Stampeders remain in CFL playoff hunt with win over Roughriders

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders kept their CFL playoff hopes alive with a 26-19 win over the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday.

Calgary (5-11) snapped a three-game losing streak. The Roughriders (6-11) extended theirs to seven in a row.

Saskatchewan still holds the third and final playoff spot in the West Division, but the Stampeders moved to two points back with a game in hand.

Calgary also took the season series 2-1, and thus would rank higher in the event the two clubs end up tied in points. The Stampeders have been a CFL playoff team 17 straight seasons.

The Stampeders are on the road next week against the B.C. Lions (12-5) and finish the regular season at home against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (12-4).

Saskatchewan hosts the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts (13-2) next week before capping the regular season with a bye week.

Winnipeg, B.C., Toronto, the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats have five of the CFL's six playoff spots locked down.

Floyd Allen had a touchdown catch, Cameron Judge scored off an interception and Tommy Stevens rushed for a major for Calgary in front of an announced 24,099 at McMahon Stadium.

Rene Paredes kicked a 44-yard field goal and added three points in converts. Jake Maier surpassed 4,000 passing yards on the season going 17-for-29 for 184 yards and a pair of touchdown throws.

The Stampeders were minus leading receiver Reggie Begelton (ribs), which activated Allen from the practice roster.

Jamal Morrow scored a rushing touchdown for the Roughriders. Saskatchewan kicker Ryan Meskell, who came off the practice roster for the game because of Brett Lauther's illness, went 4-for-4 in field goals from 34, 38, 31 and 43 yards.

Quarterback Jake Dolegala reached 2,000 passing yards in a season by completing 23 of 33 attempts for 272 yards with one interception.

A pair of objectional-misconduct penalties to Calgary fullback Charlie Power, which disqualified him from the game, and another to teammate Silas Stewart after the next play advanced Saskatchewan to Calgary's 40-yard line early in the fourth quarter.

The Roughriders opted to punt instead of attempt the field goal, and Calgary scored on the next drive to lead 26-19.

Maier's 37-yard throw to Luther Hakunavanhu brought the Stampeders to Saskatchewan's doorstep and backup quarterback Stevens scored on a one-yard plunge at 10:08.

Calgary's successful challenge for pass interference negated a Saskatchewan first down on Calgary's 47-yard line with 48 seconds remaining in the game.

When Dolegala was subsequently brought down by Judge for a turnover on downs, Saskatchewan also challenged for pass interference and was denied.

Meskell's 43-yard field early in third quarter increased Saskatchewan's lead to 16-5, but a punt-return gaffe and an interception opened the door for the Stampeders.

Mario Alford coughed up the ball on a hard hit by Calgary's Aaron Crawford. Power recovered for a five-yard return. Allen scrambled into the end zone on a 15-yard pass from Maier and celebrated with a round-off backflip.

Judge then picked off Dolegala and ran the ball back 33 yards to score, with Paredes' convert giving the Stampeders a 19-16 lead heading into the third quarter.

Saskatchewan quickly pulled even, however, on Meskell's 31-yarder in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

Saskatchewan led 13-5 at halftime with 11 first downs and 219 yards of offence to Calgary's four and 96 respectively.

After zero points in the opening quarter, Meskell's 34-yard field goal gave the Roughriders a 3-0 lead early in the second.

Saskatchewan's offence then kicked into a quicker gear with a six-play, 90-yard drive capped by Morrow's 11-yard carry for a touchdown followed by Meskell's 38-yard field goal.

Instead of punting out of his own end zone into the wind, Saskatchewan punter Adam Korsak conceded two points to the hosts with just over a minute remaining in the half. Paredes' kicked a 44-yard field goal on the half's final play.

UP NEXT

The Roughriders host the Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 21 before finishing the regular season on a bye week. The Stampeders are in Vancouver on Oct. 20 to face the B.C. Lions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2023.