Blue Bombers edge Stamps in season-opening thriller

CALGARY — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened their season with a 30-28 win over the Calgary Stampeders on Friday night, spoiling the home opener at McMahon Stadium in a back-and-forth West Division clash.

The heavyweight showdown opened with a featured running back duel between Brady Oliveira and Dedrick Mills. Oliveira and the Bombers struck first on their opening drive, with the former MOP capping the 10-play, 80-yard march with a 19-yard burst up the middle, going untouched into the end zone.

The Stamps answered in the second quarter, and were quickly back in the red zone for more after Vernon Adams Jr. connected with Jalen Philpot on a 51-yard bomb. Mills matched his Winnipeg counterpart with a major of his own, plunging in from the one to give Calgary its first lead of the contest at 14-8.

Mills broke loose again on Calgary’s final drive of the half, finding space for a 39-yard gain to set up an Adams Jr. strike to Erik Brooks. The CFL’s reigning rushing champion finished the half with 95 yards on 11 carries as the Stampeders took a 21-16 lead into the break after three second-quarter lead changes.

Out of the break, Winnipeg adjusted with a more pass-heavy attack, a familiar M.O. for new offensive coordinator Tommy Condell. Zach Collaros engineered an 80-yard drive capped by a touchdown pass to Tim White to make it 23-21, the former Ticat receiver’s first in Bombers threads.

In the third quarter, both defences settled in, with each side forcing a turnover. Calgary moved into field goal range on its most sustained drive of the half, but Jude McAtamney, in for the injured René Paredes, pushed a 45-yard attempt wide that would have tied the game at 24-24 heading into the fourth.

Late in the final frame, Adams Jr. pulled together a gutsy drive from his own two-yard-line, overcoming two sacks and finishing it himself with a short touchdown run. McAtamney’s kick gave Calgary the lead, but the minute remaining proved to be enough for Collaros, who immediately connected with Ontaria Wilson for a 27-yard gain to push Winnipeg closer to Castillo’s range. A couple of Oliveira rushes later, Castillo drilled the walk-off 38-yarder to seal the win for Winnipeg.

Collaros closed the night 17-for-28 with 233 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Oliveira had 113 rushing yards to make it seven straight regular season games over the century mark. It was a pair of productive Bombers debuts for White, who tallied 60 yards, and Jake Ceresna, who ended up with three sacks, already surpassing his 2025 total with the Edmonton Elks.

Adams Jr. finished with 239 yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown, while Mills totalled 112 rushing yards.

RELATED
» Winnipeg, Calgary by the numbers
» Depth Charts: WPG | CGY
» Game Notes: Blue Bombers at Stampeders

SCORING PLAYS
Brady Oliveira 19-yard touchdown run (4:35, Q1) | WPG 7, CGY 0
Sergio Castillo 90-yard kickoff single (4:22, Q1) | WPG 8, CGY 0
Quincy Vaughn one-yard touchdown run (13:26, Q2) | WPG 8, CGY 7
Dedrick Mills one-yard touchdown run (8:59, Q2) | CGY 14, WPG 8
Bryce Perkins one-yard touchdown run (2:52, Q2) | WPG 15, CGY 14
Vernon Adams Jr. 22-yard touchdown pass to Erik Brooks (2:04, Q2) | CGY 21, WPG 15
Jamieson Sheahan 75-yard punt single (1:24, Q2) | CGY 21, WPG 16
Zach Collaros 15-yard touchdown pass to Tim White (7:32, Q3) | WPG 23, CGY 21
Sergio Castillo 84-yard kickoff single (7:21, Q3) | WPG 24, CGY 21
Sergio Castillo 21-yard field goal (11:46, Q4) | WPG 27, CGY 21
Vernon Adams Jr. three-yard touchdown run (1:05, Q4) | CGY 28, WPG 27
Sergio Castillo 38-yard field goal (0:00, Q4) | WPG 30, CGY 28

The Stamps are off in Week 2 with a bye before their Week 3 matchup against the reigning champion Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina on Saturday, June 20. Calgary has won its last three contests against Saskatchewan, with their most recent head-to-head a 32-15 victory in Week 12, 2025.

It’s a shorter turnaround for the Bombers, who head back to Winnipeg to host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in their home-opener on Thursday, June 11. It’ll be an early chance for Bombers’ off-season additions Tim White and Jonathan Moxey to face their former team. The two teams split their season series in 2025, but when they last met in Week 17, it was all Winnipeg in a 40-3 victory.