WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers came up with a total team effort and stunned the CFL-leading Montreal Alouettes 44-28 in front of a sold-out crowd at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday night.
The Bombers entered the CFL contest with losses in three of their last four games, creating major doubts with a fan base that’s become accustomed to greatness following five straight trips to the Grey Cup between 2019-2024.
Few had the Bombers beating an Alouettes team riding a seven-game win streak and boasting a 9-1 record. Winnipeg had suffered their worst loss of the season a week earlier, giving up a 16-0 lead in a 22-19 road defeat to the Edmonton Elks.
With the victory, the Bombers improved to 6-5 and have now beat Montreal in three straight games dating back to last season. The win also keeps Winnipeg in a hotly contested West Division playoff race, now in third place ahead of the B.C. Lions (5-5) and just behind the second-place Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-4).
The Alouettes dropped to 9-2. With a win, they could have clinched a playoff berth by the end of the weekend with a Hamilton loss.
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros made his third consecutive start since returning from a neck injury, finishing 26-for-32 passing for 324 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bombers recorded 447 net yards of offence, with Ontaria Wilson adding two receiving touchdowns to go with a pair of rushing majors from Bryce Perkins and one from Brady Oliveira. Sergio Castillo rounded out the scoring with three field goals, hitting from 51, 43 and 20 yards.
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Wilson led all receivers with 114 yards on nine receptions. Running back Oliveira rushed 13 times for 84 yards.
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Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander threw for 257 yards on 20-for-31 passing, along with three touchdowns to Tyler Snead and one to Tyson Philpot. It was Alexander’s first regular-season start against Winnipeg and just the second loss of his career (21-2).
Montreal’s offence totalled a season-low 284 net yards and lost the turnover battle 3-1. Running back Travis Theis, who was averaging more than 100 rushing yards in the last six games and had a touchdown in seven of his last eight, was kept out of the end zone and limited to 31 yards on eight carries.
The Bombers had a strong start, taking a 7-0 lead on the game’s opening drive. The nine-play, 32-yard series was capped by a one-yard plunge from Perkins, the score aided by a successful pass interference challenge that moved the ball from Winnipeg’s 43-yard line to Montreal’s 32.
It was the Bombers’ first, first-quarter touchdown since Week 6 — a 30-21 win over the visiting Toronto Argonauts on July 10.
Minutes later, Alexander connected with Philpot for a 13-yard touchdown to make it 7-7 through the first 15 minutes. Philpot now has 10 touchdowns — leading all CFL receivers — with six in his last three games.
Oliveira scored on the first play of the second quarter to regain Winnipeg’s lead. The Alouettes answered back on the next drive with Snead’s 13-yard score.
The Bombers punched back on the ensuing series, giving them three touchdowns in their first four drives. Wilson turned a shovel pass into a seven-yard dash to the end zone, putting Winnipeg back up 21-14.
A 51-yard field goal from Castillo made it 24-14. Castillo continues to build on the CFL record for most 50-plus-yard field goals, now with 43.
The Alouettes punched back with Snead’s second touchdown, cutting Winnipeg’s lead to 24-21. Snead caught the ball at Winnipeg’s 22 and dodged a few tacklers before diving into the end zone.
Working the three-minute clock to seemingly perfection, the Bombers moved the ball down to Montreal’s 15-yard line with fewer than 45 seconds remaining in the half. But just as receiver Tommy Nield was inches away from the end zone, the ball was ripped from his arms by Alouettes defensive back Nate Beauchemin and recovered by teammate Kabion Ento to keep it a three-point game at the break.
Winnipeg’s special teams got in on the action to start the second half, blocking a punt deep in Montreal’s end. The next play, Perkins completed the hat trick with his third touchdown — a one-yard run to put the home side up 31-21.
Another fumble recovery by Winnipeg set up a Castillo 43-yard field goal that put the Bombers up 34-21 through three quarters. He added a 20-yarder early in the fourth to increase the lead to 16 points.
Wilson’s second touchdown made it 44-21, with Montreal rounding out the scoring with Snead’s third score.
UP NEXT
Alouettes: Host the B.C. Lions on Friday, Sept. 4.
Blue Bombers: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, Sept. 6.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
