Ottawa Redblacks end 22-game losing skid with 40-39 win over Toronto Argonauts

OTTAWA — Bryson Barnes waited patiently for his opportunity, and when it finally came, the rookie quarterback delivered what the Ottawa Redblacks needed.

Barnes put together an impressive performance in a 40-39 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday to lead the Redblacks to their first win of the season, snapping a 22-game losing streak that dated back to last year.

“I don’t think it’s fully settled in yet,” said Barnes. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity that I was able to have to go out with these guys.”

Ottawa went 406 days between wins.

The Redblacks (1-16) looked like they were headed for yet another loss when the Argonauts (9-8) took a 39-33 lead with 30 seconds remaining.

Barnes, who finished 27-for-37 for 339 yards and two touchdowns, was poised as he orchestrated a three-play drive, which included him rushing for 21 yards, and culminated with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Eberhardt. Paul Geelen’s convert gave Ottawa the lead and the win with six seconds remaining.

“Bryson threw a dart exactly where it was supposed to be,” said Eberhardt. “And as receivers, everyone did their job…it just kind of went to me but everyone did a great job on that whole drive of executing and having Bryson’s back.”

Eberhardt finished with two touchdowns on nine receptions for 101 yards, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his CFL career.

“To be honest I’d say the win means more to me,” Eberhardt said. “To get that first win this year, in the fashion and the way that we did knowing how our year’s gone so far. I’d say that probably meant more to me than any milestone or anything like that.”

The Argonauts lost much more than the game.

Quarterback Chad Kelly, who was returning after missing one game with a hand injury, had his night cut short when he was hauled down midway through the first quarter by Ottawa defensive end Luiji Vilain.

Toronto head coach Mike Miller had no real update other than it was a lower body injury.

The Argonauts had clinched second in the East and will close out the regular season next Friday against the Montreal Alouettes.

Backup QB Nick Arbuckle finished the game 27-for-35 for 315 yards, two TDs and one interception.

“We said this is a pro football team and in pro football anybody can beat anybody on any given day,” said Miller. “They made the plays when it counted tonight and we came up short.

“A lot for us to continue to learn from and grow. Disappointed for sure.”

Miller said the team has full confidence in Arbuckle and third-string quarterback Tucker Horn should Toronto need to turn to them in the event Kelly can’t play.

In a season where more things went wrong than right many will wonder why Barnes wasn’t given an opportunity sooner.

Jake Maier was winless in 12 starts, while MacLeod Bethel-Thompson didn’t fare much better going 0-for-4 in his starts.

Redblacks coach Ryan Dinwiddie was a little defensive when asked why he didn’t test Barnes sooner.

“I would say if we put him in there early in the year, you might not see this performance where he’s at right now, right?” said Dinwiddie. “Young quarterbacks, especially in this league, you’ve got to develop them…so we had to make sure we gave him the time to develop.”

Ottawa overcame a disastrous start on Friday after Toronto returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, with Barnes responding with a 66-yard touchdown drive on the Redblacks’ next possession. The teams traded the lead from that point on, but Daniel Adeboboye’s second rushing touchdown and a 53-yard Geelen field goal sent Ottawa into halftime with a 23-16 lead.

Toronto tied the game on a Kevin Mital touchdown before Ottawa regained the lead on another Geelen field goal and Barnes’s first touchdown pass to Eberhardt. The Argos rallied from nine points down in the final three minutes, scoring 15 unanswered points, including Isaiah Smith’s four-yard touchdown with 30 seconds remaining, to take a 39-33 lead.

Despite the constant lead changes Barnes never wavered and just tried to keep the mindset of one play at a time.

“Going into that last drive that was kind of the mindset,” Barnes said. “Just play each play independently. Don’t try to do too much. Just execute the play and it worked for us.

Barnes will get the final start of the season next week in Hamilton.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press