Roughriders clinch playoff berth with comeback win
Rob Vanstone
The first 58½ minutes did not portend perfection.
But there it was, in the form of a picturesque 17-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Harris to KeeSean Johnson — a connection that powered the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 16-12 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.
The classic pass from Harris settled into Johnson’s hands with 29 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. So concluded a seven-play, 74-yard march that enabled Saskatchewan (9-8) to snap a four-game losing streak and clinch a CFL playoff berth.
"We were at our best when our best was required,” Harris said.
On the play that preceded the payoff pitch, Harris scrambled for 22 yards. It was his longest run since he took off for 26 yards for Montreal in 2022.
“T-Mobile, right?” joked Harris, who finished with a team-high 36 yards on three carries.
“I was looking for an oxygen tank right after it.”
The Roughriders could not breathe easily until Montreal’s final possession ended on its 48-yard line with time expired.
Saskatchewan did not enjoy a lead until Johnson scored. Montreal was ahead from 3:44 of the fourth quarter until a trademark touch pass by Harris found Johnson in stride on the right side of the end zone.
“Trevor was able to see what the coverage was,” Johnson said. “He knew that he could squeeze the ball in there and make a great throw. Once he made a great throw, I had to make a catch. That’s the routine. We do it at practise.
“That’s our game — just trusting each other.”
Johnson made another integral contribution on the Roughriders’ final drive, connecting with Harris for 12 yards on third-and-10 with one minute left.
“Coach (Marc) Mueller made the call to put me in position to make that play,” Johnson said. “I had to go out there and execute.
“The line blocked and Trevor threw a great ball. That’s what we do. T, foleam play.”
Now, which team will the Riders play to begin the post-season?
With one week remaining in the regular season, Saskatchewan can finish third or fourth in the West Division.
A third-place finish would result in a trip to Vancouver for a first-round matchup with the second-seeded B.C. Lions.
If the Roughriders occupy fourth spot in the division, they will cross over into the East and oppose the host Toronto Argonauts.
Next Saturday's home game against the Edmonton Elks, who have clinched first place in the West, will determine the Roughriders' playoff path. Saskatchewan will finish third in the West if it wins and fourth if it loses.
“We’ve got some things to clean up but, with the fact that we get to the second season, I like our chances,” said Harris, the reigning Grey Cup MVP.
Montreal opened the scoring with a 57-yard Joseph Zema punt single at 3:44 of the first quarter before 28,611 spectators.
Montreal went up 8-0 when Jose Maltos Diaz converted a 37-yard touchdown pass from Dustin Crum with 21 seconds left in the first quarter.
Saskatchewan got on the board when Brett Lauther kicked a 52-yard field goal at 5:50 of the second quarter.
Maltos Diaz concluded the first-half scoring with a 25-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter.
Lauther’s 31-yard field goal — his 300th three-pointer as a Roughrider — narrowed the gap to 11-6 at 8:04 of the third quarter.
Zema’s 59-yard punt single made it 12-6 at 2:56 of the fourth quarter.
Lauther closed the gap to 12-9 with a 48-yard field goal at 5:12.
After a failed third-and-one gamble with 2:56 left, Saskatchewan’s Mathew Sexton — on his 29th birthday — returned a missed field goal 46 yards. Saskatchewan scrimmaged the ball on its 36-yard line with 1:31 remaining.
Seven plays and 74 yards later … touchdown.
“That last piece of the game was just like, ‘Ahhh, this is familiar,’ ” Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said. “We love that. Let’s do that more.”
TREVOR’S TOTALS
Harris moved up the CFL’s all-time list in two categories on Saturday.
He is now seventh all-time in completions (3,528) after passing Bo Levi Mitchell (3,508).
Shortly thereafter, Harris moved past Tracy Ham (4,943) and into 10th place on the career passing attempts list. Harris finished the game with 4,974.
As well, Harris moved past Frank Tripucka and into fourth place on the Roughriders’ career passing-yardage list. Harris finished Saturday’s game with 14,455 yards — 68 more than Tripucka.
With 32 TD passes, Harris is second only to Kent Austin when it comes to production by a Roughrider in a single season. Austin threw for 35 scores in 1992.
With 431 completions, Harris is 28 behind the team record Austin established in 1992.
Harris leads the league in passing yards (5,368) with one week remaining in the regular season.
EXTRA POINTS
• Johnson finished the game with a season total of 108 catches — the second-highest total in franchise history. Don Narcisse had 123 receptions in 1995. On Saturday, Johnson leapfrogged three players who had 102-catch seasons (Joey Walters, 1982; Craig Ellis, 1985; Curtis Marsh, 2000).
• Saturday’s contest was witnessed by four members of the Grey Cup-winning 1966 Roughriders team — Don Bahnuik, Ron Cobbledick, Alan Ford and Ed McQuarters.
• With nine defensive tackles, Roughriders middle linebacker Jameer Thurman increased his 2026 season total to a career-high 99. Thurman added a sack. He is poised to post the 13th season of 100-plus tackles by a Rider.
• Kian Schaffer-Baker surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time. He has 67 catches for 1,006 yards in 11 games this season.
• Aubrey Miller Jr. had a sack for the second game in a row. He added nine defensive tackles (one for a loss), giving him 17 stops over the past two games.
• Saskatchewan was penalized only once for five yards. Those were the Roughriders' lowest totals since Sept. 29, 2023, when the team was not flagged in B.C.
• Lauther has hit a field goal of 50-plus yards in back-to-back games. He moved into 21st place on the CFL's all-time scoring list, increasing his total to 1,280.
• Melique Straker had two special teams tackles to increase his season total to 21 — third-best in the league.