By Canadian Press

Blue Bombers pick Roughriders apart in one-sided Banjo Bowl

Sep 10, 2022 | 6:27 PM

WINNIPEG — Zach Collaros threw for four touchdowns as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers scored on their first eight possessions in a crushing 54-20 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday.

The Bombers, who didn’t punt until three minutes was left in the fourth quarter, put up a string of six touchdowns and a pair of field goals in front of a sold-out crowd of 33,234 fans at IG Field for the 18th edition of the Banjo Bowl.

Winnipeg (12-1) has clinched the three-game CFL season series with Saskatchewan (6-7) after beating the Riders 20-18 in last weekend’s Labour Day Classic. The third game is in Winnipeg on Sept. 30.

Collaros completed 21-of-25 pass attempts for 273 yards and no interceptions. He was replaced with Dru Brown with nine minutes left in the final quarter.

Brown threw his first CFL touchdown pass, an 11-yarder to Dalton Schoen with 42 seconds left in the game.

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Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo was 15-of-18 passing for 124 with no TDs and no picks. Jake Dolegala went in for Fajardo late in the fourth.

Bombers receiver Nic Demski caught TD passes of 16 and 18 yards. Rasheed Bailey hauled in a 34-yard TD reception and Brendan O’Leary-Orange recorded his first CFL TD with a 10-yard catch. Backup Bombers quarterback Dakota Prukop ran in for two TDs from three and one yard out.

Winnipeg kicker Marc Liegghio booted field goals from 45 and 23 yards, and made six of his seven convert attempts.

Saskatchewan receiver Mario Alford recorded a 92-yard kickoff return for a TD and Fajardo pushed in for a one-yard TD. Kicker Brett Lauther connected on field goals from 53 and 34 yards, and two converts.

An illness reportedly hit the visiting squad before game time. Saskatchewan backup quarterback Mason Fine, fullback James Tuck and defensive back Jeremy Clark were out of the lineup. Other players were on the sidelines but didn’t see action, including starting receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker and offensive lineman Josiah St. John.

Winnipeg led 6-0 after the first quarter, 27-10 at halftime and 37-20 after the third.

Demski scored his first touchdown on the game’s opening possession. Liegghio went wide right on the convert attempt to make it 6-0.

Winnipeg got to Saskatchewan’s three-yard line as time expired on the first quarter.

The time of possession in the opening quarter was a lopsided 13 minutes and two seconds for the Bombers and one minutes and 58 seconds for the Roughriders.

Prukop scored 17 seconds into the second quarter for the 13-0 lead.

The Roughriders reached Winnipeg’s one-yard line with the help of a Winnipeg pass-interference penalty, leading to Fajardo’s TD at 8:44.

The Bombers responded less than two minutes later with Demski’s second TD.

A Saskatchewan turnover on downs sparked Bailey’s TD with 30 seconds left in the first half.

Winnipeg receiver Drew Wolitarsky and defensive back Nick Taylor were injured in the first half and didn’t return.

Alford opened the second half with his kickoff return at 13 seconds. The Bombers responded with Liegghio’s 45-yarder three minutes later to make it 30-17.

Saskatchewan had a Kyran Moore touchdown wiped off the board because of a holding call, then Farjardo was sacked. They settled for Lauther’s 35-yarder.

O’Leary-Orange made it 37-20 with four seconds left in the third and Liegghio added his 23-yarder five minutes into the fourth.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2022

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press