Nic Marshall’s interception in the second overtime sealed the Saskatchewan Roughriders 29-26 win over the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday afternoon at McMahon Stadium.
Marshall nearly ended the game earlier with a narrow miss on an interception attempt. In overtime, he was able to haul in a pass from Jake Maier, intended for Tre Odums-Dukes.
“He definitely came through. I know he wanted one at the end of regulation. He sure did make up for it, that was a great interception.” Riders quarterback Trevor Harris said of Marshall after the game.
After trading field goals in the first overtime, Brett Lauther split the uprights from 20 yards out to put his team in front 29-26.
“That was a big one. I’ve been a part of a lot of exciting games, that [one] ranks right up there with the best of them. We found a way to win,” head coach Craig Dickenson told the media after the victory.
Roughriders starting quarterback Trevor Harris completed 20 of 30 passes for 273 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Running back Jamal Morrow rushed for 133 yards on the ground on 22 attempts while adding another six through the air. The Riders generated 407 yards of net offence.
“[He] showed a lot of heart out there. A lot of times he was stuck in the backfield and found a way out. He got a game ball. I thought he was outstanding.” Dickenson said.
Harris added that the offence was committed to running the football in this game and was happy to see Morrow put up big yardage numbers.
“It was a full team win. We ended up putting together some good drives in the second half and the defence came through when we needed them,” said Harris.
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The offence didn’t pick up momentum until early in the third quarter when Rolan Milligan Jr. picked off an overthrown ball from Stamps quarterback Jake Maier and rumbled 56 yards before being tackled.
Shea Patterson plunged into the end zone on the very next play for his first CFL touchdown and a 10-6 lead.
The Stampeders responded later in the quarter when Maier found a streaking Malik Henry at mid field.
The receiver executed a perfect cut back to the inside to beat Riders defender C.J. Reavis and dashed all the way to an easy seven points to restore Calgary’s lead.
The Roughriders answered very quickly with a three play, 68 yard touchdown drive.
Riders quarterback Trevor Harris connected with Tevin Jones, who all alone in the middle of the red zone, and trotted into the end zone unabated.
Saskatchewan started to pull away from Calgary in the fourth quarter. Harris engineered a four play 73 yard drive that began on an interception at the goal line.
Jake Maier’s pass went off the leg of his intended target, into the air, and into the waiting arms of defender Larry Dean.
On the ensuing offensive series, Harris hit a streaking Shawn Bane Jr., who found a lane and burnt his former team for 60 yards up the sideline.
A couple of plays later, Riders quarterback Shea Patterson once again powered his way forward behind the offensive line and in for the major.
The Riders led 23-13 at that point.
However, the Stampeders would not fade away quietly. With five minutes to go in the contest, Jake Maier brought his team down to the four yard line.
On first and goal, he elected to keep the ball, and he called his own number. Maier’s second rushing touchdown on the season brought Calgary to within a field goal.
With the Roughriders leading the Stampeders 23-20 and just 1:12 on the clock, there was one last opportunity on the table for Calgary.
The Riders were able to stall the Stamps drive at their own 46 yard line. Veteran kicker Rene Peredes matched his career-high long attempt at 53 yards to tie the game at 23 with 17 seconds left on the clock.
Nic Marshall’s interception in the second overtime mini-game ended the game for the Riders. The green-and-white improve to 2-1 early in the 2023 CFL season.
The Riders now head into their first bye week of the season and it might not come at a better time. The team has been bitten by the injury bug early.
The Riders are already without star receivers Derel Walker and Kian Schaffer-Baker, among others.
Offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins left the game on a cart in the first half. Coach Dickenson told reporters after the game that they’re ‘concerned about it’.
It was Hawkins’ first CFL start.
Quarterback Trevor Harris revealed after the game that he’s been dealing with a minor rib injury and needs to heal.
“I need to get healthy. Coming into this game I had a pretty decent little rib deal going on. I’m going to try to get some rest, heal up, spend some time with my wife and three boys,” he said, adding that he’s also going to be watching film on their next opponents.
“We’re beat up. Luckily it’s nothing catastrophic,” Harris said of his team.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders return to Mosaic Stadium to host the Edmonton Elks on Thursday, July 6 at 7 p.m.
