(Edmonton) Trevor Harris rushed for 358 yards and threw two touchdown passes as the Saskatchewan Roughriders secured their spot in the Canadian Football League playoffs with a 28-24 victory against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday.
The Roughriders (8-7-1) recorded their third straight victory and will participate in the playoffs after being excluded the previous two seasons.
The Roughriders recorded their seventh straight victory at Commonwealth Stadium, a streak that began in 2019.
For their part, the Elks (5-11-0) suffered a third loss in a row. However, they still have slim chances of making the playoffs thanks to the crossover rule, following the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ 31-10 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday.
The Elks were the only ones to get on the scoreboard in the first quarter, following a single on a punt.
They added a touchdown at 4:21 of the second quarter when quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson handed the ball to running back Javon Leake on a third down from the one-yard line. Leake ran past blockers into the end zone.
PHOTO JASON FRANSON, THE CANADIAN PRESS
McLeod Bethel-Thompson (10)
The Roughriders responded with aplomb just 37 seconds later when Harris connected with Samuel Emilus on a long pass that resulted in an 88-yard touchdown.
The Roughriders added a two-point conversion on a pass to Dhel Duncan-Busby to tie the score.
The Elks regained the lead with just under three minutes remaining in the first half on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Bethel-Thompson to Dillon Mitchell.
The Roughriders responded again with 55 seconds left in the first half when backup quarterback Shea Patterson dove into the end zone from the two-yard line.
PHOTO JASON FRANSON, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Shea Patterson (left)
A bizarre play helped the Roughriders take the lead on the final play of the first half when Elks wide receiver Eugene Lewis appeared to push the ball into the hands of linebacker Adam Auclair, who was credited with an interception. Brett Lauther followed up with a 50-yard precision kick.
Another interception, this one by Rolan Milligan Jr. early in the third quarter, led to Lauther’s 13-yard field goal.
The Elks tied the score midway through the third quarter when Bethel-Thompson completed a 10-yard pass to Lewis for a touchdown. However, the attempted conversion failed, with the ball hitting one of the vertical posts.
The Roughriders regained the lead with four minutes left in the third quarter on Harris’ 28-yard touchdown pass to KeeSean Johnson, who won an aerial battle to grab the ball at the one-yard line.
PHOTO JASON FRANSON, THE CANADIAN PRESS
KeeSean Johnson (3)
The Elks reduced the gap on a 36-yard field goal from Boris Bede with six minutes to play.
The Elks threatened late in the game, but Amari Henderson forced a fumble and teammate CJ Reavis recovered the ball to secure the victory for the Roughriders.