Emotional Elks keep playoff hopes alive with 27-25 win over Roughriders

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Kosi Onyeka (31) tackles Edmonton Elks' Justin Rankin (5) during second half CFL action in Edmonton, on Saturday September 27, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

After two straight games where they were the victims of a last-second comeback, the Edmonton Elks were finally able to hold on to win and keep their post-season dreams alive in the process.

Justin Rankin scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Elks kept their slight CFL playoff hopes going, holding on for a thrilling 27-25 victory over the West Division-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, despite the visiting team having a chance to tie it with a two-point convert attempt on the final play of the game.

The Elks (6-9) snapped a two-game losing skid, but will still likely need to win their remaining three games and get some help in the process to make the playoffs.

“I saw a lot of guts,” said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. “I saw a lot of really good performances. I saw some challenges that we’re going to continue to have to overcome, but it was a complete win as far as each phase made plays down the stretch that we had to have. I’m really happy for the guys in the room, but also for the Thompson family.”

The Elks held a moment of silence and had painted tributes in the end zones to honour owner Larry Thompson, who died Thursday of complications following an unspecified surgery earlier this week at age 65. Thompson, a former season-ticket holder who had long dreamt of becoming an owner, only purchased the team on Aug. 15, 2024.

The Roughriders (10-4) have lost two in a row for the first time all season.

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“You’re always disappointed, I don’t care what the loss looks like, it sucks,” said Riders head coach Corey Mace. “I was happy that our team was able to push it out down to the last whistle, but ultimately we started out too slow as a team and put ourselves in an 11-point hole.

“I don’t care who it is that you’re playing, it’s professional sports. It’s tough. We have to find a way to improve upon that.”

After the Elks got a punt single on their opening drive, Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris was picked off twice on his team’s first possession, first by Kenneth Logan Jr., who promptly fumbled it back, and then by Brock Mogensen. However, Edmonton was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

The next points didn’t come until early in the second when Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard nailed a 47-yard field goal.

Edmonton added to its lead late in the opening half as a 47-yard pass from quarterback Cody Fajardo to Kaion Julien-Grant set up a one-yard touchdown plunge by backup QB Cole Snyder.

Saskatchewan responded with a 44-yard field goal by Brett Lauther to trail 11-3 at halftime.

The Roughriders tightened things up with four minutes left in the third quarter on a five-yard TD run by A.J. Ouellette, but the two-point convert failed.

After a big fumble recovery by Kosi Onyeka at the Edmonton 41, eventually leading to a 30-yard field goal by Lauther and Saskatchewan’s first lead.

Edmonton quickly responded with a 37-yard touchdown run by Rankin, followed by an unsuccessful two-point convert pass attempt, to surge back in front 17-12.

The Elks got another big play with 3:35 to play, a 44-yard pass to Odieu Hiliare, that set up Rankin’s second TD, as he battled hard to push into the end zone from five yards out.

“We know that he’s a tremendous football player for us,” Kilam said. “There was one play where we were second and forever and he broke a bunch of tackles and willed himself to the first down. I thought in my head at that moment that it was one of the plays of the year for our offence because it just took so much guts.”

Saskatchewan fought back with 2:13 left on the clock, as Harris completed a 24-yard TD pass to Tommy Nield.

Edmonton came back with a 30-yard Blanchard field goal.

The Riders weren’t done yet, though, and marched all the way back down field to the one-yard-line with one second to play and got a touchdown from Tommy Stevens. However, the two-point convert passing attempt to tie the game failed.

Edmonton, which hasn’t qualified for the CFL playoffs since 2019, lost its previous two games by a combined three points and had lost four games this season by four points or less. The attendance was announced as 30,053.

Up next

Roughriders: Visit the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday, Oct. 3.

Elks: Host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday, Oct. 11.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2025.