In the first quarter of the ballgame between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, it took nearly five minutes for the first score to occur. Winnipeg’s quarterback, Zach Collaros, connected with Kenny Lawler on a 31-yard pass for a touchdown, giving the Bombers an early 7-0 lead. The duo then added two more touchdowns on the next possession, with a 65-yard bomb and a 24-yard pass from Collaros to Lawler, extending the lead to 14-0. Saskatchewan attempted to close the gap with a 40-yard field goal by Brett Lauther after an unsuccessful deep pass to KeeSean Johnson almost resulted in a touchdown.
Saskatchewan managed to block a punt by Winnipeg’s Caleb Sanders, but were only able to convert it into a 33-yard field goal by Lauther. Despite the Riders’ efforts, the Winnipeg offense continued to dominate, with a 48-yard quarterback sneak by Terry Wilson setting up a six-yard touchdown pass from Collaros to Nic Demski, bringing the score to 21-6 at halftime in favor of the Bombers. The first half concluded with a 44-yard field goal by Lauther for Saskatchewan and a 30-yard field goal by Sergio Castillo for Winnipeg, resulting in a 24-9 lead for the Bombers going into the break.
In the third quarter, Saskatchewan managed to cut the deficit to a one-score game early on with a one-yard touchdown run by AJ Ouellette. However, the momentum quickly shifted back in Winnipeg’s favor as Collaros connected with Lawler for a 57-yard touchdown pass, marking Lawler’s third touchdown of the night. Brady Oliveira then added a three-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to further solidify the Bombers’ lead. Sam Emilus scored a late touchdown for the Roughriders in the final minute of the game, but it was not enough to overcome Winnipeg’s dominance, resulting in a final score of 38-22 in favor of the Bombers.
With this victory, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers secured a spot in their fifth straight Grey Cup where they will face the Toronto Argonauts. The Bombers’ offense, led by Collaros and Lawler’s impressive performance, proved to be too much for the Roughriders to handle throughout the game. Saskatchewan put up a valiant effort, but ultimately fell short against Winnipeg’s strong defensive efforts and efficient offensive execution. The outcome of the game solidified the Bombers as formidable contenders for the Grey Cup title, showcasing their prowess on both sides of the ball and setting the stage for an exciting championship matchup against the Toronto Argonauts.
