EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks continued their strong start to the season, holding off the BC Lions for a 19-17 victory at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday night.
BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke left Friday’s contest after two plays due to a left shoulder injury. Rourke was sacked by Noah Taylor on the second play of the Lions’ opening drive and did not return. Rourke’s absence was felt early on as backup quarterback Chase Brice’s first pass attempt was intercepted by Gavin Meyer, setting the Elks up in prime scoring position.
The Elks defence swarmed Brice and the Leos all evening, intercepting the quarterback four times and holding him to only 226 yards.
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Brice completed 20 of 34 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown and four picks. The Elks made it tough on Brice all evening and saved their best work for their last drive. After Brice got the ball back with under two minutes to play, the Elks sacked Brice two times on the final possession to force a turnover on downs, and improve to first place in the West.
T.J. Luther put the Elks ahead for good in the second quarter. Luther was on the receiving end of Cody Fajardo’s ninth touchdown pass of the season, scoring from four yards out to raise Fajardo’s season touchdown total to nine touchdowns.
Joshua Cephus led all receivers in Friday’s game, totalling 97 yards on five catches. For the Lions, Keon Hatcher Sr. provided a spark to the offence, picking up 81 yards and a touchdown on the night. Hatcher’s touchdown was the first of his season and came on an 11-yard strike.
The running games for both teams were held in check for much of the evening as CFL leading rusher Justin Rankin was held to nine yards on seven attempts. Rankin did contribute as a pass-catcher once again, catching six passes for 46 yards.
James Butler was also slowed down on Friday. The Lions running back totalled only four yards on seven carries.
The Lions are 1-4 through five games and find themselves fifth in a crowded West Division.
SCORING PLAYS
- Vincent Blanchard 38-yard field goal (9:16, Q1) | EDM 3, BC 0
- Zander Horvath one-yard touchdown run (2:57, Q1) | BC 7, EDM 3
- Cody Fajardo four-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Luther (8:16, Q2) | EDM 10, BC 7
- Vincent Blanchard 26-yard field goal (3:30, Q2) | EDM 13, BC 7
- Vincent Blanchard 26-yard field goal (0:01, Q2) | EDM 16, BC 7
- Vincent Blanchard 16-yard field goal (1:11, Q3) | EDM 19, BC 7
- Chase Brice 11-yard touchdown pass to Keon Hatcher Sr. (13:13, Q4) | EDM 19, BC 14
- Sean Whyte 19-yard field goal (9:47, Q4) | EDM 19, BC 17
NEXT UP
In Week 8, the Elks travel to Saskatchewan to take on the Roughriders on Thursday. The last time these two teams met was during the 2025 season, a meeting which the Elks won by a score of 27-25.
The Lions host the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday at BC Place. BC claimed a 27-22 victory the last time these two teams met on September 26, 2025.
