The Winnipeg Blue Bombers clashed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night from Princess Auto Stadium in the Western Final where the winner advances to the 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Blue Bombers were looking to advance to their fifth straight Grey Cup, while the Roughriders were looking to advance to their first Grey Cup since 2013.
First Quarter:
Winnipeg got the ball to start the game from their 38-yard line after a 17-yard kickoff return by Lucky Whitehead. Winnipeg quarterback Zack Collaros completed three passes for 22 yards then the drive stalled. Saskatchewan’s offense started on their 16-yard line with 12:12 left.
Quarterback Trevor Harris completed two passes for 11 yards and running back A.J. Ouellette had two carries for 9 yards then the drive stalled. Winnipeg returner Lucky Whitehead returned a 47-yard punt for 8 yards to reach their 35-yard line with 9:22 left.
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros started the next drive by completing a 10-yard pass to Nic Demski. Winnipeg’s offense moved the ball up to the Roughriders’ 31-yard line before Collaros threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Lawler for a 7-0 lead with 5:10 left of the first quarter to cap off a seven-play drive for 75 yards in over four minutes.
Saskatchewan’s offense was back out on the field from their 43-yard line. Running back A.J. Ouellette rushed for five yards then the drive stalled. Saskatchewan punter Adam Korsak punted the ball 48 yards to Lucky Whitehead, who returned it for 7 yards to reach their 21-yard line.
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros started the drive by completing a 65-yard pass to Kenny Lawler. Then, Collaros threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Lawler. Lawler caught the ball on the one-yard line before extending his arms breaking the plain for a 14-0 lead with 2:23 left of the first quarter.
Saskatchewan returner Mario Alford returned a 63-yard kickoff for 35 yards reaching their 52-yard line. Running back Ryquell Armstead started the drive with a four-yard run. Next, quarterback Trevor Harris’s pass intended for Kian Schaffer-Baker was incomplete but a defensive pass interference penalty on Evan Holm gave Saskatchewan an automatic first down.
On the next play, Trevor Harris threw a deep pass to KeeSean Johnson in the endzone but he could not complete the catch. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 40-yard field goal and Saskatchewan trailed Winnipeg 14-3 with 19 seconds left of the first quarter.
On the last play of the first quarter, Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros’s pass intended for Brady Oliveira was incomplete but Collaros was penalized for intentional grounding. Winnipeg led Saskatchewan 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Winnipeg had 186 yards on offense (156 yards passing, 30 yards rushing), 7 first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team was penalized two times for 32 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 8 of 9 passes for 156 yards, two touchdowns, and one carry for 10 yards.
Saskatchewan had 29 yards on offense (11 yards passing, 18 yards rushing), two first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team had no penalties. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 2 of 5 passes for 11 yards.
Second Quarter:
On third down, Winnipeg punter Jamieson Sheahan’s punt was blocked by Caleb Sanders. Saskatchewan running back Ryquell Armstead rushed for one yard then the drive stalled. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 33-yard field goal and Saskatchewan trailed Winnipeg 14-6 with 12:39 left.
Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira started the next drive with a nine-yard run. On second down, quarterback Terry Wilson rushed for 48 yards and got an extra seven yards on an unnecessary roughness penalty by Jameer Thurman and the ball was placed on the Roughriders’ six-yard line. Then, quarterback Zach Collaros threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Nic Demski for a 21-6 with 11:20 left of the second quarter to cap off a three-play drive for 70 yards.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris started the next drive by throwing two passes for 24 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 48-yard line. The drive would end when Harris was sacked by Celestin Haba for a two-yard loss. Winnipeg got the ball back with 7:50 left from their 14-yard line.
Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira started the next drive with two carries for 23 yards, while quarterback Zach Collaros threw two passes for 14 yards to reach their 51-yard line then the drive stalled. Saskatchewan got the ball back with 4:28 left from their 28-yard line.
Saskatchewan running back A.J. Ouellette started the drive with a 26-yard run reaching their 54-yard line. Two plays later, he would get an additional carry for three yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 41-yard line. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed two passes during the drive for 23 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 36-yard line. On third down, kicker Brett Lauther made a 44-yard field goal and Saskatchewan trailed Winnipeg 21-9 with 2:31 left before halftime.
Winnipeg’s offense moved the ball up to the Roughriders’ 22-yard line then kicker Sergio Castillo made a 30-yard field goal for a 24-9 lead at halftime.
First Half Stats:
Winnipeg had 335 yards on offense (228 yards passing, 117 yards passing, 10 yards lost), 16 first downs, 1 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for 32 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 16 of 19 passes (84.2%) for 228 yards, three touchdowns, and one carry for 10 yards. Running back Brady Oliveira had eight carries for 50 yards, and two catches for 22 yards.
Wide receiver Kenny Lawler made three catches for 120 yards, and two touchdowns, while Nic Demski made seven catches for 46 yards and one touchdown. Winnipeg’s defense made one sack.
Saskatchewan had 103 yards on offense (57 yards passing, 48 yards rushing, 2 yards lost), six first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team was penalized two times for 11 yards. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 6 of 12 passes (50%) for 57 yards. Running back A.J. Ouellette had five carries for 43 yards and one catch for one yard.
Wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker made four catches for 44 yards, and Dhel Duncan-Busby made one catch for 12 yards. Saskatchewan’s defense made 25 tackles.
