A Labor Day Finish That Needed Extra Minutes
Saskatchewan and Winnipeg added another tense chapter to their long-running rivalry, but this one belonged to the Roughriders after a 32-26 overtime win at Mosaic Stadium. The game drew a crowd of 34,352, the largest ever for a CFL contest at the venue.
Winnipeg forced the extra session in dramatic fashion, with quarterback Zach Collaros finding Dorian Singer for a five-yard touchdown on the final play of regulation. That score erased Saskatchewan’s late lead and sent the Labor Day Classic into overtime.
Once overtime began, the Roughriders needed only one snap to seize control. Quarterback Tommy Stevens drove in from one yard out for his third touchdown of the day and his 15th rushing score of the season, giving Saskatchewan the first strike in the extra period.
Defense Closes the Door When It Matters
The two-point conversion after Stevens’ touchdown did not connect, leaving the door open for Winnipeg to respond. Instead, Saskatchewan’s defense ended the night on the next crucial snap.
Facing third-and-six at the Saskatchewan 31, the Blue Bombers could not move the chains. Linebacker Jameer Thurman finished the stop behind the line, and the Roughriders escaped with the victory.
Trevor Harris handled most of the passing workload for Saskatchewan, finishing 23 of 33 for 362 yards and one touchdown. He said the offense took a little time to settle in but found its rhythm as the game unfolded.
“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 result moved Saskatchewan to 8-4, good for second place in the West Division behind Edmonton, which entered the following Monday meeting with Calgary at 8-3. Winnipeg dropped to 6-6 after the loss.
Big Night for Duncan-Busby Amid Injuries
With Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker sidelined, Dhel Duncan-Busby took on a much larger role in the passing game and delivered his best performance as a pro. The third-year receiver caught 10 passes for 140 yards, both career highs, and several of his biggest grabs came on pressure-filled downs late in the fourth quarter.
His production pushed his season totals to 35 receptions for 504 yards. Duncan-Busby said patience mattered because the offense had to keep adjusting to injuries and shifting roles.
“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.
The Saskatchewan defense also played a major part in preserving the win. Aubrey Miller Jr., making his first career start at linebacker, said the offense set the tone early and made it easier for the defense to finish the job.
“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, and the unit kept Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira in check. Oliveira entered the night with 956 rushing yards but managed only 28 yards on nine carries.
Harris Reaches a Major Career Milestone
The win also carried historical weight for Harris. A 72-yard completion to Daniel Wiebe in the second quarter moved him past Doug Flutie into 10th place on the CFL’s all-time passing list. Harris entered the game needing 127 yards to pass Flutie’s mark of 41,355.
He said the milestone felt appropriate given the support around him throughout his career.
“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, which puts him behind Matt Dunigan’s 43,857 for ninth place. Anthony Calvillo remains the CFL’s career leader with 79,816 yards.
Receiver KeeSean Johnson also hit a notable benchmark, catching four passes for 32 yards to move past 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season. He now has 81 catches for 1,022 yards in 2026, after posting 86 receptions for 1,159 yards last year.
Numbers That Defined the Rematch
Collaros finished 27 of 40 for 279 yards and two touchdown throws, hitting Kevens Clercius and Singer for scores. Saskatchewan’s offense also got a touchdown catch from Quali Conley, while Roberson added a safety to the home side’s total.
Special teams produced a sharp contrast between the clubs. Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo was perfect on all four of his field goal attempts, while Saskatchewan’s Alex Hale made only one of his three tries.
The rivalry pauses briefly before the teams meet again on Saturday, September 12, in Winnipeg.
