By Canadian Press

Alouettes survive late push from Roughriders, win battle of CFL’s top teams 27-24

Aug 16, 2024 | 10:42 PM

REGINA — The Montreal Alouettes defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 27-24 on Friday night in a battle of the CFL’s top two teams.

In a game that featured six lead changes, the East-leading Alouettes improved to 9-1-0 while the Riders — who sit atop the West — dropped to 5-4-1.

Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander connected on 22 of 33 passing attempts for 285 yards, including a touchdown, and rushed another major over the line.

Trevor Harris made good on 31 of 39 passes for Saskatchewan, registering 355 passing yards with two TDs.

The Riders went up 24-21 midway through the fourth quarter when Mitchell Picton hauled in a 33-yard pass from Harris for a touchdown.

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The Alouettes responded with a game-winning drive with less than two minutes on the clock, then held on for the victory.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Als moved to the Riders’ 35-yard line following a 40-yard pass interference penalty against Saskatchewan cornerback Marcus Sayles. Five plays, later Alexander scrambled 15 yards for the winning touchdown. It appeared the QB may have stepped out of bounds at the seven-yard line but a review by the CFL Command Centre confirmed the touchdown would stand.

Montreal’s lead remained at 27-24 after Jose Moltos hit the upright with the convert attempt.

Saskatchewan kicker Brett Lauther had a chance to tie the score on the final play of regulation but missed a 48-yard field goal.

The miss capped a brutal night for Lauther, who missed four field goals, including one that cost his team dearly.

Four minutes into the fourth, Lauther’s third miss was returned 128 yards for a touchdown by James Letcher Jr. The play gave the Alouettes a 20-17 lead, which they increased to 21-17 when the ensuing kickoff by Maltos went for a single.

Lauther entered the game 22 of 28 on field goal attempts. He made field goals of 13, 33 and 42 yards, but the three misses hurt Saskatchewan’s attempt to hand Montreal its second loss of the regular season.

Playing in his first game since suffering a knee injury on June 23, Harris got off to a good start, leading the Riders into the red zone on four drives in the first 20 minutes of the game.

Saskatchewan only managed to put up seven points from those four drives with a single on a missed 30-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter and field goals from 13 and 33 yards in the second.

The Alouettes got their offence into gear midway through the second with a couple of big gains leading to 10 points.

Montreal tied the game at 7-7 with 3:33 left in the half on a five-yard touchdown pass from Alexander to Walter Fletcher. The major was set up by a 46-yard reception from Cole Spieker.

Late in the quarter, Charleston Rambo took a short pass and turned it into a 30-yard gain, leading to a 40-yard field goal by Maltos on the last play of the half.

Lauther tied the game at 10-10 with a 42-yard field goal five minutes into the third quarter.

The Riders then took a 17-10 lead on KeeSean Johnson’s five-yard touchdown reception. Saskatchewan’s drive started when the Alouettes were stopped on a third-and-two gamble at midfield.

UP NEXT:

Roughriders: Visit the Toronto Argonauts (5-4-0) on Thursday.

Alouettes: Host the Edmonton Elks (2-7-0) on Sunday, August 25.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2024.

Jeff DeDekker, The Canadian Press