For the first time since 2018 the Saskatchewan Roughriders walked away with a victory in the Banjo Bowl, earning a 21-13 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday afternoon from IG Field.
The game got off to a rough start for Saskatchewan as quarterback Trevor Harris struggled to connect with receivers and pick up where he left off on Labour Day. A pedestrian first quarter saw Winnipeg use a field goal to go up 3-0, before Riders kicker Brett Lauther nailed a 20-yarder to tie things early in the second.
The next drive the Roughriders defense allowed a touchdown for a 10-3 Bombers lead, and then both teams traded field goals for a 13-6 Winnipeg lead at the half. From there Saskatchewan started the second half with a nine-play drive ending in a punt, but turned the momentum and took the lead after a Demarcus Field interception led to an eventual five-yard touchdown scamper from running back A.J. Oullette.
The Bombers got the ball back looking to answer, and that's when the game changed for good as Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros took a hard hit that knocked him out of the game and caused some serious controversy around the game story. Bombers backup Chris Streveler came on in relief and helped his team to a field goal attempt that was missed by Sergio Castillo and taken back to the Saskatchewan 33 by returner Mario Alford.
That drive led to another field goal for the Riders to start the fourth quarter, and then Winnipeg drove the field again just to miss another field goal, but this time instead of getting his team good field position, the Riders return man Alford circled himself into a tough situation that ended up with the Riders taking the ball at their one yard line.
With under a yard to play with, on the first play of the drive Harris uncorked a 50-yard bomb to Joe Robustelli who made the catch to get Saskatchewan back in business. The momentum of that big play carried Saskatchewan to Lauthers fourth field goal of the night, and then after a Tevaughn Campbell interception, Lauther's fifth of the night sealed the deal for Saskatchewan as Winnipeg ran out of time getting the ball with just 6 seconds left to secure the 21-13 final.
If the game result wasn't sweet enough, the Roughriders second win in as many weeks against the Blue Bombers improved Saskatchewan's record to 10-2, and with Calgary's loss to Edmonton to close out Saturday's CFL tripleheader, the Riders now have some cushion atop the CFL standings now sitting four points clear of the second place Stampeders.
Saskatchewan will be back home on Saturday night at 5:00 PM for a Week 15 home game against Montreal, the back half of a doubleheader as Toronto hosts Edmonton at 1:00 PM, after a Friday Night Football doubleheader featuring Winnipeg visiting Hamilton at 5:00 PM, and Ottawa in BC for a late start at 8:00 PM.