Riders out-gallop Stamps in overtime thriller, win 40-37

“It’s going to be a roller-coaster ride. It’s full of ups and downs. It’s all about riding those waves and never getting too high in those high moments and never getting too low in those low moments. It’s just staying even keel the whole time.”

Head coach Corey Mace called it a character win for the team.

“I don’t even need to watch the film. There were multiple opportunities we could have put the team away. We did not do that but this is the kind of stuff early in the season — people may have questions about how many new guys we play with. This is a team and they stuck together,” Mace said.

“Call me crazy but I will take this kind of win today for this team moving forward.”

Schaffer-Baker hauled in two touchdown passes in the first half of the game to go along with four catches for 74 yards. He finished the game with 130 yards and was one yard away from scoring his third touchdown in overtime.

“As long as we get the win, I don’t care how the game goes as long as we finish with the dub,” Schaffer-Baker said.

“The goal every single week is to go 1-0 and that’s what we did.”

Calgary was the only team the Riders didn’t beat last season, with the Stamps winning both games against the Riders.

“One thing we picked up really big on is that Calgary really wanted to play us. They have been wishing and hoping for this moment. They said they wanted to play us in the final last year but be careful what you wish for because you don’t want to see that Roughrider green on the other side,” Schaffer-Baker said.

Saskatchewan appeared poised to get out to an even bigger lead at the end of the first half after a strong wind hung up a kickoff by the Riders, which allowed Kerfalla Exume to recover the ball in Calgary territory with just 13 seconds left.

But after a single play, the Riders sent out kicker Alex Hale to try a 47-yard field goal. He would be wide, and Calgary returner Tyreik McAllister returned it 120 yards for a touchdown to end the half, cutting the lead to 23-14.

“I thought we got that lucky bounce and we were kicking into the wind which was a bit of a problem, obviously,” Mace said.

“I thought we had enough time to push it down the field to get us within striking range. We put our hawk-eye field goal team out there so you’re not sending a bunch of O-linemen out there to cover the kick but some of our linebacker types.

“We trusted Alex’s leg there —he had enough power — it was tough. You didn’t expect a long return there but that’s ball sometimes. It happens.”

Quarterback Trevor Harris explains what the message was to the group following that.

“I came in and just said, ‘Hey, send a message the first drive this half that we’re the team that should be up what we were plus some.’ We kind of bailed them out — I fumbled inside our own 20 (yard line) and then they had the kick return for a touchdown,” Harris said.

“We gifted them 14 points so it shouldn’t have been that close. We have to be able to stay on the gas, but just glad we were able to come out with a win.

“It’s tough to win in this league.”

The fourth quarter also didn’t see the Riders execute like they did the rest of the game, being held scoreless in the frame while Calgary put up 14 points.

“We know we need it and that’s a bad habit to get into, is we get it when we need it. We have to be better on first down and convert second downs in that fourth quarter,” Harris said.

“I thought we played really, really well through those first three quarters.”

Harris finished the game with 349 yards and three touchdown passes as KeeSean Johnson caught the other scoring pass — his first of the season.

Running back A.J. Ouellette was forced to leave the game with what appeared to be a leg injury. He finished with 84 yards. Thomas Bertrand-Hudon came into the game for him and finished with seven carries for 30 yards.

Mace did not have injury updates on Ouellette or defensive back Juju Hughes, who also left the game. Coming in for him was rookie defensive back Malcom Bell.

Hale has now missed two field goals and a convert kick in the first two weeks of the season. Mace said he still believes in the CFL rookie.

“I have all the confidence in the world with the kid. He’s dialling in and we get good practice in the wind back home. Nothing but confidence in him. The poor kid — I hope we get a game where there’s not 30+ (kilometres per hour) winds for the guy,” Mace said.

James Vaughters recorded a sack in the game. The defensive end now has one in both games this season.

Calgary took 10 penalties for 100 yards in the game, with two coming on the team’s second drive of overtime. The offensive pass interference call and a holding call ultimately led to the possession sputtering and settling for the field goal.

Sam Emilus, who had three touchdowns last week, had 90 yards on four catches.

Adams Jr. finished the game with 254 yards and a touchdown in the game. Rusher Dedrick Mills, who was the 2025 CFL rushing leader, had 103 yards on the ground.

Saskatchewan (2-0) will take on the Toronto Argonauts (1-1) on Friday at Mosaic Stadium.

by Britton Gray - CJME News

Riders out-gallop Stamps in overtime thriller, win 40-37

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