Slumping Roughriders under pressure after lopsided loss to Alouettes

MONTREAL — Trevor Harris has heard enough talk about what the Saskatchewan Roughriders need to do to turn things around.

The veteran quarterback says it’s about time his team showed it on the field.

The defending Grey Cup champions suffered their fourth straight loss amid a tight West Division playoff race Monday afternoon, falling 44-24 to the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL’s Thanksgiving Day Classic.

“It’s about sticking to the work and doing what our process is … but it’s enough talking about it. We’ve got to do it,” Harris said. “The things that we’re saying we need to do, we need to do them and not just talk about it.”

The loss ensured the Roughriders (8-8) won’t host a playoff game. Even qualifying for the post-season, which looked all but certain a month ago, is now at risk.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, Saskatchewan is tied with Winnipeg (8-8) and Calgary (8-9) for third in the West Division at 16 points — and both the Blue Bombers and Stampeders hold the season-series tiebreaker over the Roughriders.

Saskatchewan could still benefit from the CFL’s crossover rule, which will allow a fourth West Division team to qualify for the playoffs ahead of the third-place team in the East, currently Hamilton (5-12).

The Roughriders close out the regular season with home games against the first-place Alouettes and West-leading Edmonton Elks, though both opponents could opt to rest key players ahead of the playoffs.

Defensive back Marcus Sayles said the Riders remain full of belief despite the slide.

“I’ve been with this team for three years and we’re not breaking for anything,” Sayles said. “We just won a Grey Cup last year, and I’m not trying to bank on that, but at the same time we got the same players, dang near.

“We know we can make those plays, because we’ve made them already.”

Davis Alexander eclipsed 5,000 passing yards on the season for the Alouettes (13-3), joining Anthony Calvillo as the only quarterbacks in franchise history to reach the mark.

The 27-year-old from Gig Harbor, Wash., threw for five touchdowns, one interception and 403 passing yards on 26-of-33 completions. He also rushed for 40 yards on three carries as Montreal finished undefeated at home in the regular season for the third time.

Jerreth Sterns added eight receptions for 124 yards, while Charleston Rambo and Tyler Snead made two touchdown catches apiece before a sellout of 23,035 at Percival Molson Stadium.

“It feels kind of like having a cheat sheet to the test,” Alexander said of playing in the prolific Alouettes offence. “Most of the time we have an answer for everything within our one play.”

Montreal, which clinched first place in the East Division last week, returns home to host the Eastern final on Nov. 7.

Harris also hit the 5,000-yard mark for the second time of his career, finishing with two touchdowns, one interception and 243 yards on 23-for-33 passing. Kian Schaffer-Baker caught two touchdowns for Saskatchewan in the rematch of last year’s Grey Cup.

After an evenly matched first half, the game swiftly fell apart for the Riders.

CFL receiving-yards leader Tyson Philpot gave the Alouettes a 24-16 lead with a spectacular catch six minutes into the second half, diving into the end zone to haul down Alexander’s 46-yard bomb. Alexander then dodged multiple tackles before launching a 51-yard pass up the middle to Rambo, giving the Alouettes a 31-16 advantage.

The Alouettes extended that lead four minutes into the fourth quarter, when Alexander hit Snead for his second touchdown on a five-yard throw.

“Before we knew it, boom, it’s 38-16,” Harris said. “Two offensive possessions and three touchdowns for them, that’s where it kind of just unravelled for us.”

Montreal linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku then picked off Harris and returned the ball 32 yards to the Saskatchewan 31, setting up an insurance field goal.

“We’re just not playing in unison,” Sayles said. “I don’t know exactly why we’re not playing in unison, but at the same time we just got to figure out a way. We only got two games left, and everything is in our control.

“We just got to figure out how to finish these games.”

Sayles opened the game by picking off Alexander on the first drive after the Alouettes QB stoked the crowd with a 30-yard run up the middle.

Montreal answered a field goal with a touchdown on the next drive, as Alexander completed four passes to Sterns, then found Snead on a nine-yard TD with 6:33 left in the first quarter.

Schaffer-Baker gave the Riders a 10-7 advantage to end the first quarter when he caught a pass from Harris and powered through Montreal’s defence for a 27-yard touchdown.

But that was the last time Saskatchewan would lead.

“We understand the situation that we’re in,” Riders coach Corey Mace said. “We knew it was gonna be a challenge.

“We got another opportunity against them next week and then follow that up with Edmonton.”

COMING UP

The Alouettes and Roughriders square off again Saturday at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2026.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press