The Saskatchewan Roughriders are enjoying a 3-0 start for the 13th time in the Post-Second World War era.
Under Head Coach Corey Mace, the 2024 Roughriders remained undefeated by posting a 36-20 CFL victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
Mace, Harry Smith (1951), Ken Miller (2008) and Corey Chamblin (2012) are the only post-WW2 Head Coaches to win each of their first three games with Saskatchewan.
Over that same span, Saskatchewan has been 3-0 in 1951, 1955, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1988, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2021 and 2024.
The latest edition of the Roughriders improved to 3-0 by winning the team’s first home game under Mace.
“That ‘Bring ’Em Out’ did hit a little different,” Mace said with a laugh. “I felt that one, so that was really, really cool.”
On Sunday, the Roughriders seized the momentum early when Thomas Bertrand-Hudon forced a fumble on the opening kickoff return and Christian Albright pounced on the loose ball.
“Incredible,” Mace said of the first play. “Our cover units on special teams were outstanding today.”
Two plays after the fumble, Trevor Harris threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Emilus.
Harris subsequently hit rookie Ajou Ajou for a 40-yard touchdown. Two converts and a field goal by Brett Lauther enabled the Roughriders to lead 17-0 after the first quarter.
With 44 seconds remaining in the second frame and Saskatchewan ahead 18-1, Harris left the game with a leg injury.
He watched the second half from the sideline, in full uniform, as Shea Patterson handled the quarterbacking for Saskatchewan.
“I talked to (Harris) at halftime and he was in pretty good spirits,” Mace said. “Then, in the second half, he was in my ear, saying, ‘Coach, I can go!’
“We wanted to play it just a little bit safe. With Shea, they were moving the ball really well. They were able to get us out of the game and headed into the bye week to give Trev some more rest.
“But the way he was acting, it sounded like he was ready to go.”
Harris was 16-for-21 for 177 yards, with two TDs and interception. Patterson went 4-for-10 for 41 yards.
“I’m prepared anytime I have to step on the field,” Patterson said. “Our defence and special teams played unbelievable tonight and put us in good situations.”
For example, middle linebacker Jameer Thurman intercepted Bo Levi Mitchell and scored from 28 yards out with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter. Brett Lauther’s convert gave the Riders a 25-7 lead.
“We talked about it all week that somebody’s going to get one,” Thurman said of the interception-return TD, which came one week after the Roughriders won 33-30 in Hamilton.
“The last game, they didn’t really throw a lot over the middle. We knew that they had to change that going back-to-back. I just saw the ball when (C.J. Avery) tipped it and I knew I had a good lane, so that’s all it was.”
Patterson scored the Roughriders’ final TD on a one-yard run with 2:43 left.
Rolan Milligan Jr. cemented the outcome by registering an interception with 1:06 left in the game.
JAMEER’S JAUNT
Thurman came back to haunt his former Tiger-Cats teammates by returning an interception 28 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter.
Thurman had a career-high 98 defensive tackles with the Tiger-Cats in 2023 before signing with Saskatchewan as a free agent on Feb. 13.
The pick-six was the first by a Roughrider since July 2, 2022, when Nic Marshall intercepted Harris (then of the Montreal Alouettes) and went 90 yards for a touchdown.
On Hamilton’s second offensive play after the Thurman TD, the Roughriders’ DaMarcus Fields registered his first career pick.
Thurman’s TD was his first since Oct. 8, 2016, when he scored on a 32-yard pick-six with Indiana State against Western Illinois.
Indiana State’s QB at the time was future Roughrider Isaac Harker. Thurman intercepted future Bombers QB Sean McGuire.
RUSHIN’ OUELLETTE
A.J. Ouellette enjoyed his finest game as a Roughrider, carrying the ball 20 times for 98 yards. He added 47 yards on four receptions.
Over the first two games, he had rushed 29 times for 72 yards and caught five passes for 46 yards.
“The last few weeks, I felt like I wasn’t contributing to the team,” Ouellette said. “It was good to get out there and help the guys get the win.
“I was feeling good. Our guys were making plays out there, putting their bodies on the line. You’ve got to feed off of that and contribute to it.”
The 20 carries were a career high for Ouellette, who appeared in his 40th CFL regular-season game. His previous high was 19 with the Toronto Argonauts against the visiting Alouettes on Sept. 9.
SEVENTH-ROUNDER, SIX POINTS
Ajou is the first seventh-round draftee to score a touchdown for Saskatchewan.
He caught a 40-yard TD pass from Harris at 11:17 of Sunday’s second quarter.
Ajou, 22, was chosen 59th overall in the 2024 CFL Draft.
After being a healthy scratch for the season opener, he caught five passes for 41 yards to help the Roughriders win 33-30 in Hamilton on June 16.
The 40-yarder was Ajou’s first catch in the rematch at Mosaic Stadium.
“It was awesome to see all the green out there and see the boys and girls come out and support us,” he said. “We really do have the best fans and I saw that today.
“Kudos to them. Kudos to the boys. We’re 3-and-0, man.”
FAST FACTS
• Until Sunday, the Roughriders had not registered 17 or more points over the opening 15 minutes since Aug. 24, 2019, when the visiting Ottawa REDBLACKS trailed 17-0.
• Harris became the first Roughrider to throw two first-quarter TD passes since Sept. 3, 2017, when Kevin Glenn connected for a couple of early scores to help Saskatchewan defeat the Winnipeg Bombers 38-24.
• Roughriders defensive tackle Charbel Dabire had two sacks and a forced fumble on Sunday.
• Milligan Jr. has seven special teams tackles over his past two games (four tackles, followed by three).
• Saskatchewan’s three-game points total of 98 is the highest in regulation time since the championship season of 2013 (114 points).
• Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford had his longest punt return of the season (46). Over the first two games, returns of 91, 52 and 32 yards had been negated by holding penalties.
• Hamilton had 25 passing yards on Sunday until Mitchell found Shemar Bridges for rapid-fire gains of eight and 41 yards. The latter play was a touchdown.
• The Roughriders registered their highest point total since July 2, when Montreal fell 41-20 at Mosaic Stadium.
• The Roughriders’ first three interceptions this season were by linebackers (C.J. Avery 2, Thurman 1).
• Saskatchewan has swept five consecutive home-and-home sets with Hamilton (2006, 2007, 2013, 2018, 2024).
• Prior to the Second World War, the Regina Rugby Club/Regina Roughriders had 3-0 starts in 1913, 1914, 1915, 1921, 1922, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1935 and 1938. First-year Head Coaches with 3-0 records were Frank Townsend (1914), Jack Eadie (1922) and Greg Grassick (1929).
NEXT UP
The Roughriders are now on their first of three bye weeks this season.
They are to resume practising next Sunday in preparation for a July 4 home game against the Toronto Argonauts.
SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
Sask TD — Emilus 14 pass from Harris (Lauther convert) 1:05
Sask TD — Ajou 40 pass from Harris (Lauther convert) 11:17
Sask FG — Lauther 34 15:00
SECOND QUARTER
Sask Single — Korsak 41 6:29
Ham TD Bridges 41 pass from Mitchell (Liegghio convert) 12:59
THIRD QUARTER
Sask TD — Thurman 28 interception return (Lauther convert) 13:52
FOURTH QUARTER
Sask — FG Lauther 16 4:42
Ham — TD Litre 1 run Liegghio convert 8:30
Sask — TD Patterson 1 run (Lauther convert) 12:17
Sask — Single Lauther 95 12:26
Ham — TD Smith 28 pass from Mitchell (two-point convert failed) 13:01
