Roughriders end 12-year drought, beat Alouettes for 5th Grey Cup title

The Saskatchewan Roughriders ended a 12-year championship drought by defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25–17 in the Grey Cup on Sunday night in Winnipeg, securing the franchise’s fifth title. Shea Patterson scored twice on the ground, while AJ Ouellette added another rushing touchdown to lead the offence. Roughriders also won Canadian Football League championships in 1966, 1989, 2007 and 2013 while Alouettes won the last of its eight titles in 2023.


It was quite an exciting game toward the closing stages as Roughriders defender Tevaughn Campbell jarred the ball loose from Montreal backup quarterback Shea Patterson at the goal line, and Marcus Sayles secured the fumble in the end zone with 3:05 remaining.


Quarterback Trevor Harris captured his third CFL championship - and his first as a starting quarterback - earning MVP honors for his poised performance. The victory marks Saskatchewan’s first Grey Cup appearance since their 2013 triumph in Regina and brings a long-awaited championship back to Rider Nation.


Harris was nearly flawless for Roughriders, completing 23 of 27 passes for 302 yards and earning Grey Cup MVP honors at age 39. Samuel Emilus hauled in 10 receptions for 108 yards, Ouellette added 83 rushing yards and a touchdown, and backup quarterback Tommy Stevens punched in two 1-yard scores.


Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander, undefeated in his first 13 starts, suffered his first loss while battling a hamstring injury and throwing three interceptions. Saskatchewan surged ahead 25-7 in the third quarter on Stevens’ second TD and Brett Lauther’s 48-yard field goal.


Stevie Scott III replied with an 11-yard score, and Jose Carlos Maltos added a field goal to cut the deficit to 25-17, but Montreal couldn’t complete the comeback. Earlier, the Alouettes led 7-1 after Shea Patterson’s 1-yard run before Stevens and Ouellette powered Saskatchewan ahead in the second quarter.