Zach Collaros returned from injury in style, passing for a season-high 367 yards to lead the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a 40-3 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Princess Auto Stadium on Saturday.
After missing two games with a head injury, the veteran pivot looked eager to reignite Winnipeg’s aerial attack, completing 20 of 25 passes and throwing a touchdown. Nic Demski hauled in all seven targets for 114 yards, Dillon Mitchell added 67 yards and a touchdown, and Ontaria Wilson tallied 97 yards — his most since rejoining the team in Week 14.
Winnipeg’s ground game kept the offence balanced. Chris Streveler scored three rushing touchdowns, while Brady Oliveira took 15 carries for 98 yards to help the Bombers improve to 8-7.
It was not the way Hamilton wanted to celebrate clinching a playoff spot, which they did thanks to BC’s win over Toronto on Friday. Bo Levi Mitchell went 21-for-32 with 212 yards, Greg Bell took 11 carries for 88 yards, and Marc Liegghio tied a career-high with a 55-yard field goal as the Ticats fell to 9-6.
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Trey Vaval put the Blue Bombers on the board immediately, returning the opening kickoff 98 yards for his second return touchdown in as many games. Sergio Castillo missed the convert, leaving Winnipeg up 6-0.
Collaros quickly built on the fast start. After moving the offence to midfield, he found Mitchell deep for a 44-yard strike to cap a seven-play, 97-yard march. Castillo connected on the extra point this time, stretching the lead to 13-0.
The Ticats threatened but stalled past midfield, and Liegghio’s 44-yard field-goal try sailed wide right, snapping his CFL-leading streak of 21 straight makes.
Collaros stayed perfect through the first quarter, going 8-for-8 for 130 yards, but opened the second with his first incompletion, bringing on Castillo for a 24-yard field goal that made it 16-0.
Hamilton finally answered after a botched snap pushed a productive drive to the edge of Liegghio’s range. The league’s most accurate kicker had just enough leg, muscling a 55-yarder off the crossbar and through to put the Ticats on the board.
Castillo responded with a 38-yard field goal, and Hamilton took over after the three-minute warning. Bell sparked the drive with back-to-back carries for 42 yards, but once inside the red zone, Willie Jefferson delivered a sack and a pass deflection on consecutive plays to force a turnover on downs as the half ended.
The Tabbies began the second half with promise, but a deep pass to Kenny Lawler — Mitchell’s third deep attempt in his direction — was smothered by tight coverage. On the next snap, James Vaughters burst through for a drive-ending sack, his team-leading fourth of the season.
Winnipeg picked up right where it left off. Brady Oliveira’s tough carries drew the defence in on play action, allowing Collaros to hit Wilson on a 56-yard catch-and-run to the one. Streveler plunged in for six, and Castillo’s convert made it 26-3.
The Bombers kept rolling. Collaros connected with Demski for 46 yards, then followed with key gains to Oliveira and Kevens Clercius, setting up another Streveler touchdown. Castillo’s extra point pushed Winnipeg’s lead to 33-3 at the end of the third.
It didn’t get any easier for Mitchell and the Ticats in the fourth. The CFL’s passing-touchdown leader drove down to the red zone behind big gains from Lawler and Shemar Bridges, but Winnipeg’s defence held firm. Kyrie Wilson broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage on third down, forcing the turnover.
With a 30-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Bombers focused on burning clock. Oliveira carried six times for 47 yards, while Collaros connected with Wilson for 31. Streveler added an eight-yard rushing touchdown to complete the hat trick — his eighth of the season — and Castillo’s convert made it 40-3 as Winnipeg cruised to the win.
The ‘Cats now head to Toronto to take on the Argonauts on Saturday, October 4, while the Blue Bombers take their Week 18 bye before travelling to Edmonton to meet the Elks on Saturday, October 11, in Week 19.
