EDMONTON — Winners of four of their last five contests, the Edmonton Elks put the league on notice on Saturday night, defeating the Calgary Stampeders to split the Labour Day Classic home-and-home series.

Fuelled by a dominant rushing performance from Justin Rankin, an efficient outing from quarterback Cody Fajardo, and a stout defensive effort, the Elks showed they’re contenders this season with their 31-19 victory.

CFL.ca brings you three key stats that defined Edmonton’s win over Calgary.

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204 — JUSTIN RANKIN RUSHING YARDS

Justin Rankin had a career night on Saturday, showcasing his speed and ability to break tackles for extra yards.

The Elks running back has been sensational all season long for Edmonton and things were no different for him in the Labour Day Classic rematch. He racked up 204 yards on the ground, surpassed his previous career high of 157, and tallied the highest rushing total of any player in 2025.

Along with his massive yardage total, Rankin also found the end zone twice for two touchdowns.

4 — SACKS ON VERNON ADAMS JR.

Despite missing several starters on their defence, including defensive linemen Robbie Smith and Jake Ceresna, and linebackers Nyles Morgan and Nick Anderson to name a few, the Edmonton Elks defence put on a show at Commonwealth Stadium.

The team tallied four sacks on Vernon Adams Jr., with Noah Taylor and Brandon Barlow each getting one, and Jonathan Kongbo notching two on Adams Jr.

The Elks secondary also deserves credit, as they made things difficult for Adams Jr. through the air. The Stampeders pivot connected on just 51.7 per cent of his passes and no passing touchdowns before being removed from the game, not injury related, late in the fourth.

76.2 — CODY FAJARDO COMPLETION PERCENTAGE

 

With all of the focus on the Elks running back, and for good reason, Cody Fajardo had a tidy outing in his team’s win.

As he’s been doing since taking over behind centre for Edmonton, Fajardo was accurate and efficient, completing 76.2 per cent of his passes for 153 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions.