Back and forth ends in victory for Elks over Roughriders

After multiple lead changes and late chaos from both sides, it was the Edmonton Elks who emerged victorious against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night in a nailbiter 27-25 win at Commonwealth Stadium that was action until the final whistle.

Cody Fajardo threw for 305 yards, completing 18 of 23 attempts, Justin Rankin led the ground game with 82 yards and two touchdowns, and Kaion Julien-Grant led the Elks through the air with 89 yards.

Trevor Harris tallied 351 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the loss, AJ Ouellette led all backs with 115 yards and a touchdown, and KeeSean Johnson led all Roughriders receivers with 119 yards.

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In true CFL fashion, the first point between Edmonton and Saskatchewan was a rouge for the Elks, with a rouge opening the scoring for the second time this weekend.

In a heavy defensive battle, highlighted in the first quarter when the Elks forced a turnover on Harris as Brock Mogensen picked him off, leaving the single as the only score of the quarter.

The Elks extended their lead in the second quarter as Vincent Blanchard’s leg was sturdy from 47 yards out as he successfully kicked the first field goal of the game.

More three-and-outs, sacks and turnovers ensued until the clock had under a minute left to play in the half, and the Elks were first to get a touchdown as Fajardo first found Julien-Grant for 47 yards and the first down to the one-yard line, before Cole Snyder got the touch to rush middle for a touchdown.

Saskatchewan however wouldn’t exit the half without getting on the board, and Brett Lauther‘s 44 yard field goal put the Riders on the board to make it an eight-point game and put some solid momentum behind their offence.

That momentum was felt from all of the Riders, as after forcing the Elks to punt, the team moved downfield before Ouellette gave Saskatchewan the first points of the half, leading with a nine-yard run to get the first down before another attempt for four yards went into the end zone for the score. Saskatchewan attempted the two-point conversion to tie the game, but Edmonton thwarted a third rush attempt from Ouellette.

On their first offensive drive of the fourth quarter Saskatchewan got their first lead of the game, as Lauther came in clutch once again, this time with a good field goal attempt from 30 yards out, putting the Riders in front by one point with just under 12 minutes to play.

But the Elks, hungry for a win coming off back-to-back dropped games, took the lead back less than two minutes later as a laser from Fajardo to Julien-Grant for 26 yards set up Justin Rankin to first rush for seven yards before getting loose on the next play, hustling for 37 yards and the touchdown.

While Edmonton was also unsuccessful with their two-point attempt, a sack from Elijah Alston forced a punt from Saskatchewan, and a 44-yard catch from Odieu Hiliare was brought to the Riders’ five-yard line, with Rankin rushing in his second on the night to extend Edmonton’s lead to 12.

The Riders weren’t done with the action though, and after Harris first connected with Tommy Nield for 21 yards to open the drive, the two found each other once again, this time for 24 yards and the score with just over two minutes to play, cutting Edmonton’s lead down to five after a successful convert kick.

With 48 seconds to play on third down, Blanchard put anther good field goal attempt through the uprights, this time from 30 yards out.

A final chance to tie the game and send it to overtime was on the line for the Riders, and Harris found Johnson for 46 yards on their final offensive drive of the game. Shortly after they connected for 15 yards to get down to the one-yard line, with Tommy Stevens punching the touchdown in to trail by only two, but after a failed two-point conversion the Elks survived the late scare.

In Week 18 action the Elks will be on bye, while the Roughriders will head to Ottawa to take on the REDBLACKS at TD Place on Friday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. EDT.