The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-4) took on the Ottawa Redblacks (0-9) on Friday night at Princess Auto Stadium in their second and final meeting of the season. Zach Collaros returned as the starting quarterback for Winnipeg after missing a few games with a neck injury.
Ottawa got the ball to start the first quarter at the 30-yard line. Quarterback Jake Maier threw five passes for 37 yards, while Greg Bell rushed for four yards, and a penalty by Winnipeg moved the ball to the 39-yard line. On the next play, Maier threw the ball to Cade McDonald, who struggled to make the catch before it was intercepted by David Reese for a nine-yard return to the 51-yard line. Winnipeg went two-and-out.
When Ottawa got the ball back on the 38-yard line, their offense went up to the 29-yard line. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 37-yard field goal to give the Redblacks a 3-0 lead heading into the second quarter. Ottawa’s offense had 93 yards, while Winnipeg had 30 yards. Winnipeg went 1 for 3 on second-down conversions, while Ottawa went 5 for 7.
In the second quarter, Winnipeg moved the ball to the two-yard line, where Bryce Perkins scored the touchdown. The Blue Bombers took a 7-3 lead with 13:05 left on a five-play drive for 43 yards. Ottawa got the ball on the 34-yard line. Jake Maier threw three passes for 61 yards, including a 32-yarder to Jevoni Robinson, while Daniel Adeboboye rushed for six yards to the nine-yard line. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 17-yard field goal. The Redblacks trailed the Blue Bombers 7-6 with 9:23 left.
Ottawa’s defense brought pressure, resulting in Lucas Cormier sacking Zach Collaros for a seven-yard loss at the 28-yard line. Collaros hurt his back and left the game. Dru Brown came in to be the quarterback. Brown threw a 17-yard pass to Brady Oliveira, and Oliveira had two carries for 19 yards to the 40-yard line. Zach Collaros came back in the game. He threw a three-yard pass to Tim White before kicker Sergio Castillo made a 46-yard field goal for a 10-6 lead with 4:43 left.
Late in the second quarter, Winnipeg moved the ball to the five-yard line before Brady Oliveira scored the touchdown for a 17-6 lead with 43 seconds left on a 10-play drive for 84 yards. Ottawa quickly responded when returner Kalil Pimpleton gave the Redblacks great field position after a 75-yard kick return to the 12-yard line.
Jake Maier quickly found a wide-open Greg Bell for the touchdown. Ottawa attempted a two-point conversion, but did not get it. It was now 17-12 with 27 seconds left. Winnipeg quarterback Zack Collaros threw three passes for 31 yards to the 48-yard line. Kicker Sergio Castillo made a 56-yard field goal. The Blue Bombers led the Redblacks 20-12 at halftime.
Winnipeg’s offense had 198 yards. Zach Collaros went 12 of 16 for 112 yards, and one carry for nine yards. Running back Brady Oliveira had six carries for 61 yards, one rushing touchdown, and six catches for 71 yards. Wide receiver Nic Demski made three catches for 33 yards, and Tim White made four catches for 30 yards.
Ottawa’s offense had 174 yards. Jake Maier went 14 of 18 for 149 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Running back Greg Bell had four carries for 15 yards, two catches for 20 yards, and one touchdown. Wide receiver Keelan White made three catches for 47 yards, and Kalil Pimpleton made three catches for 23 yards.
Winnipeg got the ball to start the third quarter at the 55-yard line. Both offenses struggled with several two-and-outs. Winnipeg had a chance to add another touchdown, but Collaros’s pass went off the hands of Ontaria Wilson in the endzone. Kicker Sergio Castillo made a 31-yard field goal for a 23-12 lead with nine minutes left. Late in the third quarter, Ottawa had the ball on the 46-yard line. Jake Maier threw one pass for Kalil Pimpleton for four yards. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 51-yard field goal. The Redblacks trailed the Blue Bombers 23-15 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Winnipeg kicker Sergio Castillo made a 43-yard field goal for a 26-15 lead with 11:14 left. Late in the game, Ottawa had the ball on the 32-yard line. Jake Maier threw three passes for 49 yards, including a 41-yarder to Cade McDonald, plus a couple of penalties by Winnipeg moved the ball to the four-yard line. Then, Maier threw a touchdown pass to Ayden Eberhardt. They went for a two-point conversion, but did not get it. It was now 26-21 with 3:48 left on an eight-play drive for 78 yards.
Winnipeg returner Trey Vaval returned a 72-yard kickoff for 50 yards to the 47-yard line. Brady Oliviera rushed for four yards, while Zach Collaros threw two passes for 41 yards, and a defensive pass interference penalty on Ottawa moved the ball to the two-yard line. Bryce Perkins came in and scored the touchdown for a 33-21 lead with 2:29 left on a four-play drive for 62 yards.
The Redblacks had the ball on the 34-yard line. Jake Maier threw five passes for 70 yards to the six-yard line. However, two plays later, Winnipeg brought pressure, and Maier threw it away, resulting in an intentional grounding penalty, backing them to the 16-yard line. On third down, Maier threw the ball intended for Ayden Eberhardt, but Winnipeg’s defenders broke up the play to end the game.
The Blue Bombers snapped a two-game losing streak in a 33-21 win over the Redblacks. Ottawa has now lost 15-straight games. Their last win came on September 5, 2025, against the B.C. Lions. They are one loss away from tying the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who lost 16 straight from 1948-49. The Ottawa Senators/Rough Riders hold the record with a 25-game losing streak from 1928 to 1932.
Winnipeg’s offense had 305 yards (249 passing yards, 94 rushing yards, 38 yards lost), 23 first downs, 3 for 3 in the redzone, and the team was penalized five times for 35 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 21 of 31 passes (67.7%) for 222 yards, and one carry for nine yards.
Running back Brady Oliveira had 11 carries for 74 yards, one rushing touchdown, and eight catches for 80 yards, while Bryce Perkins completed one pass for 10 yards, four carries for 11 yards, and two rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Tim White made eight catches for 85 yards, and Nic Demski made six catches for 79 yards. The defense made 35 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one interception.
Ottawa’s offense had 333 yards (314 passing yards, 27 rushing yards, 8 yards lost), 19 first downs, 2 for 4 in the redzone, and the team was penalized four times for 21 yards. Quarterback Jake Maier completed 28 of 43 passes (65.1%) for 314 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Running back Greg Bell had six carries for 17 yards, three catches for 24 yards, and one touchdown.
Wide receiver Keelan White made six catches for 79 yards, while Kalil Pimpleton made six catches for 61 yards, and Ayden Eberhardt made six catches for 40 yards and one touchdown. The defense made 41 tackles, one tackle for loss, and four sacks.
Next Thursday, the Ottawa Redblacks visit the Montreal Alouettes at 7:30 pm on TSN, CFL+, and CBS Sports Network, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Edmonton Elks on Friday at 9:30 pm on TSN, CFL+, and CBS Sports Network.
