The Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-6) and the Montreal Alouettes (10-8) played the 112th Grey Cup game on Sunday night from Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Roughriders were making their first Grey Cup appearance in 12 years, while the Alouettes returned to the Grey Cup for the first time in two years. Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander came into this game 13-0 as a starter (including playoffs). His undefeated streak would come to an end on this night.
First Quarter:
Montreal wide receiver Tyson Philpot returned a 62-yard kickoff for 23 yards to the 41-yard line. Running back Stevie Scott III started the drive with a nine-yard run, followed by third-string quarterback Shea Patterson’s two-yard run to the 52-yard line.
On the next play, Davis Alexander’s pass intended for Tyson Philpot was underthrown and intercepted by Marcus Sayles. He returned it for 25 yards to the 38-yard line with 13:15 left.
Saskatchewan running back A.J. Ouellette rushed for 10 yards to the 48-yard line. Third-string quarterback Tommy Stevens rushed for three yards, and Trevor Harris completed a six-yard pass to Tommy Nield.
On the next play, Harris’s pass intended for A.J. Ouellette was dropped by Montreal linebacker Kabion Ento in what would’ve been a pick-six touchdown. Instead, Saskatchewan punter Jesse Mirco punted the ball 69 yards into the end zone and out of bounds for a single point. The Roughriders took a 1-0 lead with 10:15 left.
Two plays into Montreal’s next drive, wide receiver Tyson Philpot raised his left arm up in the air for Davis Alexander to see, and he would make the catch for 37 yards to the 16-yard line. Philpot would catch an 11-yard pass to the five-yard line. Stevie Scott III and Shea Patterson moved the ball to the one-yard line. Then, Shea Patterson scored the touchdown with a quarterback sneak. The Alouettes took a 7-1 lead with 53 seconds left to cap off a six-play drive for 54 yards.
Saskatchewan’s offense had the ball for the rest of the first quarter on the 37-yard line. Quarterback Trevor Harris threw two passes for 34 yards, including a 29-yarder to Dohnte Meyers to the 39-yard line. The Roughriders trailed the Alouettes 7-1 to end the first quarter.
Montreal’s offense had 81 yards (60 yards passing, 21 yards rushing), and Saskatchewan’s offense had 65 yards (45 yards passing, 20 yards rushing).
Second Quarter:
In the second quarter, running back A.J. Ouellette had two carries for eight yards, and Trevor Harris threw two passes for 27 yards to the four-yard line. On third down, Trevor Harris’s pass intended for Dohnte Meyers was broken up by Montreal linebacker Kabion Ento. However, Saskatchewan challenged for defensive pass interference on Ento and won.
Third-string quarterback Tommy Stevens came in and scored a one-yard touchdown with a quarterback sneak. The Roughriders took an 8-7 lead with 11:44 left to cap off an eight-play drive for 73 yards.
After Montreal’s offense went two-and-out, Saskatchewan had the ball on the 18-yard line. A.J. Ouellette had two carries for 14 yards and later caught a pass for 32 yards to the 18-yard line. Ouellette would get another carry for six yards, but the Roughriders were called for a holding penalty.
Trevor Harris completed two passes for 19 yards, and Tommy Stevens rushed for four yards to the four-yard line. On the next play, Harris handed the ball off to Ouellette, who made a jump cut to his right side to score the touchdown. The Roughriders extended their lead to 15-7 with 2:38 left to cap off an 11-play drive for 92 yards.
For the rest of the second quarter, it was a defense battle. With two seconds left, Davis Alexander scrambled to the right side before throwing a long pass into the end zone, but it was intercepted by Rolan Milligan Jr. on the four-yard line to end the second quarter. The Roughriders led the Alouettes 15-7 at halftime.
First Half Stats:
Saskatchewan’s offense had 218 yards (155 yards passing, 63 yards rushing), 13 first downs, 2 for 2 in the red zone, and the team was penalized one time for 10 yards. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 13 of 16 passes (81.2%) for 155 yards.
Running back A.J. Ouellette had nine carries for 54 yards, one rushing touchdown, and one catch for 32 yards. Third-string quarterback Tommy Stevens had three carries for nine yards and one rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Samuel Emilus made six catches for 56 yards, while Dohnte Meyers made two catches for 33 yards. The defense made one tackle for loss and two interceptions.
Montreal’s offense had 141 yards (97 yards passing, 44 yards rushing), 9 first downs, 1 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized one time for three yards. Quarterback Davis Alexander completed 9 of 14 passes (64.2%) for 97 yards, two interceptions, and one carry for 10 yards.
Running back Stevie Scott III had six carries for 30 yards and two catches for 14 yards. Wide receiver Tyson Philpot made two catches for 48 yards, while Cole Spieker made three catches for 24 yards.
