Roughriders overcome slow offensive start to rout Ti-Cats 38-7

Saskatchewan Roughriders Jaylen Pate (90) sacks Tiger-Cats Jake Dolegala (16) during first half CFL football action in Regina, Sunday, July 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Derek Elvin

The Saskatchewan Roughriders continued their 2025 Grey Cup title defence with a 38-7 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Mosaic Stadium Sunday.

The team has now won winning back-to-back games following a Week 4 loss.

Both teams trudged through the first half putting up less than 270 yards of total offense between the two squads.

After they traded rouges and field goals to begin the contest, Saskatchewan finally broke through late in the first half with a seven-play, 70-yard touchdown drive led by quarterback Trevor Harris.

Harris completed the drive with a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Samuel Emilus to give the Riders an 11-4 lead.

Hamilton added another field goal, but Saskatchewan kept an 11-7 lead at halftime.

From there, the Riders poured it on, scoring 20 unanswered points off turnovers with touchdowns from receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker and quarterback Tommy Stevens.

After Saskatchewan forced a turnover on downs with a short yardage stop, Schaffer-Baker rounded out an eight-play 75-yard touchdown drive with an 18-yard reception in the endzone.

With about nine minutes remaining in the game, Ti-Cats receiver Kenny Lawler fumbled the football on a reception.

The ball was picked up by Riders cornerback Marcus Sayles, who nearly found the endzone on the return but was forced out of bounds at the 1-yard line.

Stevens, the short-yardage pivot, needed just one play to punch it across the goal line to give Saskatchewan a 17-point lead.

Hamilton threatened to score as the game neared the three-minute warning. A long Ti-Cats drive, led by quarterback Jake Dolegala, reached the Riders’ 15-yard line.

A Dolegala pass aimed for the endzone was picked off by Saskatchewan’s Josh Woods and returned 107 yards for a Roughrider touchdown – giving Saskatchewan a 31-7 lead.

Woods’ interception became the second-longest interception return for a touchdown in Riders history.

After another turnover on downs by the Tabbies, Stevens ran out the game with two rushes for 40 yards – finding the endzone for his second rushing touchdown of the night.

Harris finished the game with 202 yards passing yards on 17 completions, 24 attempts. He also had two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Schaffer-Baker and Emilus were his two most targeted receivers, both making six catches for 78 yards and 72 yards, respectively.

Running back A.J. Ouellette, who returned to the lineup after missing two games due to injury, ran for 83 yards on 18 carries.

Without starter Bo Levi Mitchell due to a long-term leg injury, Hamilton turned to Dolegala, who spent two seasons in Saskatchewan between 2022 and 2023.

He went 17/30 for 122 yards passing. He did not throw a touchdown and threw one interception – Woods’ touchdown return.

Listed back-up Tre Ford came into the ball game for Hamilton in the final minutes. He played just two series, going 5/6 for 47 yards through the air.

The win improves Saskatchewan to 4-1 on the season. Their eight points ties them with the Edmonton Elks atop the CFL’s West Division.

After a bye week for Saskatchewan in Week 7, they will host the Edmonton Elks at Mosaic Stadium Thursday July 23 before meeting with the Elks in Edmonton the following week.

Sexton carted off to begin 2nd half against Ti-Cats

In just his second career CFL start, Saskatchewan Roughriders’ kick returner Mathew Sexton was carted off the field after sustaining an apparent ankle injury on the first play of the second half against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Sunday.

On the kickoff, Sexton returned the ball and began running up field when he was tackled by Hamilton’s Tyson Middlemost.

Sexton fell awkwardly on his right leg and stayed down for several minutes.

He was helped off the field by teammates and loaded onto a medical cart before being wheeled away.

“It just sucks, man. It just sucks,” head coach Corey Mace said following the game. “You never want to see a guy get hurt, but any time that cart comes out: it just sucks.”

“We all understand what this game is, but there’s a human element to it. Most of us have been in some form or fashion in that position and it just sucks,” he added.

In the game, he had made just the lone kick return and three returns on punts – registering 115 total return yards.

• Career first CFL TD a ‘full circle moment’ for Riders’ Mathew Sexton

The CFL rookie was dealing with an ankle injury earlier this week and he missed one practice as a result.

In his first CFL start in Week 5 against Ottawa, Sexton returned a punt 101 yards for a touchdown – his first career major score.

A full injury update from the team was not immediately available.

Former University of Saskatchewan Huskie Daniel Wiebe was tasked with returning kicks after Sexton’s departure.