The Saskatchewan Roughriders boast their best record at the 15-game mark since 1970.
Saskatchewan is a CFL-leading 11-4 after defeating the host Ottawa REDBLACKS 20-13 on Friday. The 1970 edition of the Green and White was 13-2 at this juncture before winning its regular-season finale and establishing an enduring Club record for victories. The schedule was expanded from 16 to 18 games per team in 1986.
Post-1970, the Roughriders were 10-4-1 in 1975 and 10-5 in 1973, 1976, 1988, 2007, 2013, 2018 and 2019, but a 11th win in a span of 15 games was elusive until Friday.
The Roughriders prevailed in Ottawa while eliminating the stubborn REDBLACKS (4-11) from playoff contention.
“I thought it was a good character win,” quarterback Trevor Harris said from TD Place. “Across this league, it’s hard to win. There’s tons of talent across this league.
“To have as many self-inflicted wounds as we had and still come away with a win, I thought that was encouraging, but we would love to be able to finish that a little bit cleaner.”
Timely plays tipped the balance for a Saskatchewan side that did not secure the victory until the final minute despite leading 14-3 at halftime and going ahead 20-3 early in the fourth quarter.
“I hope it catapults us into making us play better,” Harris said after going 27-for-33 for 341 yards and one touchdown. “Obviously, I don’t think it’s any secret. It’s not what our standard is.”
But it did enhance the Roughriders’ chances of emerging as the standard-bearer in the West Division.
Saskatchewan will clinch its second successive home playoff game if the B.C. Lions (8-7) lose to the visiting Calgary Stampeders (8-6) on Saturday.
However, a Lions victory would not be without its benefits for the Roughriders, who would move one step closer to securing first place in the West.
Calgary is the only team that has a chance to overtake the front-running Roughriders. B.C. could tie Saskatchewan’s victory total, but the Roughriders would get the nod by virtue of having won the season series against the Lions.
So, despite the aforementioned “self-inflicted wounds,” there was — and is — plenty to celebrate after the Riders rebounded from back-to-back losses.
“The music’s cranked up (in the locker room) and the guys are enjoying it, but they know what’s on the tape,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “There are some things we need to fix.
“But ultimately, as I tried to remind them, our only goal was to go 1-and-0 (this week) and it happened.”
The Roughriders enjoyed a robust start on offence, marching 84 yards in 12 plays for their first touchdown — a one-yard run by A.J. Ouellette. The drive consumed five minutes 37 seconds.
Saskatchewan next reached the end zone early in the second quarter when Antoine Brooks Jr. jumped in front of a Dru Brown pass and was untouched on an 85-yard interception return.
“I always talk about getting an interception,” Brooks Jr. said after his second theft of the season. “A pick-six is a little extra.
“I always dream about an interception. Whatever you do after that, it just happens.”
After Brooks Jr.’s big play, Harris found Ajou Ajou for a two-point convert to increase the lead to 14-0.
Ottawa did not hit the scoreboard until Lewis Ward kicked a 25-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Roughriders struck for a 66-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Dohnte Meyers, who registered six points on the first play of the fourth frame to put Saskatchewan ahead 20-3.
On second-and-two, Harris hit Meyers in stride 15 yards downfield, whereupon he turned on the afterburners and sped to the end zone.
“Once he caught it and shed that one tackle, with his speed he took off,” Harris said of Meyers, who caught six passes for a career-best 158 yards.
Ottawa responded with an 11-play, 80-yard march that concluded with a nine-yard TD pass from Dustin Crum to Justin Hardy. Ward added the convert to make it 20-10.
Saskatchewan was poised to fatten the lead after marching 66 yards in nine plays and reaching the REDBLACKS’ five-yard line.
However, Harris was hit as he was throwing on second-and-goal. Bryce Carter retrieved the loose ball in midair, and returned the turnover 81 yards before being tracked down from behind by a hustling Ouellette on Saskatchewan’s 16-yard line.
Crum was sacked by Mike Rose on the next play. Shortly thereafter, Ward kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 20-13. The importance of Ouellette’s touchdown-saving tackle was underlined when Ottawa had to settle for a field goal.
The Roughriders answered with back-to-back passing first downs, courtesy of receptions by KeeSean Johnson (14 yards) and Meyers (25), before Ouellette, fittingly enough, ran for a first down to seal the game.
“I thought it was a great attitude drive for us,” Harris said of the six-play, 49-yard trek that extinguished the final 2:01.
ROAD WARRIORS
Saskatchewan boasts the CFL’s best road record (6-2) after sweeping this year’s tour of the East Division (4-0).
The six road wins put the Roughriders in a tie for second-most in team history. The 1970 and 1976 teams each won seven road games. With six, the 2025 edition matched a feat that was previously accomplished in 1965, 1969, 1981 and 2007.
INJURY UPDATE
Defensive halfback Rolan Milligan Jr., the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2024, left Friday’s game with an injury early in the fourth quarter.
Mace described the injury as “nothing crazy,” noting that Milligan Jr. was laughing and in good spirits following the game.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Mace added, “but you never know until you get things looked at.”
PICK PARADE
Brooks Jr.’s interception return was the 17th-longest in franchise history — and the third pick-six by the Roughriders this season.
Milligan Jr. and Tevaughn Campbell have also scored six points on interception returns.
All three starting linebackers — Brooks Jr., A.J. Allen and Jameer Thurman — had an interception for the Roughriders in Ottawa.
Thurman tied a career high with three interceptions. He also had three picks with Calgary in 2022.
Allen and Thurman paced the Roughriders in defensive tackles (five) on Friday.
HARRIS HEIGHTS
Harris moved past Matt Dunigan and into ninth place on the CFL’s career completions list. Dunigan had 3,057 completions. Harris finished Friday’s game with 3,064.
The Roughriders’ starting QB also registered the 13th individual season of 4,000-plus passing yards in team history.
With 4,097 yards, Harris boasts Saskatchewan’s 11th-best single-season total.
As well, he threw for 300-plus yards for the 12th time in 30 regular-season starts as a Roughrider. Saskatchewan is 20-10 in those games.
Without Harris, the Roughriders are 6-14-1, dating back to his arrival in 2023.
EXTRA POINTS
• Ouellette has nine touchdowns this season. That is the highest total by a Roughrider since 2019, when William Powell scored 14 times and Cody Fajardo added 10 majors. Meyers’ 66-yarder produced his eighth TD of the year.
• Ouellette sports a five-game touchdown streak. That is the longest stretch for a Roughrider since 2019, when quarterback Cody Fajardo rushed for a TD in each of the first five games. The last Rider running back to rush for a touchdown in five consecutive games was Kory Sheets, over the first five weeks of 2012. A Rider has not had a TD streak exceeding five games since Duron Carter hit six in 2017.
• Ottawa was limited to 49 rushing yards. That was the 131st time the Roughriders have held an opponent to under 50, dating back to the 1930s.
• Ajou has registered Saskatchewan’s past two two-point converts. His only catch on Friday produced the deuce.
• Brooks Jr., Malik Carney and Micah Johnson each had a tackle for a loss.
