ROBSERVATIONS: “Mario” rhymes with “3-and-0” … saluting A.J. (Ouellette and Allen) … numerous nerdy notes, too
Mario Alford fielded a KO and, within seconds, KO’d the Toronto Argonauts.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ speedster crossed the goal line with nine seconds left in Friday night’s CFL game to complete a 99-yard kickoff return that snapped a 32-32 tie at BMO Field.
Brett Lauther’s convert — his fifth of the night — completed the scoring in a 39-32 Roughriders victory.
“I woke up this morning feeling it,” Alford told CKRM’s Luc Mullinder after the Roughriders improved to 3-0.
“I just had this feeling, man. We got it at the right time and when we needed it.”
Alford’s scoring sprint concluded just 14 seconds after Toronto had tied the game with a touchdown and a two-point convert.
His ninth return major as a Roughrider wasn’t specifically of the walk-off variety because: (a) It was more like a run-off; and, (b) Toronto had enough time for a kickoff return of its own — a 41-yarder that exhausted the clock once Saskatchewan declined an illegal block penalty.
But the biggest play of a wild CFL game was one of a kind — the first game-winning, last-minute kickoff return in Roughriders history.
The closest parallel dates back to July 10th, 1996, when Saskatchewan edged Edmonton 27-24 at Taylor Field.
Aaron Ruffin scored the winning TD on a return — of a punt — with 1:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Alford and Ruffin majors both covered 99 yards.
Another commonality was the presence of a Mimbs.
In that 1996 nailbiter, Robert Mimbs amassed a game-high 180 rushing yards for the Roughriders.
His son, D’Sean, wore No. 85 and suited up as Saskatchewan’s sixth receiver on Friday.
MORE MARIO
Alford took off on a 35-yard punt return to set up the Roughriders’ first TD on Friday.
His trademark elusiveness enabled Saskatchewan to begin a possession on Toronto’s 45-yard line. Trevor Harris proceeded to find Dohnte Meyers for back-to-back completions — the latter of which was a 32-yard scoring strike.
Six days earlier, a 23-yard punt return by Alford was immediately followed by A.J. Ouellette’s 47-yard TD run against the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Roughriders went on to win, 28-23.
Saskatchewan opened the regular season with a 31-26 victory over the visiting Ottawa REDBLACKS. Alford set up two Saskatchewan scores in that June 5th lidlifter.
For starters, he took off on a 60-yard missed field goal return. Seven plays and 64 yards later, the Roughriders were in the end zone.
Alford subsequently returned a kickoff 34 yards to give the home team possession on Ottawa’s 43-yard line. It took five plays to record another six points.
The latest big play by Alford increased his team-record total to nine return touchdowns — all of which have been scored after his 30th birthday.
The ageless Alford also moved into a four-way tie for the fourth-most return TDs in CFL history. The top seven are as follows:
31 — Henry Williams (1,397 returns, 203 games).
15 — Bashir Levingston (442 returns, 78 games).
13 — Brandon Banks (524 returns, 127 games).
12 — Earl Winfield (363 returns, 130 games).
12 — Janarion Grant (382 returns, 57 games).
12 — Mario Alford (437 returns, 66 games).
12 — Keith Stokes (604 returns, 88 games).
THREE-AND-(MARI)OHHHHH!
The Roughriders sport a 3-0 record for the 14th time in the post-Second World War era.
The previous 13 3-0 teams: 1951, 1955, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1988, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2024.
Of those 13 teams, five (1951, 1966, 1969, 2010, 2013) reached the Grey Cup.
Two (1966, 2013) won championships.
Four (1951, 1966, 1969, 1970) finished first in the West.
One (1970) won a franchise-record 14 games.
Nine (1951, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1975, 2010, 2013, 2021, 2024) reached the Western Final.
Nine (1955, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1988, 2008, 2010, 2013) won at least 10 regular-season games.
Five (1969, 1970, 2008, 2013, 2024) would improve to 4-0.
Two (2008, 2013) were eventually 5-0.
The 2008 edition went 6-0.
Each of the first 13 teams that started at 3-0 made the playoffs.
Only one (2012) had a losing record (8-10). Even then, those Roughriders outscored the opposition (457-409) while establishing the foundation for a team that won it all the following year.
Seven Saskatchewan teams have started at 3-0 while winning twice on the road (1955, 1970, 1975, 2008, 2013, 2024, 2025).
