WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers got the best of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a 35-33 OK Tire Labour Day Weekend win a week ago, and in the rematch at Princess Auto Stadium on Saturday, Winnipeg once again came out victorious in a 26-21 win.
Zach Collaros threw for 231 yards and a touchdown, Brady Oliveira led the ground game with 43 yards while adding another 60 caught through the air, and Kenny Lawler led all receivers with 64 yards and a touchdown.
Trevor Harris tallied 287 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss, while Kian Schaffer-Baker led all receivers with 120 yards, with Samuel Emilus adding another 66 yards and a touchdown.
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Sergio Castillo got the scoring started with a successful 46-yard attempt on Winnipeg’s first drive, and on the next drive Collaros found Oliveira for 18 yards to get to the Saskatchewan 10-yard line before Chris Streveler rushed down the middle for two yards for a touchdown.
On second-and-10, Harris found Emilus, going deep in the middle for 52 yards to the Bombers’ nine-yard line to get to first-and-goal, and two plays later found KeeSean Johnson in the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown, keeping Johnson’s scoring streak alive.
The Bombers looked to extend their slight lead, and Collaros pass found Oliveira for 12 yards before connecting with Nic Demski for 22 yards to get to the Riders’ 17-yard line, but Riders defence stood tall and forced another field goal from Castillo, which he made this time from 26 yards out.
Saskatchewan responded with a field goal of their own, as Brett Lauther‘s long range kick from 50 yards out went through the uprights, but the Riders took their first lead of the game to start the second half as Harris launched a ball to Schaffer-Baker caught for 81 yards, and Emilus grabbed Saskatchewan’s second touchdown of the day with an eight-yard catch to complete the drive.
Needing to re-take the lead to keep their winning streak alive, Collaros found Lawler for 10 yards and a first down at the Saskatchewan six-yard line, before the two connected once again for another six yards and a score to put the Bombers back in front.
Hoping to take back the lead halfway through the fourth quarter, the 10-play drive from the Riders took over five minutes as they marched down to the Winnipeg 34-yard line, but would settle for any points they could as Lauther put through another successful kick from 35 yards out.
Winnipeg added security in the form of a five-point lead with just over a minute to play as Castillo put through one last kick, this time from 39 yards, and the Riders were unable to score on their final drive as Tyrell Ford intercepted Harris on second-and-10, sealing victory for Winnipeg in front of their home crowd.
Both teams are on bye during Week 15 action, but the Riders will travel to Calgary in Week 16 to face the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Sept. 20 at 9:30 p.m. EDT, while the Bombers will return to play against the Edmonton Elks on Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m. EDT at Commonwealth Stadium.