B.C. Lions earn revenge, thump visiting Montreal Alouettes 48-29
Published 10:54 pm Saturday, September 12, 2026
The B.C. Lions gained a measure of revenge.
Zander Horvath scored three touchdowns, pacing the Lions to a 48-29 win over the visiting Montreal Alouettes in CFL action Friday night at BC Place. The week before, the Als ended B.C.’s five-game win streak with a 37-30 win in Montreal.
Quarterback Nathan Rourke passed for 317 yards and a touchdown for B.C. (7-6) and he also carried five times for 77 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Keon Hatcher had nine catches for 137 yards and major, Casey Sayles had a defensive touchdown and kicker Sean Whyte had two field goals and six extra points.
B.C. pulled even with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for third in the league’s West Division, a game back of second-place Saskatchewan.
Davis Alexander was 19-for-36 and 242 yards through the air, with two touchdowns for the Alouettes (10-3). Tyler Snead and Tyson Philpot caught touchdowns, Mustafa Johnson had a defensive major and kicker Jose Maltos Diaz accounted for three field goals and two converts.
The Als have clinched a playoff spot and sit comfortably atop the East Division.
The teams put up a combined 54 points in a wild and sometimes chippy first half.
The Lions opened the scoring with 5:16 left in the first quarter, when Whyte connected on a 35-yard field goal to give the hosts a 3-0 lead. B.C. upped the lead to 10-0 late in the quarter. Rourke appeared to have tossed an interception in the end zone, but it was called back after a coach’s challenge for interference.
With the ball on the Montreal one-yard line, Horvath powered in for his 17th touchdown of the year (14th on the ground), with Whyte’s convert making it 10-0 Lions.
Just seven seconds into the second quarter, the Lions scored again. A pressured Davis flipped a pass as he was falling, but it was picked off by B.C.’s Sayles, and the big lineman rumbled in for a 43-yard TD. Whyte converted to put B.C. up 17-0.
The Alouettes answered with a strong drive, culminating in a 26-yard TD toss from Alexander to Philpot at 2:36. It was the 100th catch of the season for the Delta product. Maltos Diaz added the extra point to draw Montreal with 10 at 17-7.
The Als scored again less than two minutes later. Rourke fumbled after being sacked by Tyrice Beverette. The ball was gathered by Johnson, who lumbered in for a touchdown of his own. A missed convert left the score at 17-13 for the Lions.
B.C. struck back with 4:45 left in the half. A 10-play, 76-yard drive was finished off with Rourke spotting a wide-open Hatcher in the corner of the end zone from four yards out. Whyte’s convert put the Lions up by 11.
HATCHER THE CATCHER 💯 pic.twitter.com/bRLVn2wxnP
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) September 13, 2026
Montreal responded with a 10-play drive of their own, with Alexander finding Snead deep in the end zone from 17 yards with 1:45 left in the half. Maltos Diaz converted, and Montreal was within 24-20.
Rourke who had 66 yards rushing in the half, sped to the corner and dove to hit the pylon from 14 yards away with 1:45 left. Whyte converted to make it 31-20 for the home side.
After a series of penalties to the Lions, Maltos rounded out the first-half scoring with a 25-yard field goal with one second left, pulling Montreal within 31-23.
To open the second half, Montreal’s Devonte Dedmon returned the kickoff 64 yards to put the Als in business immediately. But the Lions defence stiffened and came up with a big third down stop to force a turnover on downs.
Midway through the quarter, a skirmish broke out on the sideline after a late hit by Philpot, but no players were ejected.
Shortly after, Maltos Diaz brought Montreal within 31-26 with a 33-yard field goal, which was all the scoring in the third.
Early in the fourth quarter, Horvath capped an eight-play, 83-yard drive by scoring on his third try from near the goal line. Whyte’s convert put B.C. up 38-26.
Dedmon was carted off the field after taking an awkward hit five minutes into the quarter. He was able to clap and wave to the fans as he was taken off.
Facing another third-and-goal from the one with 4:30 to play, Horvath leaped in for his third TD of the game (and 19th of the season) to give the Lions some breathing room. Whyte’s convert put the Lions up by three scores, 45-26.
Maltos Diaz connected from 50 yards out with 2:32 to make it 45-29. Whyte responded with a three-pointer of his own from 42 yards away to make the final 48-29.
“Since my arrival four years ago, this club has continued to demonstrate its commitment to building something special.”
We have signed two-time MODP Mathieu Betts through the 2027 season!
MORE INFO 📝 | https://t.co/ct6qr5buik pic.twitter.com/v5Pk0McV1c
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) September 11, 2026
NOTES: Earlier in the day, the Lions announced they had extended the contract of two-time CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Mathieu Betts through the 2027 season. Betts, who had one sack on the night, was ejected in the fourth quarter Saturday after picking up his second ‘rough play’ foul… Horvath is on pace to break Milt Stegall’s single-season TD record of 24… Montreal is now 9-34-1 in Vancouver… Rourke has four wins in five tries against the Als… Darnell Sankey led B.C.’s defence with nine tackles… B.C. hosts Saskatchewan on Friday, Sept. 25 (7:30 p.m.).