Edmonton Elks to host CFL West final for first time in 11 years

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks will host the CFL West final for the first time in more than a decade.

Cody Fajardo ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more as Edmonton rallied to a 35-27 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday. Edmonton has not hosted a West final or even a home playoff game at all since 2015.

“It feels great,” said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. “We had a great opportunity to be able to clinch at home in front of our fans, so I’m really proud of the guys for finding a way tonight.”

Fajardo completed 12 of 17 pass attempts for 120 yards for the Elks (13-4).

“That was sweet,” he said. “I told the guys going in that this was phase three of five and we checked that off of our list. Getting a West final in front of our fans, they were the difference tonight.

“It was just huge three phase football tonight, I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

The Blue Bombers (8-9) failed in their attempt to secure a playoff spot, but could still earn a post-season berth this weekend if Calgary loses to B.C. on Saturday.

“It was just not good enough,” said Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea. “We were on the wrong end of five or six plays. It’s like every game.

“The winners usually make those five or six and the guys that don’t go home wishing they did.”

Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros completed 28 of 33 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.

“You can’t make mistakes, you can’t lose the turnover battle,” he said. “You can’t throw interceptions when you’re driving to potentially take a lead in a game. Those are on me.

“When you make mistakes that are that magnified, it’s going to hurt you.”

After missing a field goal on their first drive, the Blue Bombers put together another strong drive with five minutes left in the opening quarter and capped it off with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Collaros to Nic Demski.

The Elks responded with an 18-yard field goal from Vincent Blanchard to close out the quarter.

Collaros was picked off at the Winnipeg nine by Kenny Logan Jr., leading immediately to a pass from Fajardo to Shunderrick Powell, who fought his way into the end zone. Fajardo had gone three straight games without a TD pass.

The Bombers’ QB made up for it on the next series as he hit Ontaria Wilson deep in the end zone for a 32-yard TD strike.

Winnipeg kept it coming with a one-yard TD run by backup QB Bryce Perkins.

However, after a 65-yard kickoff return by Montrell Washington, the Elks converted a third-down gamble with two seconds remaining in the first half on a four-yard TD pass from Fajardo to Austin Mack to cut Winnipeg’s lead to 21-17 at the mid-mark.

Edmonton carried that momentum forward to start the third as Fajardo finished off a long drive with a one-yard TD plunge. They added a single on the subsequent kick.

The Bombers pulled back within one on a 23-yard field goal by Sergio Castillo, but he would hit the uprights from 55 yards out on his next attempt.

Blanchard kicked a 52-yarder for the Elks.

Edmonton went up 35-24 with 1:39 remaining as Fajardo took another one in from two yards out.

Castillo kicked a late 53-yard field goal.

Notes

The Elks captured their third straight win over Winnipeg, having previously defeated the Bombers 23-18 and 22-18 this season. The last time Edmonton swept a three-game series against Winnipeg was in 1979 … Demski caught his 47th career TD pass, tying him for first among active players with Kenny Lawler.

Up next

Winnipeg: Travels to B.C. to face the Lions to close out regular season play next Friday.

Edmonton: Finishes the regular season in Saskatchewan against the Roughriders next Saturday.

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

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press