OTTAWA — Zander Horvath scored four rushing majors to push the BC Lions over the Ottawa REDBLACKS and earn a 45-24 victory on Sunday night at TD Place Stadium, extending their win streak to five games.
The Lions running back paved the way with 164 yards on 24 carries and 30 receiving yards on four catches, extending his league lead to 16 total touchdowns this season as BC improved to 6-5. Nathan Rourke finished with 355 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 22-for-25 passing, while Jermaine Jackson led all Lions pass-catchers with 128 yards.
BC turned its first possession into a short field goal before Alonzo Addae quickly flipped the momentum, picking off Rourke twice and setting up a REDBLACKS touchdown after each. The first led to Jake Maier finding former Lion Ayden Eberhardt, while Bryson Barnes punched in the second to put Ottawa ahead 14-3 early.
The REDBLACKS had a chance to add to their lead after another former Lion, Sione Teuhema, made his mark with a drive-ending sack on Rourke with the Lions backed up, but Ottawa’s red-zone struggles resurfaced as BC’s defence held firm to force a turnover on downs.
After Rourke’s second interception, his fifth in his last four games, the Lions leaned on Horvath in the run game for a spark. The second-year power back opened the drive with three straight touches for 32 yards, setting up his backfield partner James Butler to stroll in for six on a pass in the flat.
It did not take long for BC to reclaim the lead. After forcing a two-and-out, Jermaine Jackson tipped a pass to himself and broke loose for nearly 40 yards after the catch before being dragged down at the REDBLACKS’ two. Horvath found the hole at the goal line and powered through for his first of the evening.
Looking to add on late in the second, Rourke took a blow to the head on a REDBLACKS blitz and briefly headed to the locker room, with Kaidon Salter taking over. Salter moved BC into field-goal range, but a penalty pushed them back and forced a punt, giving Ottawa 41 seconds to respond. Maier delivered, connecting with Justin Hardy and Keelan White before Brett Lauther drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired to tie it 17-17 at halftime.
Rourke returned for the second half but continued to take punishment from an aggressive Ottawa blitz. The Canadian pivot drew a Grade 2 unnecessary roughness penalty but stood in to complete a 28-yard pass to Johnson. The additional yardage put BC in scoring range, and two plays later, Horvath punched in his second touchdown of the night to put the Lions ahead.
A punt apiece later, the REDBLACKS delivered their counterpunch as Eberhardt capped a six-play, 97-yard march with a 49-yard catch-and-run for his second major of the night. The momentum swing was short-lived, though, as BC answered with a touchdown of its own, capped by Horvath’s third of the game to make it 31-24.
The Lions’ defence locked in down the stretch, ending the third quarter with an interception from Jackson Findlay before opening the final frame by forcing a quick punt. BC then extended its lead as Jevon Cottoy broke three tackles on his way to the end zone, with the touchdown pushing Rourke over 300 passing yards for the fourth straight game.
Maier finished with 291 yards as the Lions slowed the game down and added an insurance score, with Horvath punching in his fourth touchdown before the final whistle. Keelan White had the first 100-yard game of his career, but it wasn’t enough as Ottawa fell to 0-11.
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SCORING PLAYS
- Sean Whyte 31-yard field goal (7:21, Q1) | BC 3 OTT 0
- Jake Maier 10-yard passing touchdown (4:08, Q1) | OTT 7 BC 3
- Bryson Barnes one-yard rushing touchdown (11:41, Q2) | OTT 14 BC 3
- Nathan Rourke 10-yard passing touchdown (6:58, Q2) | OTT 14 BC 10
- Zander Horvath two-yard rushing touchdown (3:23, Q2) | BC 17 OTT 14
- Brett Lauther 43-yard field goal (0:00, Q2) | OTT 17 BC 17
- Zander Horvath two-yard rushing touchdown (12:13, Q3) | BC 24 OTT 17
- Zander Horvath nine-yard rushing touchdown (0:48, Q3) | BC 31 OTT 17
- Nathan Rourke 14-yard passing touchdown to Jevon Cottoy ( 11:04, Q4) | BC 38 OTT 24
- Zander Horvath one-yard rushing touchdown (2:56, Q4) | BC 45 OTT 24
NEXT UP
The BC Lions’ road trip rolls on to Montreal in Week 14, where they’ll kick off a home-and-home against the East Division-leading Alouettes on Friday, September 4. BC has won the last six meetings and is 15-2 against Montreal since 2015. Lions linebacker Darnell Sankey will return to Montreal for the first time since spending the previous three seasons with the Als.
The Ottawa REDBLACKS reset with a bye before a Week 15 meeting with the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, September 12. Toronto won the first matchup this season 44-24 in Week 3, with Ayden Eberhardt recording his first 100-yard game as a REDBLACK and the defence coming away with four interceptions. The three-game season series will close in the nation’s capital in Week 20.
