A crowd record, a late equalizer, and a dramatic finish
Saskatchewan needed extra minutes to finish off its oldest provincial rival, but the Roughriders delivered a Labor Day Classic worthy of the stage. They edged the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-26 in overtime at Mosaic Stadium after a wild ending to regulation and a decisive stop in the extra period.
The game drew 34,352 fans, the largest crowd ever to watch a CFL contest at the stadium. Winnipeg forced the additional session on the final snap of regulation, when Zach Collaros found Dorian Singer for a five-yard touchdown with no time left.
The Roughriders answered immediately once overtime began. Tommy Stevens powered in from one yard out for his third touchdown of the day and his 15th rushing score of the season. Saskatchewan missed the ensuing two-point attempt, which left the door open for Winnipeg to respond.
Instead, the Riders’ defense shut the game down. On third-and-six from the Saskatchewan 31, Winnipeg came up short, and Jameer Thurman tackled the receiver behind the line to end the contest.
Saskatchewan’s offense found its rhythm late
Trevor Harris handled most of the passing load for Saskatchewan, finishing 23 of 33 for 362 yards and one touchdown. He said the unit took some time to settle in, but once it did, the offense began moving much more efficiently.
Harris also stressed how valuable this kind of win can be in a season shaped by injuries and lineup changes. Saskatchewan had to keep grinding, and the quarterback said the group eventually found its footing in the middle of the second quarter.
His 72-yard throw to Daniel Wiebe in the second quarter did more than set up points. It moved Harris past Doug Flutie into 10th place on the CFL’s all-time passing yardage list, a significant milestone in a game that already had plenty of drama.
Harris now has 41,590 career passing yards. That puts him behind ninth-place Matt Dunigan, who finished with 43,857, while Anthony Calvillo remains the league standard at 79,816 yards.
Depth players delivered when the roster was thin
With Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker unavailable, Dhel Duncan-Busby took on a much larger role and made the most of it. The third-year receiver caught 10 passes for 140 yards, both career highs, and several of his grabs came at critical moments in the fourth quarter.
That performance lifted his season totals to 35 receptions for 504 yards. Duncan-Busby said patience mattered, especially on a team with a deep receiving group and multiple injuries pushing others into bigger jobs.
- 10 catches for 140 yards set new personal bests for Duncan-Busby.
- Several of his receptions came on important downs late in the game.
- His season totals climbed to 35 catches and 504 receiving yards.
KeeSean Johnson also reached a noteworthy mark. He caught four passes for 32 yards, pushing him past 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season and bringing his 2026 totals to 81 catches for 1,022 yards.
The defense kept Winnipeg from controlling the game
Saskatchewan’s defensive front and linebacking group did enough to tilt the matchup. Aubrey Miller Jr., making his first career start at linebacker, said the offense gave the defense a strong platform by putting points on the board first and keeping the pressure on.
The Riders collected sacks from Miller, Derick Roberson, and Seyi Oladipo. They also held Brady Oliveira in check, limiting the Winnipeg back to 28 rushing yards on nine carries after he entered the game with 956 yards on the season.
Roberson added a safety as part of a defense that came up with stops when it mattered most. The final stand in overtime completed a unit effort that matched the intensity of the rivalry.
What the final numbers showed
Collaros finished 27 of 40 for 279 yards and two touchdown passes, connecting with Kevens Clercius and Singer. Steven’s overtime score and Quali Conley’s touchdown for Saskatchewan kept the scoreboard moving throughout a contest that never lost its edge.
Winnipeg kicker Sergio Castillo was perfect on four field-goal tries, while Saskatchewan’s Alex Hale made only one of three attempts. Those missed opportunities made the difference in a game decided by just six points.
The win improved Saskatchewan to 8-4 and kept it in second place in the West Division behind Edmonton, which entered the next day at 8-3 before facing Calgary on Monday. Winnipeg dropped to 6-6.
The teams will meet again on Saturday, September 12, in Winnipeg, where the rematch will carry even more weight after this overtime classic.
