Saskatchewan needed extra time to get past its oldest rival, but the Roughriders delivered a Labour Day Classic finish that matched the occasion, edging the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-26 in overtime at Mosaic Stadium.
A record crowd of 34,352, the largest ever to watch a CFL game at the venue, saw Winnipeg force overtime with no time left on the clock. Quarterback Zach Collaros hit Dorian Singer for a five-yard score on the final play of regulation to tie the game.
Saskatchewan struck first in the extra session. Quarterback Tommy Stevens punched it in from a yard out, his third touchdown of the afternoon and his 15th rushing score of the season. The two-point try that followed came up short, giving Winnipeg a chance to answer.
The Roughriders defense closed the door instead. Facing third-and-six from the Saskatchewan 31, the Bombers couldn’t convert, and linebacker Jameer Thurman brought down the receiver behind the line to end it.
Starting quarterback Trevor Harris carried the passing load for Saskatchewan, completing 23 of 33 attempts for 362 yards and a touchdown. He admitted the offense took time to get going.
“It’s obviously huge. It’s important for us to get these wins at this point in the year,” Harris said. “We’re down some prominent guys, and so the fact that we’re able to kind of grind through it and get these wins is huge for us. We didn’t start out tremendous offensively but thought we really found a rhythm in the middle of the second quarter on.”
The win pushes Saskatchewan to 8-4, holding second place in the West Division behind Edmonton, which sits at 8-3 ahead of a Monday matchup against Calgary. Winnipeg falls to 6-6 with the loss.
Duncan-Busby Steps Up Amid Injuries
With regular targets Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker unavailable, receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby made the most of an expanded role. The third-year pro hauled in 10 passes for 140 yards, several of them coming on critical downs late in the fourth quarter. Both marks stand as career highs, lifting his season total to 35 receptions for 504 yards.
“I just knew that I had to be patient. Obviously, we have a great receiving corps. We’ve got a lot of different guys and, unfortunately, with all the injuries and stuff like that, people have had to step up, and I’m just glad that today was my time,” Duncan-Busby said.
Saskatchewan’s defense backed up the offensive output. Aubrey Miller Jr., making his first career start at linebacker, credited the unit in front of him for setting the tone before the defense closed things out.
“The offence set the tone. The offence did that. The offence got us going. They got in the end zone and put points on the board. Only thing we had to do is finish,” Miller said.
Miller joined Derick Roberson and Seyi Oladipo in recording sacks, part of a defensive effort that held Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira, who entered the game with 956 rushing yards, to just 28 yards on nine carries.
Harris Moves Past Flutie on All-Time List
Harris added a piece of franchise and league history to the win. A 72-yard connection with Daniel Wiebe in the second quarter pushed him past Doug Flutie into 10th place on the CFL’s all-time passing yardage list. He had entered the game 127 yards behind Flutie’s total of 41,355.
Harris called the milestone fitting given how it happened.
“That’s honestly poetic because it’s the turtle on a fence post sort of a situation where if you see a turtle on a fence post, he didn’t get there on his own. Somebody placed him there, and it’s exactly what this is for me,” Harris said. “I’ve had teammates that have done nothing but support me and love me, and coaches that have done nothing but teach me the game and I’m really grateful for the opportunities that presented themselves.”
Harris now sits at 41,590 career passing yards, trailing ninth-place Matt Dunigan’s 43,857. Anthony Calvillo remains the league’s career leader with 79,816 yards.
Receiver KeeSean Johnson also reached a milestone, catching four passes for 32 yards to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the second consecutive season. He now has 81 catches for 1,022 yards this year, just below his 2025 total of 86 receptions for 1,159 yards.
Box Score Notes
Collaros finished 27 of 40 for 279 yards with two touchdown passes, connecting with Kevens Clercius and Singer. Quali Conley caught a touchdown for Saskatchewan, and Roberson added a safety. Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo made all four of his field goal attempts, while Saskatchewan’s Alex Hale converted just one of three tries.
The two teams meet again on Saturday, September 12, this time in Winnipeg.