guys.”
Harris -- the Roughriders quarterback -- was his usual outstanding self, passing for 279 yards and drawing effusive praise from his coach.
“It’s the same as it’s been all season for him. He’s surgical, it’s creepy,” Mace said with a chuckle. “There are some looks he’s getting that make you nervous a little bit, like ‘ohhh boy’ and he makes the perfect read and throws a perfect ball. It might not be the big plays everybody sees, it’s some of the intermediate throws that he’s making that are unbelievable. The way he processes the game at such a high level, I’m happy as ever he’s on our side.”
Mace was also impressed with how his team was able to bounce back from B.C. scoring a long-range touchdown on the first series of the game -- harkening back to Harris and his ‘Don’t Flinch’ ethos that even included getting wristbands made up for the team.
“I haven’t taken it off since training camp,” Mace said. “We talk about having confidence in ourselves, we’re built for these types of environments, and that’s football.
“The game is going to swing one way or another from series to series, and we got banged early and had to make some fixes and corrections on ourselves, but there was no panic, man. That’s what I love about this team, there’s never any panic, just faith that we’re going to find ourselves in a situation where we’re going to come out with the win.”
Now, the Riders turn their attention to the West Division Final in a week’s time and another meeting with their arch-rivals from Winnipeg.
“It’s going to be a great match-up, obviously we have tons of respect for that team and what they’ve done the last four years,” Mace said, adding that preparation for the game was starting as soon as his media duties wrapped up. “What a challenge for us to go into their barn and see if we match up. I know our guys are excited about that.”
The Game
The Lions got off to the aforementioned great start on their first drive of the game, taking seven plays to get to the B.C. 54 before Vernon Adams Jr. found Jevon Cottoy with a pass over the middle that turned into a 56-yard touchdown run four minutes into the game.
Kicker Sean Whyte would miss the convert, though, and the Lions settled for the quick 6-0 lead.
The Roughriders responded on their first drive, with Harris taking eight plays to get to the Lions’ 26 and setting Brett Lauther up for a 34-yard field goal.
Both teams had drives stall without points in the latter half of the opening 15 minutes, and the first quarter would end with B,C. holding a 6-3 lead.
Saskatchewan got the stop on the Lions’ first possession of the second quarter and the offence would immediately respond. Jerreth Sterns had the key play of the drive with a 25-yard catch down to the B.C. 20, and three plays later Lauther would hit a 25-yard field goal to tie the contest 6-6.
The Riders got the ball back immediately on B.C.’s next drive, with Marcus Sayles picking off a scrambling Adams at the Saskatchewan 49.
That turnover would result in the Roughriders’ first major 11 plays and six minutes later. A.J. Oulette would cap the drive by taking the wildcat snap and slamming over the line from one yard out, giving Saskatchewan a 13-6 lead.
Some great play calling by the Lions led to their second touchdown of the game late in the first half.
Adams got off a surprise punt on a third-and-three and pinned the Riders deep in their zone, and when B.C.’s defence held and forced a short punt, the Lions had great field position at the Saskatchewan 22. Three plays later, Adams found Justin McInnis in the back of the endzone for an 11-yard major with 38 seconds left in the half.
Whyte would make the convert this time, and the teams went into the half tied 13-13.
The Roughriders regained the lead on the first series of the third quarter.
Ouellette finished off a six-play drive with a 30-yard run that saw him break initial contact at the line before going untouched the rest of the way to the Lions’ endzone.
B.C. had things going in their next drive, but a time-count violation due to fan noise forced the Lions into second and long, and a Brian Cox Jr. sack would force the Lions to settle for a 36-yard field goal.
A turnover on downs on the following series when Harris failed to convert a third-and-one gave B.C the ball at the Saskatchewan 50, but Whyte would put a 39-yard field goal off the upright and the game would remain 20-16 to start the fourth quarter.
The Lions came right back with another solid drive on their next possession, with a 35-yard catch by Ayden Eberhardt getting B.C. down to the Riders 13. Saskatchewan’s defence would stiffen, though and Whyte hit a 17-yarder to make it a one-point game.
The Riders responded immediately.
Starting at the B.C. 47, Harris put together a quick four-play drive that culminated with a 13-yard pass to Sterns for the touchdown. KeeSean Johnson hauled in the two-point convert, and the Riders had a two-score lead with 10:08 to play.
Adams had another drive going on B.C.’s next possession, but it would be snuffed when a long-range pass to Eberhardt was picked off by Nelson Lokombo at the Sask 20-yard line. The interception was the first of Lokombo’s CFL career.
B.C. went into desperation mode on their next series, and the drive would end with 47 seconds remaining when Rolan Milligan hauled in an interception in the Riders end zone.
The Stats
Harris was 26-for-33 passing for his 279 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
Samuel Emilus was his favourite target with nine catches for 106 yards, while Johnson hauled in seven for 66 yards.
Ouelette led the ground game with 14 carries for 279 yards.
Adams completed 20-of-33 passes for 317 yards, two majors and the three picks.
Cottoy had three catches for 82 yards, McInnis five for 66.
The Riders rush defence was on point, holding William Stanbeck to only 27 yards on seven carries.
Saskatchewan had 371 yards total offence, B.C. 351 yards.