Only twice (1975, 2025) have the second and third victories been recorded at an East Division venue.
In 1975, the Roughriders beat the host Montreal Alouettes 24-20 (on July 29th) before winning 14-12 in Toronto just three days later.
The game in Montreal, like Friday’s date with Toronto, was decided by a long-distance touchdown. Ron Lancaster and Rhett Dawson collaborated on an 85-yard pass-and-run gem. Dawson crossed the goal line with 1:09 left.
Dawson (b. 1948) and current Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace (b. 1985) both have a Dec. 22nd birthday.
And here’s one from the “could this be a good omen?” department: Saskatchewan improved to 3-0 in 2013 by winning in Toronto.
Not only that, the triumphant Roughriders scored 39 points (see also: Friday) while surrendering 28.
One more nerdy note: The Argonauts’ current Head Coach, Ryan Dinwiddie, was the Roughriders’ backup quarterback when the team started 3-0 in 2010.
A.J.’S AWAY
Ouellette is the first Roughrider in nearly seven years to register a touchdown run of 25-plus yards in back-to-back games.
Marcus Thigpen scored from 34 yards away against the visiting Tiger-Cats on July 5th, 2018. He erupted for an 80-yarder two weeks later in Hamilton.
Hamilton was also the opposition when Ouellette scored the 47-yard major. He reached the end zone from 25 yards last night.
Three plays earlier, Ouellette and Harris had collaborated on a 15-yard completion that moved the chains on second-and-seven.
A.J., PART 2
A.J. Allen has made at least one huge play in each of his three career starts at weak-side linebacker.
Oct. 12th, 2024: Just 1:05 into the game, Allen scored on a 48-yard interception return against the visiting B.C. Lions. The Roughriders went on to win 39-8 and clinch a home playoff game.
June 14th, 2025: Allen’s pass knockdown on third-and-seven secured the Roughriders’ win in Hamilton.
June 20th, 2025: Allen recorded his first CFL sack. “I’ve been looking for it,” he said after Friday’s game. “I’ve been waiting for it. Ohhh, it felt so good!”
The Roughriders have scored 39 points in two of Allen’s three starts.
SHORT SNORTS
• Another fantastic finish in Toronto comes to mind. On June 19th, 2003, Corey Grant caught back-to-back TD passes from Nealon Greene in the final minute to lift Saskatchewan to a 20-18 win. Grant’s second TD, a 53-yarder, was scored with three seconds left.
• Last night, Saskatchewan scored five touchdowns for the first time since July 2nd, 2022, when the Alouettes fell 41-20 at Mosaic Stadium.
• The Roughriders have had a different 100-yard receiver in each of their first three games. Week 1: Samuel Emilus (eight catches, 133 yards); Week 2: KeeSean Johnson (eight for 124); Week 3: Meyers (four for 125).
• Meyers became the ninth Roughrider to catch two TD passes in Toronto. The third, Jeff Fairholm, also accomplished the feat in a 39-32 game. The Argos won that one, however, on Sept. 26th, 1992. Fairholm finished with 244 yards on six catches.
• While diving into the timely topic of return touchdowns, I found this quirky stat: On Oct. 30th, 1977, the Roughriders scored two punt-return majors against B.C. at Taylor Field. Both TDs were registered at 14:59 — by Paul Williams (77 yards, first quarter) and Joey Walters (50 yards, third quarter).
• Saskatchewan was penalized for 178 yards — the sixth-most in franchise history — on Friday. The highest total was registered on Aug. 11th, 1993, when the Roughriders won 45-28 despite being flagged 22 times for 206 yards against the visiting Ottawa Rough Riders.
• As for Friday’s 18 penalties, there have been 10 occasions when the Roughriders have accumulated more infractions. The peak total was 24 (for 192 yards) in Toronto on Aug. 8th, 2015.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Pete Paczko, Dr. Mark Anderson, Andrew Gottselig, Frank Fiacco, Chris Latimer, Graham Condo, Mario Alford, Dr. Tom Robinson, Dr. Jen Johnston, Jacob Carr, Mychaela Giesbrecht, Bernadette McIntyre, King Charles III, Daniel Johnson, KeeSean Johnson, Dohnte Meyers, John Bolen, John Lipp, Cadmus Delorme, Frank Stanisci, Gursh Barnard and Jeremy Molnar.
