Roughriders edge Lions to book spot in 112th Grey Cup final
The 112th Grey Cup matchup is officially set, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders edged the BC Lions 24-21 in a thrilling Western Final at Mosaic Stadium. With the win, the Riders will now face the Montreal Alouettes next Sunday in a long-awaited Grey Cup appearance — their first in over a decade.
Just like the Eastern Final in Hamilton earlier in the day, this clash came right down to the wire. But this time, the home crowd in Regina got to celebrate, thanks to a bruising ground game from AJ Ouellette and some timely defensive heroics late in the contest.
Key moments from the Western Final
1 – Marcus Sayles’ clutch interception
Moments after Saskatchewan’s AJ Ouellette fumbled on the first play of a third-quarter drive, the Roughriders’ defence immediately responded. BC quarterback Nathan Rourke marched the Lions inside the Saskatchewan 10-yard line, but when his pass for Ayden Eberhardt ricocheted off C.J. Reavis, Marcus Sayles was perfectly placed to grab the deflection for a crucial interception. The takeaway prevented BC from turning the Ouellette fumble into points and kept the Riders within striking distance.
113 – AJ Ouellette’s rushing yards
Ouellette powered the Riders’ offence all evening, finishing with 113 rushing yards on 17 carries, plus two receptions for 13 yards. His physical running style wore down the BC defence and proved decisive in crunch time. On the game’s final drive, his 10-yard catch moved the chains before Trevor Harris connected with Tommy Nield for the winning touchdown — a moment that sent the Mosaic Stadium crowd into delirium.
2 – BC two-and-outs
Head coach Corey Mace’s late gamble paid off. Trailing by seven with under three minutes to play, Mace chose to settle for a field goal, trusting his defence to get the ball back — and they did just that. The Riders forced back-to-back two-and-outs, putting the offence in position for a game-winning drive. Harris and company delivered, capping the comeback and sealing Saskatchewan’s place in the Grey Cup showdown with Montreal.
Saskatchewan now heads to the championship game brimming with confidence and momentum, looking to capture their first Grey Cup title since 2013.
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