Third Quarter:
Saskatchewan got the ball to start the second half from their 33-yard line after returner Mario Alford returned the kickoff for 21 yards. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed a 7-yard pass to KeeSean Johnson to reach their 40-yard line and that was all they got. Saskatchewan punter Adam Korsak faked a punt taking off for a six-yard run giving Saskatchewan a first down on their 46-yard line.
Quarterback Trevor Harris completed three passes for 63 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ one-yard line. On the next play, Saskatchewan running back A.J. Ouellette scored the one-yard touchdown by leaping over players to break the plain and Saskatchewan trailed Winnipeg 24-16 with 10:43 left to cap off an eight-play drive for 77 yards.
For the next two possessions, Winnipeg had three yards on offense and Saskatchewan had 8 yards on offense resulting in two-and-outs. Winnipeg got the ball back with 8:20 left from their 26-yard line. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros started the drive by throwing a 13-yard pass to Kevens Clercius to reach their 39-yard line.
For the next two plays, running back Brady Oliveira rushed for 10 yards, and quarterback Terry Wilson rushed for one yard. Next, Zach Collaros threw a three-yard pass to Nic Demski to reach their 53-yard line. Then, Collaros threw a deep pass to a wide-open Kenny Lawler for a 57-yard touchdown extending their lead 31-16 with 5:30 left of the third quarter to cap off a five-play drive for 84 yards in less than three minutes.
For the rest of the third quarter, Saskatchewan had six yards on two drives and Winnipeg had 20 yards on one drive. On the last play of the third quarter, Saskatchewan punter Adam Korsak punted the ball 45 yards to Winnipeg returner Lucky Whitehead. He returned the punt for four yards reaching the Roughriders’ 49-yard line up 31-16.
Fourth Quarter:
In the fourth quarter, Winnipeg went two-and-out then punter Jamieson Sheahan punted the ball 39 yards to Saskatchewan returner Mario Alford. Alford tried the create an opening but his run went for seven yards to reach their 17-yard line with 13:46 left.
Saskatchewan running back A.J. Ouellette rushed for two yards and quarterback Trevor Harris completed a five-yard pass to Ouellette facing third down. They went for it but Harris’s pass intended for KeeSean Johnson was incomplete and Winnipeg took over on downs from the Roughriders’ 24-yard line with 11:57 left of the game.
Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira started the next drive with a 21-yard run reaching the Roughriders’ 3-yard line. Then, quarterback Zach Collaros handed the ball off to Oliveira, who ran up the middle for a three-yard touchdown for a 38-16 lead with 11:32 left of the game.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris completed a 12-yard pass to Jerreth Sterns to reach the Roughriders’ 39-yard line then went two-and-out. Punter Adam Korsak punted the ball 40 yards to Lucky Whitehead. He bobbled the ball losing it in the process and Rolan Milligan recovered it on their Blue Bombers’ 33-yard line.
Saskatchewan running back A.J. Ouellette rushed for four yards, and Trevor Harris completed two passes for 24 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 5-yard line. On the next play, Winnipeg linebacker Redha Kramdi sacked Harris for a six-yard loss. On third down, Harris’s pass intended for KeeSean Johnson was incomplete in the red zone. Winnipeg took over with 6:32 left of the game.
Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira had four carries for 15 yards and quarterback Terry Wilson rushed for one yard to reach their 27-yard line. At this point of the game, Winnipeg was taking as much time off the clock as possible. Saskatchewan got the ball back with 2:53 left of the game starting from their 38-yard line.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris completed three passes for 37 yards but turned the ball over on third down with 2:22 left of the game. Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira carried the ball twice for three yards giving the Roughriders a minute and 42 seconds left of the game.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris completed five passes for 46 yards and rushed for 15 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 19-yard line. Then, Harris threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Emilus. They did not get the two-point conversion and trailed Winnipeg 38-22 with 23 seconds left. Winnipeg recovered an onsides kick and Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros took two kneel downs to end the game.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-22 to advance to their fifth straight Grey Cup championship game. The last team to go to five straight Grey Cups was the Edmonton Eskimos from 1978 to 1982 winning all five titles.
Final Stats:
Winnipeg had 482 yards on offense (301 yards passing, 194 yards rushing, 13 yards lost), 22 first downs, 2 for 2 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for 32 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 19 of 26 passes (73%) for 301 yards, four touchdowns, and one carry for 10 yards. Running back Brady Oliveira had 20 carries for 119 yards, one touchdown, and two catches for 22 yards.
Wide receiver Kenny Lawler made four catches for 177 yards, and three touchdowns, while Nic Demski made eight catches for 49 yards and one touchdown. Winnipeg’s defense made 40 tackles, two sacks, and 11 tackles on special teams.
Saskatchewan had 352 yards on offense (283 yards passing, 77 yards rushing, 8 yards lost), 20 first downs, 2 for 3 in the red zone, and the team was penalized three times for 18 yards. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 25 of 44 passes (56.8%) for 283 yards, one touchdown, and one carry for 15 yards. Running back A.J. Ouellette had 10 carries for 51 yards, one touchdown, and four catches for 17 yards.
Wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker made 12 catches for 162 yards, while Samuel Emilus made four catches for 58 yards and one touchdown. Saskatchewan’s defense made 41 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and eight tackles on special teams.
Next Sunday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers battle the Toronto Argonauts in the 111th Grey Cup at 6 pm on TSN and CBS Sports Network. Subscribe to Fubo to watch all of the 2024 CFL Season. Purchase CFL tickets today on StubHub.
