Roughriders overcome injuries in 31-26 win over Redblacks
The Saskatchewan Roughriders may have won Thursday night's season opener, but the CFL club may have lost a few key players due to injury.
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Running back A.J. Ouellette, halfback Rolan Milligan Jr., and receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker were all injured in the first half of Saskatchewan's 31-26 Week 1 win against the Ottawa Redblacks and did not return. The extent of their injuries was not known immediately after the game.
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As for the game itself, played in front of an announced attendance of 25,973 at Mosaic Stadium, the Redblacks opened the scoring as quarterback Dru Brown engineered an efficient 11-play, 87-yard drive capped off by Dustin Crum plunging into the end zone for the touchdown from one yard out to make it 7-0 Ottawa early.
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On Saskatchewan's second drive, quarterback Trevor Harris hit Mitch Picton for a first-down pass before finding Samuel Emilus for another potential first down. However, Emilus fumbled the ball and Ottawa recovered at the Roughriders' 44-yard line.
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From there, the Redblacks' 46-yard field goal attempt was wide and Alford returned it 60 yards to once again give Saskatchewan field position near midfield.
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After a 13-yard gain by Ouellette and an 18-yard catch by Picton, Harris hit Dohnte Meyers for another first down before a roughing the passer call took the ball to the one-yard line.
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From there, short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens surged in for Saskatchewan's first touchdown of the season to tie the game 7-7 early in the second quarter.
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On Saskatchewan's fourth series, Harris hit Emilus for a 33-yard gain before going back to his top target a few plays later as the two connected for a nine-yard touchdown to put the Riders up 14-7 with the convert midway through the second quarter.
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After Saskatchewan forced Ottawa to punt the ball away following a sack by Malik Carney, the Roughriders gave the Redblacks the ball back as Harris was intercepted by defensive back C.J. Coldon, who attended training camp with the Riders in 2024.
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In the second half, Roughriders running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon, filling in for the injured Ouellette, rumbled for 37 yards along the ground on first down before Harris found KeeSean Johnson for gains of 38 and 23 yards to get Saskatchewan into scoring range.
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