The Saskatchewan Roughriders have dominated the fourth quarter this season, outscoring their first two foes by a combined 37-6 margin in the final frame.
They improved to 2-0 by rallying for a 33-30 win last Sunday at Hamilton. The Tiger-Cats (0-2) will attempt to settle that score in this Sunday’s rematch in Regina for the Roughriders’ home opener.
Saskatchewan opened the season with a 29-21 win at Edmonton on June 8 after outscoring the Elks 21-3 over the final 15 minutes.
“We’re just a group that believes in one another,” Riders quarterback Trevor Harris said after outscoring Hamilton 16-3 in the fourth. “We’re going to stick to the plan and never flinch. We’re building something special here and we have a group that just flat out won’t flinch.”
Harris, who completed 32 of 45 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns against the Tiger-Cats, acknowledged that digging early holes is not a viable long-term plan.
“We just have to make sure we have our energy higher early,” Harris told reporters. “You’ve got to give their defense credit. They did a good job. But we have to do a better job of executing throughout the game and not just give everybody a heart attack.”
Brett Lauther’s decisive 43-yard field goal, on the game’s final play, was set up by C.J. Avery’s interception on a Bo Levi Mitchell pass that bounced off Tiger-Cats receiver Tim White.
“First thing I did was walk up to (White) and just tell him … ‘You’re the best on the team. I’m coming back to you in that situation every single time,'” said Mitchell, who was 27-of-38 passing for 380 yards and three TDs.
Both teams will be looking for a cleaner performance this weekend after combining for 20 penalties for 215 yards.
The Tiger-Cats are trying to avoid another June swoon after starting 0-3 last season and 0-4 in 2022. The Riders are looking for their first 3-0 start since 2021.
Saskatchewan receiver Shawn Bane Jr. left Sunday’s game with a leg injury but was a full participant at Thursday’s and Friday’s practices.
–Field Level Media
