The next Onyeka Bowl is slated for Friday at TD Place.
“It’s going to be a really good time,” Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back and special-teams standout Kosi Onyeka says of opposing an Ottawa REDBLACKS team that includes his cousin — defensive lineman Kene Onyeka.
“The first time, I didn’t really get a lot of playing time, so I didn’t really get to match up against him. This time, I’m probably going to be able to match up against him and probably share a couple of pleasantries in between each play.
“It’ll be a great experience. We’ve both got family in Ottawa, so his family will be there and my family will be there. It’ll be a good time — a little homecoming, family-bonding kind of thing.
“I’m excited for sure.”
Kosi made one special teams tackle when the Roughriders edged the visiting REDBLACKS 26-24 on Aug. 6. At that point, he had four special teams stops to show for five games this season.
Over his subsequent five appearances, he has felled nine rival returners, posting single-game totals of four, three and two special teams tackles.
Kosi has played in 18 games for Saskatchewan over his two CFL seasons.
Kene, a member of the REDBLACKS since 2018, has 50 regular-season games to his credit. In 13 games this season, he has two sacks and 10 special teams tackles.
“I’m very proud of him,” says Kosi, who grew up in Brampton, Ont.
“We’ve been playing this sport for a long time and never did we really think it would be here at this point. We just kind of did it for fun.
“It’s almost a dream come true. We’re both here.”
Kene has a second family tie to the Roughriders. His older brother, defensive back Godfrey Onyeka, is on Saskatchewan’s six-game injured list.
Kosi’s older brother, Nakas, was the first Onyeka to play in the CFL. A linebacker, Nakas suited up for the Toronto Argonauts (2017 to 2019), Saskatchewan (2021) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2021) before announcing his retirement from football on March 18, 2022.
There’s more! Kosi’s younger brother, Ife, is a U Sports defensive lineman with the Ottawa-based Carleton Ravens. He is eligible for the 2024 CFL Draft.
DOLEGALA DIGITS
Jake Dolegala is keeping legendary company.
Dolegala recently became only the sixth quarterback in Roughriders history to register multiple three-touchdown-pass games within his first four starts of a season.
Dolegala joins Ron Lancaster, Tom Burgess, Kent Austin, Henry Burris and Darian Durant in that exclusive group.
On Aug. 20, Dolegala threw for three scores in his first start of the 2023 CFL season, helping Saskatchewan defeat the visiting B.C. Lions 34-29.
He threw another three TD passes on Friday, in his fourth start — a 36-27 home-field loss to the Edmonton Elks.
Lancaster amassed five TD passes in the 1966 regular-season opener and followed up with three the following week. In 1973, he struck for three aerial majors in Games 1 and 3.
Burgess piled up five TD passes in his first start of 1989 and completed four payoff pitches in his fourth start.
In 1991, Austin erupted for five passing TDs in his second start and four more in his fourth.
Burris completed three TD passes in his Roughriders debut in 2000 and added five (including two in overtime) in Week 4.
Then came Durant, the only Roughrider to throw three or more TD passes three times within the first four starts of a season.
In 2013, Durant registered hat tricks in Weeks 1 and 3 and added four scores in the fourth game.
This season, the Roughriders have had three games in which a QB has connected for three TDs. Trevor Harris posted a trey on June 16 against the visiting Blue Bombers.
Over the previous four seasons, a Saskatchewan quarterback had reached three TD passes only twice. Cody Fajardo used his right arm to generate three majors on Sept. 28 (at Toronto) and Nov. 13, 2021 (versus Edmonton at Mosaic Stadium).
