Harris throws for three touchdowns, Saskatchewan Roughriders thump B.C. Lions 33-27

CTV News

5 days ago

Saskatchewan Roughriders' AJ Ouellette, left, carries the ball during the second half of a CFL football game against the B.C. Lions, in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A dominant performance from quarterback Trevor Harris powered the Saskatchewan Roughriders to 33-27 victory over the B.C. Lions on Saturday.
Harris connected on 23 of his 30 passing attempts for 395 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the West Division matchup.
Kicker Brett Lauther added four field goals for the Riders (5-1), including a 45-yard strike in the first quarter.
There was bad news for Saskatchewan, too, as running back Ka'Deem Carey left the game midway through the third quarter with an apparent leg injury and did not return.
Nathan Rourke chalked up 337 passing yards with three TDs for the Lions (3-4). The Canadian QB made good on 27 of his 41 attempts, had one interception and was sacked once.
The Riders had 506 yards of net offence across the game, compared to 373 yards for the Lions.
Saskatchewan struck early on Saturday, with Harris lobbing a rainbow to Dohnte Meyers deep inside Lions' territory less than five minutes into the game. The American receiver nabbed the ball and darted into the end zone for Saskatchewan's first major of the night.
B.C.'s troubles deepened on the next play when Seven McGee fumbled the kickoff return and Riders linebacker Jayden Dalke recovered it at the home side's 38-yard line.
Lauther capitalized on the turnover with a 45-yard field goal that boosted Saskatchewan's lead to 10-0 midway through the opening frame.
The offensive onslaught continued with Harris sailing a 29-yard pass to Joe Robustelli to put the visitors back in scoring position late in the quarter. The quarterback followed up with a short dish to A.J. Ouellette, who dashed five yards into the end zone. Lauther made the convert and the Riders went up 17-1.
B.C.'s offence finally found its footing with just seconds to go in the first.
Rourke escaped the pocket and fired a 40-yard pass to Ayden Eberhardt, who stepped over the goal line for the Lions' first TD of the night.
The two sides traded field goals in the second quarter, with Lauther connecting on 27- and 41-yard attempts and B.C. kicker Sean Whyte sending a 47-yard kick through the uprights. Saskatchewan headed into the locker room up 23-11.
The Riders picked up right where they left off out of the break.
Less than four minutes into the third quarter, Harris found Meyers deep in the red zone for a 30-yard touchdown.
Saskatchewan's biggest problem of the game came midway through the third when Carey was taken down by Lions linebacker Micah Awe, in a play that left the running back writhing on the turf in obvious discomfort. He was eventually helped off the field by two trainers, putting no weight on his right leg.
B.C. got a spark late in the quarter when Eberhardt reeled in a 39-yard pass from Rourke.
The Lions capped the drive with a gutsy play, going for pay dirt on third down where Rourke sent a rocket soaring to Stanley Berryhill III deep in the end zone.
The home side then attempted a two-point convert, a move that paid off when the QB spun off a tackle and connected once again with Berryhill on a three-yard toss that cut Saskatchewan's lead to 33-19.
Any faint hope of a late Lions comeback was quashed with just under three minutes on the game clock when Rourke's long bomb to Eberhardt ticked off the fingers of a Riders defender and was intercepted by Marcus Sayles.
With 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter, B.C. added one last major with Rourke handing off to Eberhardt and the receiver rushing in for his second TD of the night. Running back James Butler muscled his way through traffic for a two-point conversion that sealed the score at 33-27.