Roughriders edge Alouettes for 1st Grey Cup title since 2013

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The Saskatchewan Roughriders are Grey Cup champions for the fifth time in club history.

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On Sunday night at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium, the Roughriders beat the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 for Saskatchewan’s first Grey Cup title in 12 years.

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This 2025 winning squad joins Roughrider championship teams from 2013, 2007, 1989 and 1966.

As for how the 112th Grey Cup played out, the game started off with a turnover on the first series as Alouettes’ quarterback Davis Alexander had his first pass of the game picked off as Marcus Sayles intercepted it on his 13-yard line and returned it 23 yards.

On Saskatchewan’s first offensive series, quarterback Trevor Harris nearly gave it right back, but Als’ Kabion Ento dropped what would have been a pick-six. Saskatchewan ended up with a rouge on the drive following a 69-yard punt single by Jesse Mirco to go up 1-0.

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Alouettes 1st to score touchdown

Later in the first quarter, Alexander connected on a deep pass to Tyson Philpot for 37 yards to get the Alouettes into scoring range. A few plays later, Als’ short-yardage quarterback and former Rider Shea Patterson plunged in from one yard out to put Montreal up 7-1 with the convert.

Looking for a response, Harris connected with Dohnte Meyers for a 29-yard gain before finding Samuel Emilus for 24 yards on a crossing route to get down to the Als’ 12-yard line.

After getting down to the four-yard line, the Riders elected to gamble on third-and-two, and Harris had his pass knocked down by Ento as he was looking for Meyers in the end zone.

However, the Roughriders successfully challenged for pass interference and were awarded the ball on the one-yard line. From there, short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens surged into the end zone to put Saskatchewan up 8-7 with the convert.

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After Saskatchewan’s defence forced a two-and-out, the Roughriders offence went back to work as running back A.J. Ouellette picked up a 12-yard carry along the ground before gaining 32 yards on a hitch pass.

Roughriders score twice to end 1st half

Following a converted third-and-one gamble by Stevens, who picked up five yards on the sneak, Harris handed off to Ouellette who powered his way into the end zone from five yards out to put Saskatchewan up 15-7 with 2:38 left in the first half.

As Montreal looked to cut into the lead before the half, Alexander’s Hail Mary attempt was intercepted by Rolan Milligan as time expired in the first half.

To begin the second half, Roughriders returner Mario Alford brought the kickoff back 38 yards before Harris connected with Tommy Nield for a 34-yard gain down to the one-yard line.

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From there, Stevens surged into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night, tying a Roughriders Grey Cup record for most touchdowns in the championship game alongside Kory Sheets and Geroy Simon, to put the Riders up 22-7 with the convert.

Later in the third quarter, after Roughriders’ safety C.J. Reavis knocked down a deep pass attempt by Alexander, the quarterback was intercepted by cornerback Tevaughn Campbell near midfield.

After Harris hit Emilus for a 17-yard gain on the next play, the drive ended in a field goal as Brett Lauther connected from 48 yards to make it 25-7.

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Montreal then quickly engineered a response as Alexander found Tyler Snead for a 13-yard gain before he and Philpot teamed up for a 22-yard pass and catch.

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A few plays later, running back Stevie Scott III spun into the end zone from 11 yards out to trim the lead to 25-14 with the convert to end the third quarter.

After the Riders punted it away on their next series, the Alouettes drove down to Saskatchewan’s nine-yard line, aided by a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty called by the CFL’s Replay Centre, before kicking a 23-yard field goal to make it 25-17.

Looking to respond, Harris hit Emilus up the sideline for a 31-yard gain, his 10th catch of the night which also put him over 100 yards, to get Saskatchewan into striking distance.

The drive ended with Lauther missing a 39-yard field goal with 6:36 left.

Critical fumble costs Montreal chance to tie

On Montreal’s next drive, Alexander heaved a long throw to Snead for 51 yards down to Saskatchewan’s 24-yard line before Patterson fumbled the ball after being hit by Campbell a few plays later as the Alouettes were looking to punch it into the end zone.

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The loose ball was scooped up by Sayles in the end zone as Saskatchewan’s offence got the ball back with 2:58 left up by eight points.

After a first-down run by Ouellette, Harris hit Meyers for 20 yards, however Ouellette took a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on the play which pushed the Riders back before Saskatchewan punted it away, giving Montreal 58 seconds to put a drive together.

On the first play of the drive, Alexander scrambled for a three-yard gain before dumping it off to Alexander Hollins, who was short of the first down. On third down, Alexander found Snead for a first down with 32 seconds left to give Montreal hope from their 43-yard line.

After an incompletion while he was pressured on first down, Alexander missed Philpot for what would have been a large gain on second down.

With 16 seconds left, Alexander completed a first down to Scott giving Montreal one final chance for a touchdown from midfield with six seconds left.

Alexander heaved it to the end zone but his pass fell incomplete as the Roughriders secured the win.

tshire@postmedia.com

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