Changing of the guard: Bombers, Collaros, take big hits in Banjo Bowl

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Published Sep 06, 2025 • Last updated 21 hours ago • 4 minute read

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A Blue Bombers receiver makes a catch while being tackled by the Saskatchewan on Saturday night. Photo by John Woods /The Canadian PressArticle content

If there was any doubt left about a changing of the guard in the CFL West, the Saskatchewan Roughriders left it flattened on the turf in Winnipeg on Saturday — wearing No. 8.

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The picture of quarterback Zach Collaros prone and motionless after a blindside hit late in the third quarter was of more concern, even, than the 21-13 Blue Bombers loss.

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And that’s saying something. Because the result squashes Winnipeg’s chances of another first-place finish and leaves second place a long reach away, too.

It wasn’t just teammates kneeling on the field out of concern as Collaros remained down.

Riders quarterback Trevor Harris was on a knee right next to his former teammate.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Harris said, post-game. “I pray that Zach’s OK. I know early on in his career he had quite a few of those, and so across the league everybody will probably join up in prayer for Zach. He’s a close friend of mine. I came in the league with him.”

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Harris’ reference to “one of those” became clear in his next response.

“Hopefully it’s not what everybody thought it would be, a concussion. You don’t want that for anybody. We all have long lives. He’s got three beautiful kids, an awesome wife. Hopefully he can bounce back. Hopefully he’s OK.”

It was a blitzing C.J. Reavis, left untouched, who belted Collaros, his head making contact with the quarterback’s. There was no immediate penalty flag on the play — it wasn’t a dirty hit — but the Bombers challenged the non-call and the result was a roughing-the-passer penalty.

It’s the third time Collaros has been knocked from a game this season, the Bombers labelling the last two a neck injury.

This time, even his head coach was struck by how long he was motionless.

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“Yeah, he doesn’t stay down, usually,” Mike O’Shea said. “It’s not comforting, by any means. I hate to see that. I’m sure he’ll be OK. When, I don’t know.”

The first person to take a knee next to their fallen teammate was running back Brady Oliveira.

Oliveira had picked up one blitzer from the other side and didn’t see the other demolish his quarterback from the blind side.

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“It’s brutal again,” the tailback said. “A guy that does everything right. Puts in preparation to the max. Just concerning if anyone goes down. You just hope that they get up. Hope that they give you any sign that they’re OK, they can get up and they can move on to the next play.”

Collaros didn’t return and soon the lead his team had held since the first quarter was gone, never to return.

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“With the hits that he’s taken, it sucks just to see him down there,” receiver Nic Demski said. “I’m just glad he was walking around after.”

That’s the good news: When he did eventually get up, with some help, Collaros ended up jogging to the tunnel leading to the locker-room.

“That’s Zach letting everybody know, ‘Hey, I’m still here, I’m still a warrior,’” Demski said. “He’s the man.”

But can he be the man again next week, when the 6-6 Bombers wobble into Hamilton to face the top team in the East?

The margin for error for this team has disappeared, at least if it wants to host a playoff game.

There are those who’ll suggest Collaros shouldn’t play again, period — hello, former Bombers great and current TSN panelist Milt Stegall.

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Saturday night was too soon to ask anybody in blue and gold that question. They were just worried about their friend and teammate.

“It really sucks,” veteran O-lineman Pat Neufeld said. “And that’s the unfortunate part about this game, is stuff like that happens. And to a guy I consider one of my closest friends and brothers on the team, you hate to see it happen.

“He’s an incredibly, incredibly tough competitor and I know he’s going to fight like hell to work to get back.”

But what would he come back to?

This team is a shell of its former self, unable to beat anybody who’s really good — winless in five games against the Riders and Calgary this season.

“We’re either going to improve and get to where we want to get to, or we’re not,” O’Shea said. “I just bet on our guys that we’re going to improve. I mean, what’d we lose by — eight?”

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Yup. That was the number of the night.

Blue Bombers lose Collaros and then lose to the Roughriders in the Banjo Bowl

Blue Bombers heart-broken for Dalton Schoen, gone for remainder of the season

But this goes deeper than one hard-fought, eight-point loss.

“It’s unacceptable,” Demski said. “I’m not pointing the finger at nobody. I’m just saying all three phases of the football team, we’ve just got to find a way to win that game.”

Instead, they’re finding ways to lose.

I asked Demski where this leaves his team with one-third of the season left.

His response: “In front of the mirror to look at ourselves.”

And what does he see?

“I see a team that wants to play football, that wants to win,” he said. “I just see mistakes. I see mistakes out there that we can’t make in order to be where we want to be.”

One of those mistakes may have cost it more than a game on Saturday.

The rest just keeping adding up to a team that’s not what it used to be.

paul.friesen@kleinmedia.ca
X: @friesensunmedia

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Changing of the guard: Bombers, Collaros, take big hits in Banjo Bowl

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