Roughriders fend off Stampeders’ comeback and stiff wind at McMahon for 40-37 OT win

“I had to put that fifth piece of gum in heading into overtime,” Mace said. “So my jaw’s clicking, but the heart’s OK.”

Kickoff was under dry, sunny conditions, but winds gusting over 50 km/h during the game had the goalposts swaying, and was a factor in game management.

Kian Schaffer-Baker caught a pair of touchdown passes for the Roughriders (2-0). He’s amassed 295 receiving yards on 19 catches in his first two games this season.

“They call me 7-11. I’m open 24 hours. I’m always open,” Schaffer-Baker quipped.

KeeSean Johnson also caught a touchdown throw, and Saskatchewan’s A.J. Ouellette rushed for 84 yards and contributed a two-point convert for the defending Grey Cup champions.

Alex Hale kicked eight points including field goals of 27 and 38 yards. He missed from 47 into the wind.

Quincy Vaughn scored a pair of short-yardage touchdowns, Tyreik McAllister had a 120-yard touchdown return and Jones caught a touchdown for the Stampeders (0-2), who dropped their first two games of the season for just the second time since 2009.

Dedrick Mills, the CFL’s leading rusher last season, finished with 103 yards.

It was the second CFL game in Alberta to require overtime Saturday after the Edmonton Elks got by the Montreal Alouettes 32-29.

Calgary lost another heartbreaker after a narrow 30-28 loss to Winnipeg. In both losses, Adams orchestrated late touchdown drives to give Calgary a chance to win.

“Resilient group, we’ve just got to find a way to win,” Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson said. “We probably, honestly got outplayed, but we did have our chances. We kept fighting. We kept working. We got tied, got into overtime. A call here, a call there, an opportunity here, an opportunity there.

“The momentum was with us, but in overtime we just weren’t able to win it.”

Jude McAtamney kicked field goals from 22, 17 and 24 yards for Calgary in front of an announced 21,262 at McMahon Stadium.

Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris completed 23 of 36 pass attempts for 349 yards and three touchdown throws. Adams went 20-for-30 for 254 yards and one touchdown throw.

All of Saskatchewan’s touchdowns were scored into the wind, and a couple of long scoring drives gave Saskatchewan the added bonus of keeping Calgary’s offence off the field and unable to take advantage of the breeze at their backs.

“I try to keep the nose down and drive it into the wind and not throw too bad of a spiral,” Harris said. “You get those gritty balls that kind of get caught in the wind, but I thought for the most part we did a pretty good job.”

But the Stampeders were still in striking distance early in the fourth quarter after Vaughn scored his second on a one-yard carry for Calgary to trail by a converted touchdown.

Adams’ scramble throw to Jones in the end zone with 34 seconds left concluded an 88-yard, nine-play drive to tie the game.

The two teams traded field goals to start extra time — McAtamney from 17 yards and Hale from 38. McAtamney kicked another from 24 yards before Stevens punched in the winning TD on a one-yard plunge.

“There’s a lot of people that would love to be in our locker room, and I’m very, very thankful to be here,” said Stevens, who played his first three CFL seasons in Calgary before signing with Saskatchewan.

Harris threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Johnson to cap an 82-yard, nine-play drive in the third quarter. Saskatchewan led 31-17 on Ouellette’s two-point convert.

Saskatchewan led 23-14 after a wild conclusion to the first half. A late 81-yard Saskatchewan drive into the wind ended with Harris throwing to Schaffer-Baker in the end zone for the latter’s second touchdown.

With 13 seconds left in the half, Kerfalla Exume recovered the ensuing kick for Saskatchewan, and the Roughriders got to field-goal range for a chance to pad their lead.

But Calgary returner McAllister took Hale’s wide 47-yard attempt end to end for a 120-yard touchdown return.

“We got a lifeline there with Tyreik at the end of the first half. I don’t know if we can come back in that game without that play,” Dickenson said.

Calgary’s offence mustered just eight net yards into the wind in the first quarter.

“I started off way to slow in the first half and defence was on the field a lot,” Adams said. “Got to make more plays for my team early and often.”

UP NEXT

Roughriders: Host the Toronto Argonauts (1-1) on Friday.

Stampeders: Visit the B.C. Lions (0-2) on Saturday, June 27, in Kelowna, B.C.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Roughriders fend off Stampeders’ comeback and stiff wind at McMahon for 40-37 OT win

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