Redblacks roll – Ottawa struck early and cruised past Montreal 27-3 in CFL pre-season play, while Hamilton edged Toronto 20-14. B.C. beat Winnipeg 30-19, and Calgary held off Edmonton 21-18 in the Battle of Alberta preview.
Friday night in the CFL didn’t just feel like pre-season—Ottawa made it look like a statement.
The visiting Ottawa Redblacks built a 14-3 lead by halftime and then coasted to a 27-3 CFL pre-season victory over the Montreal Alouettes. Dru Brown, operating efficiently for Ottawa, completed seven of eight passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Max Duggan finished six of nine for 69 yards for Montreal.
Ottawa’s ground game got a steady push from Daniel Adeboboye. who had 25 yards on two carries and led all Redblacks rushers. Keelan White added five receptions for 57 yards. Montreal did move the ball at times: Anthony Brown completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 124 yards and one interception. while Arnaud Desjardins went 10 of 14 for 60 yards. Michael Horvat was 1-for-1 on field goals, drilling a 20-yard attempt.
The Redblacks’ early control set the tone, but it wasn’t the only close-watch game on the slate.
Hamilton and Toronto turned into a fourth-quarter grind. The Tiger-Cats beat the Argonauts 20-14 after the teams were tied 14-14 entering the final quarter. Jake Dolegala led Hamilton through the air with 10 completions on 18 attempts for 189 yards, including one touchdown and one interception. Tre Ford paced the Tiger-Cats rushers with five carries for 38 yards. Jaelen Gill made an impact in big numbers, hauling in three receptions for 110 yards.
Jerjuan Newton also stood out, grabbing three catches for 87 yards and three touchdowns. For the Argos, the quarterback went seven of 15 for 64 yards and one interception. Samuel Hicks carried the ball four times for 51 yards and scored a touchdown.
Later games delivered their own mix of offense and late scoreboard tension, starting in British Columbia.
The B.C. Lions beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 30-19. Nathan Rourke went six of eight for 99 yards for B.C., while Chase Brice completed nine of 11 for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions jumped in front with a 20-13 halftime lead and extended it to 23-13 heading into the final quarter.
Emani Bailey powered B.C. with 57 rushing yards on 10 carries, and Nick Cenacle hauled in four passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Sean Whyte went 2-for-2 on field goals, including a 49-yard kick, and Mark McNamee added a 28-yard field goal.
Winnipeg’s answers came through the passing game. Taylor Elgersma completed 11 of 20 passes for 127 yards. Bryce Perkins rushed for 36 yards and one major, and Elgersma also added 18 rushing yards and one touchdown. Sergio Castillo connected on a 61-yard field goal, while Brady Lidster hit one from 28 yards out.
In the Battle of Alberta preview, Calgary found a way to survive a lively matchup.
The Calgary Stampeders defeated the host Edmonton Elks 21-18 after leading 14-8 at halftime. Josh Love completed seven of eight passes for 80 yards and one touchdown. Jacolby Criswell added a punch as a rusher and finisher, carrying five times for 41 yards and one touchdown.
Edmonton got productive work from its quarterbacks and big contributions through the run. Cody Fajardo went nine of 11 for 96 yards, while Zach Zebrowski hit 7 of 10 for 60 yards. Quarterback Cole Snyder had four carries for seven yards and two touchdowns. Vincent Blanchard was good on one of two field goal attempts, connecting from 47 yards out.
CFL Ottawa Redblacks Montreal Alouettes Dru Brown Tiger-Cats Toronto Argonauts B.C. Lions Winnipeg Blue Bombers Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Elks pre-season