OTTAWA — Dustin Crum shook off a subpar first half and led the Ottawa Redblacks to a 34-33 comeback win over the B.C. Lions on Friday night.
Ottawa (4-8) trailed the entire game but with 33 seconds remaining Crum found Kalil Pimpleton for a 52-yard pass and then connected with Eugene Lewis for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Lewis Ward connected on the convert to give Ottawa a 34-33 lead.
Crum, making his fourth start, overcame a slow start to finish 24-for-32 for 301 yards and one touchdown and added 69 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Nathan Rourke had a solid outing for the Lions (5-7) going 22-for-32 for 284 yards, one TD and two interceptions.
Ottawa trailed 13-3 at halftime and 27-16 heading into the final quarter, but outscored the visitors 18-6 in the final quarter.
Having led the entire game the Lions extended their lead to 30-16 early in the fourth on a 47-yard Sean Whyte field goal.
But the Redblacks were resilient. Ward responded with a 39-yard field goal, followed by Crum battling through a crowd for his second rushing touchdown of the game. Ottawa added a two-point convert to get within three, 30-27, with just over seven minutes remaining.
Whyte provided some breathing room with a 37-yard field goal, but Crum pulled off late game heroics to pick up the Redblacks second home win of the season.
Momentum had briefly swung Ottawa’s way early in the third quarter when Lucas Cormier intercepted a bobbled pass intended for Keon Hatcher Sr. at B.C.’s five-yard line. On the next play, William Stanback punched it in, cutting the deficit to 13-10.
But the Lions responded immediately. After a 24-yard return by Seven McGee, Rourke found James Butler wide-open for his second score. Minutes later, Seven McGee broke loose for a 93-yard punt return to make it 27-10.
Ottawa answered with a six-play drive capped by a nine-yard Crum scramble, but Ward missed the extra point.
A disappointing first half left the Redblacks trailing 13-3.
The Lions opened the scoring with an 18-yard field goal and extended the lead early in the second quarter on a five-yard run by Butler.
The Redblacks’ first-quarter struggles continued, as they were held scoreless once again. Ottawa has managed just a single point across its last six opening quarters.
After struggling to gain field position the Redblacks finally got deep into Lions territory only to watch Justin Hardy drop his second pass of the game forcing Ottawa to settle for a 31-yard Ward field goal.
Lions and Redblacks play again on Friday, Sept. 12, in Vancouver.