Third Quarter:
Saskatchewan returner Mario Alford returned a 56-yard kickoff for 38 yards to the 48-yard line. Running back A.J. Ouellette started the drive with a five-yard run to the 43-yard line. Next, Trevor Harris threw two passes for 42 yards, including a 34-yarder to Tommy Nield to the one-yard line. Tommy Steven came in and scored the touchdown for a 22-7 lead with 11:59 left to cap off a four-play drive for 48 yards.
Later, Montreal’s offense had the ball on the 15-yard line. Davis Alexander completed a 24-yard pass to Charleston Rambo. Two plays later, Alexander’s pass intended for Tyson Philpot was intercepted by Tevaughn Campbell on the 54-yard line with 6:30 left.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris threw two passes for 17 yards to the 39-yard line. After a procedure penalty on Saskatchewan that backed them up five yards, Harris completed a four-yard pass to Samuel Emilus to the 40-yard line. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 48-yard field goal for a 25-7 lead with 3:59 left.
Late in the third quarter, Montreal running back Stevie Scott III rushed for 11 yards to the 51-yard line. Quarterback Davis Alexander threw two passes for 35 yards, and Travis Theis rushed for five yards to the 19-yard line. Two plays later, Saskatchewan’s defense was called for a defensive pass interference penalty, and the ball was placed on the 11-yard line.
On the next play, Montreal running back Stevie Scott III bulldozed his way into the end zone. The Alouettes trailed the Roughriders 25-14 with no time left in the third quarter to cap off an eight-play drive for 70 yards.
Fourth Quarter:
Saskatchewan’s offense went two-and-out, and Montreal had the ball on the 53-yard line. Running back Stevie Scott III rushed for five yards to the 52-yard line. Later in the drive, Saskatchewan got called for a roughing the passer penalty, and the ball was placed on the 11-yard line. Montreal’s drive stalled, and kicker Jose Maltos Diaz made a 23-yard field goal. The Alouettes trailed the Roughriders 25-17 with 7:52 left.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris threw a 31-yard pass to Samuel Emilus to the 39-yard line. A.J. Ouellette rushed for four yards, and Harris threw a four-yard pass to Ajou Ajou to the 31-yard line. Kicker Brett Lauther attempted a 39-yard field goal, but he missed it wide right. Montreal returner Travis Theis returned it out for 35 yards to the 19-yard line with 6:48 left.
Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander threw two passes for 66 yards, including a 51-yarder to Tyler Snead to the 24-yard line. Running back Stevie Scott III rushed for 13 yards, and Travis Theis caught an eight-yard pass to the three-yard line. On the next play, Saskatchewan defensive back Tevaughn Campbell knocked the ball out of Shea Patterson’s arm, and Marcus Sayles recovered it on the one-yard line with 3:05 left.
Saskatchewan’s offense moved the ball to the 54-yard line before the drive stalled. Montreal’s offense got the ball on the 23-yard line with 57 seconds left. Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander re-injured his left hamstring on a four-yard run to the 27-yard line. Next, he completed two passes for 21 yards to the 43-yard line.
Four plays later, Alexander scrambled out of the pocket before throwing a 13-yard pass to Stevie Scott III to the 54-yard line. On the final play of the game, Alexander threw a Hail Mary into the end zone, and Saskatchewan’s defense knocked the ball down.
The game was over, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 to win their fifth Grey Cup in franchise history, and the first in 12 years since 2013. Saskatchewan wide receiver Samuel Emilus was named the Grey Cup Most Outstanding Canadian, and quarterback Trevor Harris was named the Grey Cup MVP.
Final Stats:
Saskatchewan’s offense had 395 yards (302 yards passing, 93 yards rushing), 21 first downs, 3 for 3 in the red zone, and the team was penalized seven times for 72 yards. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 23 of 27 passes (85.2%) for 302 yards. His completion percentage is a new Grey Cup record set by Toronto Argonauts quarterback Doug Flutie (78.9%) in 1997.
Running back A.J. Ouellette had 17 carries for 83 yards, one rushing touchdown, and one catch for 32 yards. Third-string quarterback Tommy Stevens had four carries for 10 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Wide receiver Samuel Emilus made 10 catches for 108 yards, while Dohnte Meyers made four catches for 76 yards. Emilus’s 10 catches set a Saskatchewan Grey Cup record. The defense made 42 tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Montreal’s offense had 389 yards (284 yards passing, 105 yards rushing), 24 first downs, 2 for 4 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for eight yards. Quarterback Davis Alexander completed 22 of 34 passes (64.7%) for 284 yards, three interceptions, and two carries for 14 yards.
Running back Stevie Scott III had 15 carries for 78 yards, one rushing touchdown, and three catches for 27 yards. Wide receiver Tyson Philpot made five catches for 87 yards, while Tyler Snead made three catches for 78 yards. The defense made 45 tackles.
