Déjà vu: Riders score game-winning touchdown in final minute to beat B.C. Lions (& other thoughts)

Photo: Tanner Piper/Piper Sports Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders officially stamped the team’s 2025 Grey Cup championship in cement at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday night and quickly shifted focus to a new season against the B.C. Lions.

However, the dramatic finish looked familiar to many Canadian Football League fans, as Trevor Harris led a late drive that was capped by a game-winning touchdown pass as the Green and White won 31-27.

Dramatic finish

Corey Mace and his trusty challenge flag helped spur the Riders to the go-ahead touchdown. He correctly challenged for pass interference after a first-and-20 incompletion to A.J. Ouellette with less than three minutes remaining.

Canadian linebacker Ben Hladik bumped No. 45 down the field as a Harris pass flew over his head. There was initially no call by the officials on the field, but staring second-and-20 down the barrel, the reigning Coach of the Year made the right call, and it kick-started the game’s defining possession following an Albert Awachie holding penalty.

Harris hit two-straight corner routes to Samuel Emilus for the deciding major — one to the right against cover zero for a 29-yard gain, and the other to the left in the end zone for a touchdown to complete a hat trick for No. 19.

Check ball

The 40-year-old franchise quarterback was ready to play.

Harris led a nine-play, 64-yard drive capped by a seam-ball touchdown to Emilus as the home fans exploded on the first possession. No. 7 followed that up with a 12-play, 109-yard drive, which was again finished off with a Harris to Emilus completion.

Two possessions, two touchdowns — Saskatchewan’s offence was prepared for the ball to be checked.

Harris dissected B.C.’s defence with quick reads and throws. He stretched the Lions horizontally with slants, hitches, outs, and in-breaking throws. When Mike Benevides dialled up pressure, a corner ball to Kian Schaffer-Baker and a deep post against cover zero to KeeSean Johnson were delivered in highly anticipatory fashion. That 37-yard strike to Johnson was thrown with Mathieu Betts rushing free at the franchise QB off the edge.

The 112th Grey Cup MVP completed 30-of-36 passes for 417 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the game.

Schaffer-Baker ratio breaker

Schaffer-Baker started his regular season in a much different way than last year.

The University of Guelph product didn’t make it through the first quarter in 2025, suffering a foot injury against the Ottawa Redblacks. In 2026, he registered a single-game career-high 11 receptions for 165 yards. His career-best performance yardage-wise also came against the Lions in 2024, when he posted 170 in Week 12.

No. 89 displayed why he’s a ratio breaker at his position and among the best in the three-down league when healthy.

Schaffer-Baker’s longest play versus B.C. came from a trips left formation into the boundary. He ran a smooth route to create separation and become open for Harris. The 28-year-old geared down like he was going to run an out route and burst towards the middle of the field on a post pattern. He recorded 67 yards after the catch, and a chunk of those came on that snap.

Joshua Bell’s defence, similar to Corey Mace’s

Mace passed his defensive coordinator duties to Bell in the offseason, giving him that title when the team unveiled the 2026 coaching staff.

The 41-year-old former defensive back used a familiar-looking approach on defence. Some might call it bend but don’t break, but that’s not necessarily a fair way to categorize one of the CFL’s top units.

Saskatchewan doesn’t want to allow any deep shots over the top — stuff the run on first down, and force teams into second-and-long to allow the athletes upfront to tee off on the quarterback.

By all accounts, that was the game plan against Nathan Rourke. He completed 24-of-37 passes for 330 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and added five carries for 59 yards, including one rushing major.  The Riders kept the ball in front of them, even though there were some sizeable gains. Saskatchewan did not bust any coverages, which was an issue at times last season.

Photo: Tanner Piper/Piper Sports Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved. No. 98 Desmond Evans, No. 9 James Vaughters and No. 42 Mike Rose.

New bookends

Veteran James Vaughters and rookie Desmond Evans officially made their debuts with the Roughriders.

The 32-year-old free agent signee notched one sack. Jameer Thurman and Josh Woods came on a six-man pressure look and helped push Rourke out of the pocket. Vaughters came off the edge and chased him down from behind, which halted a Lions drive and limited B.C. to a field goal.

Meanwhile, Evans had a key pressure off the left side that helped stall the Lions’ first drive in the second half. He was called for a roughing the passer penalty in the fourth quarter after his hand made contact with Rourke’s face mask.

Later in the final frame, Rourke left Evans grasping for air on a cutback first-down run as the reigning MOP converted a key second-and-three for B.C., which led to James Butler diving over the goal line for a touchdown as the Lions took the lead for the first time.

Those are learning moments for the 23-year-old Evans, who did record one sack in his first CFL start.

Hale Alex?

Rookie kicker Alex Hale made his CFL debut and looked comfortable, glasses and all.

Hale made three-of-four field goals from 16, 22, and 35 yards respectively, while adding two extra points. He missed a field goal wide right from 43 yards out. It was a makeable kick, especially during a rather calm evening in Regina.

The 28-year-old Australian won a competitive kicking battle in training camp over Jonathan Kim, likely due to the fact that Saskatchewan wanted to use an additional designated American elsewhere on the roster. After the Riders released longtime Canadian kicker Brett Lauther in February, the spot was vacant and became a major question mark.

Hale got started on the right foot, but needs to prove he can be consistent and not miss makeable kicks.

Major injury concerns

Two-time CFL all-star Rolan Milligan Jr. appeared to hurt his right shoulder while delivering a blow to Justin McInnis after a reception across the middle. He walked off the field under his own power, stretching out his right arm, but 3DownNation‘s Joel Gasson spotted him coming out from the locker room at halftime with a wrap on his shoulder and his arm in a sling.

Canadian Nelson Lokombo bumped out to boundary halfback, and fellow national Jaxon Ford came in at safety after Milligan Jr. left the game. Neither looked out of place.

Later in the second quarter, during an A.J. Ouellette run, Jermarcus Hardrick went down. Trainers came onto the field and looked at his left leg and knee area. The 36-year-old walked off under his own power and returned to the game, but he did not seem 100 percent after getting banged up.

Big prairie boys

Yes, Harris has the fastest average release time in the CFL, but the offensive line played consistently well.

Mathieu Betts lined up at defensive tackle into the boundary in the second quarter and beat left guard Zack Fry clean with an outside move for a sack — however, that was an anomaly in the game.

Payton Collins, Fry, Logan Ferland, Jacob Brammer, and Hardrick, along with Canadian rookie Erik Andersen, were mostly error-free up front. There were multiple plays where Harris was able to go through his entire read progression and work back to the opposite side of the field, thanks to the time allowed by the big eaters.

Brooks Jr. the blur

Different number, same game.

Antoine Brooks Jr. changed his jersey number from 33 to 5 and admitted on the Rider Broadcast Network post-game show that he feels faster wearing a single digit. That certainly showed on the field as the starting strong-side linebacker produced 13 defensive tackles and one tackle for loss.

C.J. Reavis played at an all-star calibre for Saskatchewan, but the 27-year-old Brooks Jr. has major upside and put that on display against B.C.

Football insider, reporter and analyst.