SASKATOON, Sask. — In front of a raucous crowd of 7,654 fans at Griffiths Stadium, the first CFL game in Saskatoon in 35 years, the defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders rallied from a 17-7 deficit to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 31-27 on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in preseason Week 2 action.
The matchup, a dress rehearsal for both West Division rivals, lived up to the hype of a preview of the 2026 rivalry between these two teams. While preseason results rarely predict September glory, the game offered a glimpse of emerging talent, quarterback battles, and the electric atmosphere that could define the 2026 season. Saskatchewan, coming off its 2025 championship, improved to 1-0 in the exhibition slate, while Winnipeg fell to 0-1 ahead of its final preseason tilt against the B.C. Lions on May 29 in Winnipeg.
Early Momentum for Winnipeg
The Blue Bombers struck first on their opening drive. Veteran quarterback Zach Collaros, in what appeared to be a limited preseason snap count, completed his first three passes, all to new import receiver Tim White, for 57 yards. Running back Brady Oliveira capped the march with a two-yard touchdown run, giving Winnipeg a 7-0 lead.
Saskatchewan answered quickly. Starter Trevor Harris orchestrated a crisp response, connecting with KeeSean Johnson for a 48-yard gain and Kian Schaffer-Baker for 25 more before A.J. Ouellette powered in from two yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
The backups then took center stage. Saskatchewan’s Jack Coan threw his second pass of the game, which was intercepted by Winnipeg defensive back Evan Holm and returned 55 yards for a touchdown. Winnipeg led 14-7. A 50-yard field goal later pushed the Bombers’ advantage to 17-7. Saskatchewan narrowed the gap with a 51-yard field goal from Johnathan Kim (17-10), a single (rouge) on a 73-yard punt (17-11), and Kim’s 40-yard field goal as time expired in the half. Winnipeg took a 17-14 lead into the break.
Riders’ Rookie Quarterback Steals the Spotlight
The second half belonged to Saskatchewan’s depth chart and a dramatic comeback. Coan led an eight-play, 53-yard drive, finishing with a 12-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Johnny Johnson III for a 21-17 lead.
Winnipeg’s Taylor Elgersma, seeing significant reps, threw two costly interceptions — one to rookie defensive back James Burgess and another to first-round pick Malcolm Bell. On the latter, however, Saskatchewan rookie quarterback Brayden Schager had already entered the fray.
Schager’s night was a rollercoaster. The highly touted prospect completed 14-of-19 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions across six drives. He was picked off once by Winnipeg’s Ridge Texada (deflected off rookie Daniel Wiebe’s hands) and again by linebacker Ja’Kobe Clinton, who returned it 41 yards for a touchdown that gave Winnipeg a 24-21 edge. Winnipeg added a field goal to make it 27-21 with just over four minutes remaining.
Undeterred — and playing through a poked eye that left him nearly blind in his right eye for stretches — Schager engineered a seven-play, 87-yard drive capped by Kim’s 35-yard field goal to close the gap to 27-24.
Then came the game-winner. With 1:51 left and starting from their own 11-yard line, Schager hit Abdul Janneh (who led all receivers with six catches for 107 yards) for 39 yards, followed by two more first-down completions. The drive reached the Winnipeg three-yard line, where Schager lofted a three-yard touchdown pass to rookie Daniel Wiebe with 42 seconds remaining. Saskatchewan led 31-27.
The Roughriders’ defense sealed it. Defensive lineman J.J. Weaver sacked Winnipeg’s late-game quarterback Bryce Perkins for a 10-yard loss, and linebacker Vi Jones intercepted the final desperation pass.
Key Performances and Takeaways
Beyond Saskatchewan’s Schager’s resilience (“I just keep fighting… I’m never going to quit,” he said post-game), Janneh’s big-play ability and the rookie secondary’s opportunistic picks stood out. Ouellette and Mario Anderson (30-yard run) provided balance on the ground. Special teams were solid despite a missed 57-yard field goal attempt by Alex Hale.
For Winnipeg, Zach Collaros looked sharp in limited duty. Oliveira was effective early, and the defense forced three turnovers. However, the backup quarterback play (Elgersma’s two picks) and late-game execution will be areas of focus heading into the final preseason game.
For the Riders, the win was about more than the scoreboard. Playing in front of what local reporter Devin Heroux described as one of the most electric crowds he’d seen in Saskatoon, the team got valuable reps in a non-traditional venue while building chemistry before a Week 1 bye and a June 13 regular-season opener against the B.C. Lions.
The Blue Bombers, meanwhile, will use the loss as fuel. Head coach Mike O’Shea and offensive coordinator Tommy Condell now have fresh film to evaluate as they finalize their 46-man roster.