Riders cash in on Argo miscues to post 28-24 win

A sold-out crowd of 33,350 fans at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium witnessed the Saskatchewan Roughriders secure a hard-fought 28-24 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, ending any hopes of a Toronto sweep in the 2026 CFL season. The game, marked by missed opportunities and key penalties, showcased the resilience of both teams, though the Roughriders capitalized on critical errors by the Argonauts to claim the win. The contest began with both sides trading short touchdown passes, setting the tone for a tightly contested affair. In the second quarter, Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly connected with Damonte Coxie for a 58-yard pass, leading to a second touchdown catch by Tyler Kahmann, putting the Argonauts ahead 13-7. However, the Argos struggled to maintain control of the momentum, particularly due to botched conversions that cost them crucial points. One pivotal moment came when receiver David Ungerer was caught on the wrong sideline, triggering an illegal substitution penalty. This forced the Argonauts to move their extra point kick back 10 yards, resulting in a missed kick that left them with only a single point instead of two. Later in the game, another costly error occurred when kicker Brady Lidster’s kick was blocked by Mike Rose and returned 79 yards by Marcus Sayles, giving the Roughriders additional points. Despite these setbacks, Argos head coach Mike Miller refused to place the blame solely on his special teams unit. He acknowledged that while the mistakes altered the game’s appearance, they did not define its outcome. “We had opportunities to overcome those issues, but we weren’t able to,” Miller stated. Chad Kelly, who completed 28 of 38 passes for 416 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, admitted the loss stemmed from self-inflicted problems. He noted the team faced seven two-and-out situations, which he attributed to the pressure of facing a well-coached defense. “They have a good defensive line and they're very well coached,” Kelly said, adding that he sustained a broken toe during the game, which affected his performance. As the game entered its final moments, the Roughriders found themselves trailing 24-21 with less than three minutes remaining. A critical play emerged when Argo defensive end Tarvarus McFadden jumped offside, granting Saskatchewan a new set of downs. This led to a successful drive culminating in a two-yard touchdown run by Tommy Stevens, securing the 28-24 lead for the home team. For the Roughriders, quarterback Trevor Harris and receiver KeeSean Johnson regained their form, connecting 10 times for 146 yards and a touchdown. Harris credited his supporting cast for the success, highlighting contributions from Dhel Duncan-Busby, Shemar Bridges, and D’Sean Mimbs. “Everybody was kind of doing their part,” Harris said. Head coach Corey Mace emphasized the importance of this win in preventing a potential two-game losing streak from turning into a larger issue. He observed the team’s improved focus in the second half, noting that while they performed well in the first half, the ball simply didn’t fall their way in key situations. Looking ahead, the Argonauts will face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Monday, September 7, while the Roughriders will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, September 6. Both teams will aim to build on their respective performances as the regular season progresses.