Roughriders reclaim momentum with win in Edmonton

The Saskatchewan Roughriders got revenge on the Edmonton Elks back on Saturday night with a 28-26 road win in front of a sizeable crowd at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

After losing to the Elks in walk-off fashion last week, the Roughriders held on for a two-point win of their own to end Week 9 in the CFL and put the Roughriders back in business for top spot in the CFL West Division.

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Team effort puts Roughriders back in win column

The highly anticipated rematch between the Roughriders and Elks got off to a fast start with both sides scoring opening drive touchdowns.

The Elks took the ball first where they embarked on a seven-play touchdown drive ending in a short scamper into the endzone for Justin Rankin, but then the Roughriders took advantage of an 87-yard kick-return by Johnny Johnson III that immediately put them in scoring position and ended in a Tommy Stevens QB plunge to even the score 7-7 only five minutes in.

Edmonton went two-and-out their next drive, and then the Roughriders offense went to work collecting a first down before punting the ball back to the Elks who started a drive at their own 23-yard line before advancing into Saskatchewan territory and setting up in the redzone as the clock hit zeroes on the first quarter.

The Riders took the ball back shortly after the start of the second quarter after Edmonton kicker, and Elks Week 8 hero Elks Vincent Blanchard knocked a ball through the uprights for the first play of the second quarter to put Edmonton up 10-7.

Starting their next drive from the 40-yard-line following the kick, the Roughriders offense used two plays to approach midfield before a 27-yard-connection took the ball into Edmonton territory, the ball eventually making inside the five where the Riders short-yardage specialist Stevens broke through the goal-line for his second touchdown of the game to put the Roughriders up 10-7.

The game hit a snag mid-way through the second with each team trading two-and-outs into the three-minute warning. A roughing the passer penalty put the Elks in prime field position, but the Roughriders defense stood strong to actually push the Elks back and end the drive in only a field goal to maintain a 14-13 lead that would remain into halftime as each side traded two-and-outs once again.

After a lengthy weather delay in Edmonton, Saskatchewan took the ball first to start half number two where a Trevor Harris interception on the second play from scrimmage gave Edmonton the ball at the Elks 38-yard-line.

The Roughriders defense held strong to force a punt and earn the ball back at their own 40-yard-line where a first-down run by Quali Conley, followed by a 20-yard reception by Dhel Duncan-Busby put Saskatchewan into field goal range, but the drive ended scoreless after Riders’ kicker Alex Hale missed from 42-yards out to keep it a one-point game.

That missed kick sent the Elks on an eight-play drive deep into Saskatchewan territory, eventually stunted by the first career CFL sack for former NFL’er Derick Roberson as the Elks settled for three points and a 16-14 Edmonton lead.

The Roughriders offense reassumed possession with under five minutes to go in the quarter where an early second-down conversion kept the drive alive, before a Conley catch and run out of the backfield brought the ball near midfield, setting up another big play eighteen yards down the field to put the Roughriders in business, eventually working the ball inside the five-yard-line, where after a fumble scare at the goal line Tommy Stevens punched in his third touchdown of the game to restore the Roughriders lead entering the fourth quarter.

Taking a four-point lead into the final quarter, the Elks opening possession of the fourth saw them march the ball down the field and into the Saskatchewan redzone, but another bend-but-don’t-break stand from the Roughriders defense held the Elks to only a field goal to make it 20-19.

With the lead still intact the Roughriders offense took the ball and drove it deep into Edmonton territory thanks to a pair of big plays between Harris and the earlier special team’s hero Johnson. Taking the ball inside the ten, the Roughriders managed to avoid switching to “Tommy Time” for a fourth time, instead adding to their lead with a four-yard touchdown catch by KeeSean Johnson, who secured the octopus by also catching a two-point conversion to give Saskatchewan eight points and put them up 28-20.

Taking the ball with under five-minutes left to play, the Elks wasted no time using two plays to race down the field before ending the just over minute-long drive in a TJ Luther touchdown and extra point convert to make it 28-26 with about four-and-a-half left to play.

Unable to put in a drive of their own to burn some clock, the Riders went two-and-out to give Edmonton possession entering the three-minute warning. With a chance to respond the Elks offense struggled to move the ball when it mattered most, a holding penalty forcing them inside the 20-yard-line, before a Roughriders sack pushed them back even further and forced a punt to give the Riders back possession at the 50-yard-line with 2:28 remaining on the clock.

After already collecting three touchdowns, it was “Tommy Time” for real as the Roughriders rush specialist carried the ball three times to get the ball to midfield, Stevens returning to the sideline for Harris to come in and secure a second-down-conversion, that first down resuming the job for #17 who carried the ball two more times, sandwiched between a dagger eleven-yard-rush by Conley as the Roughriders starting offense eventually returned to the field to kneel things out for the win.

Mace, Harris comment on resilient effort

Speaking to the media after the game as usual were Roughriders head coach Corey Mace and starting quarterback Trevor Harris.

Mace made sure to give credit where it was due after losing to a good Elks team last week, and it was a similar tune this week despite his team managing to come out on top.

“We knew it was going to come down to being a tight game. They are a good team,” said Mace. “Extremely proud of our team. Had a lot of guys who had to get pushed into to playing, and we found a way to beat a really good team on their home turf.”

We found a way to beat a really good team on their home turf.

Hear more from Head Coach, Corey Mace as he spoke to the media following the win in Edmonton last night.

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— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) August 2, 2026

Riders quarterback Trevor Harris had a spectacular game in the first matchup against the Elks throwing for nearly 400 yards, but that wasn’t enough to beat a 500+ yard performance from Elks starter Cody Fajardo opposite him.

The stats were much tamer than the week before with Harris finishing at 239 yards passing and one touchdown compared to Fajardo’s follow-up performance of 286 yards and one touchdown himself.

“It was kind of a track-meet up and down the field,” said Harris postgame in referencing the Week 8 matchup. “Defenses make adjustments. This is pro football, man. You aren’t going to throw for 500 every week… I thought our defense did a good job most of the game, and their defense did a great job making adjustments… When push comes to shove, I think we made the plays we needed to.”

When push comes to shove I felt like we made the plays that we needed to.

Hear more from Trevor Harris following the win at Commonwealth Stadium last night.

📺 https://t.co/2tRqYfWTt9 pic.twitter.com/iLXFggw8cu

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) August 2, 2026

Wiebe makes first start

The Roughriders were without the services of Canadian standout receiver Samuel Emilus on Saturday, the game-time-decision pushing fellow Canadian and West Central connected Daniel Wiebe in the starting slotback spot.

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