Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
The Saskatchewan Roughriders suffered their first loss of the season on Friday night.
After a pair of wins to open the 2026 CFL schedule, the Roughriders lost 40-34 to the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night in Week 4 of the season in front of an announced attendance of 25,035 at Mosaic Stadium.
With the loss, Saskatchewan dropped to 2-1 on the season while the Argos, who were playing as the “home” team due to the World Cup taking over BMO Field in Toronto, improved to 2-1.
“You hate the feeling of what this feels like right now, but it’s a learning lesson,” said Roughriders head coach Corey Mace. “We’re going to have to address it as a team, and that’s obviously with myself first, and then the rest of the coaches and the players.
“But this is this pro ball, and it didn’t work out for us today.”
After throwing for 766 yards and six touchdowns in his first two games this year, Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris competed 34 of 43 passes for 409 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on Friday. KeeSean Johnson was his top target as the third-year receiver recorded a 10-catch, 112-yard game.
“A few plays here, a few plays there,” Harris said after the loss. “ The only thing guaranteed in pro football is adversity, and great teams just respond better than the others.
“We’ve been able to overcome the mistakes in the first couple weeks, and this week we weren’t. I know we shot ourselves in the foot in all three phases, really. So we’ve got to make sure we come back, watch the film, get better from it and respond next week.”
After Toronto opened up a 13-0 lead after a punt return touchdown by Janarion Grant and pair of field goals, Harris threw a touchdown pass to Johnson before a field goal and touchdown by rookie running back Quali Conley, who had 50 yards in his first start replacing the injured A.J Ouellette, gave Saskatchewan a 17-13 lead.
However, the Argonauts then scored a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half, as quarterback Chad Kelly found Tyler Kahmann in the end zone, which took some wind out of the sails of the Roughriders.
Toronto then scored 10 more points early in the third quarter to go up 30-17.
“That’s a tough one to give up,” Mace said of the late touchdown in the first half. “It was a rough night for the defence, but there’s times we’d get them two-and-outs and then we’re getting a return. Then offence is heating up, and we take crucial penalties now we’re moving even further backwards.
“It just wasn’t complimentary tonight.”
While Saskatchewan’s defence was able to generate four sacks and a turnover, as linebacker Josh Woods intercepted Kelly on the goal line in the first quarter, Kelly threw for 321 yards and a pair of touchdowns while rushing for another as he improved to 4-0 in his career against the Green and White.
“Chad balled out,” said Riders defensive tackle Mike Rose, who had two sacks. “Let’s leave it at that: Chad had a great game.”
Toronto started off the game on a very promising note as running back Sam Hicks rumbled 61 yards on the first offensive play of the game to put Toronto in scoring range.
However two plays later, Kelly was intercepted by Woods, who also led the team with six tackles, along the goal line.
After Saskatchewan’s drive stalled out, the Roughriders punted the ball away and the kick proved to be costly as Grant returned it 68 yards for the touchdown.
Following a Toronto field goal to make it 10-0, the Roughriders appeared poised to get on the board.
After a successful gamble on third-and-four, Saskatchewan marched into scoring range before Harris was intercepted in the end zone by Argos defensive back Tarvarus McFadden.
The turnover led to an Argonauts field goal to make it 13-0.
On Saskatchewan’s fourth drive of the game, Conley picked up a first down on an 18-yard carry before Harris found Samuel Emilus for a 31-yard gain.
A few plays later, Saskatchewan found the end zone as Harris found Johnson on a four-yard touchdown pass to make it 13-7.
Saskatchewan added a 36-yard field goal by Alex Hale to make it 13-10 before finding the end zone on their next drive as Conley broke free and scored on a 17-yard run to cap off a five-play, 59-yard drive to put the Roughriders up 17-13.
However the Argonauts added points before the first half was up as Kelly found Damonte Coxie for a 37-yard gain before hitting Kahmann on a 27-yard touchdown strike to give Toronto a 20-17 lead at the break.
Lirim Hajrullahu added a 47-yard field goal for the Argos on the first drive of the second half before Toronto found the end zone on their next series as Kelly scored on a two-yard run to make it 30-17 with the convert.
The Roughriders responded as Harris hit rookie Daniel Wiebe, playing in his first CFL game, for a 31-yard gain before a pair of first-down throws to Johnson.
Harris then connected with Kian Schaffer-Baker, who spun his way toward the end zone as part of an eight-catch, 89-yard performance, before short-yardage specialist Tommy Stevens punched in a one-yard touchdown to make it 30-24 with one minute left in the third quarter.
The Argonauts added another field goal early in the fourth quarter to make it 33-24 before Saskatchewan cut into the lead as Wiebe caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Harris, which capped off a six-play, 65-yard drive to make it 33-31 Toronto with 9:36 left.
With the Roughriders looking to close the gap, rookie receiver Jaylen Johnson fumbled on his own 30-yard line with Toronto recovering the loose ball. Moments later, Kelly hit Kahmann on a 21-yard touchdown pass to make it 40-31 with 4:17 left.
On Toronto’s next drive, the Roughriders appeared to recover a fumble as defensive back Tevaughn Campbell popped a ball loose from Hicks however Saskatchewan’s Antoine Brooks Jr. was flagged for face masking on the tackle, which took the turnover off the board.
Down by nine points with 1:47 left, Harris marched the Roughriders down the field before Hale kicked a 25-yard field goal with 34 seconds left to make it 40-34.
Needing to recover an onside kick, the Roughriders were close on the attempt but it was recovered by the Argonauts, which sealed the victory.
“We were in it until the end,” said Harris. “We kept fighting, and that’s kind of the makeup of this group, is you won’t see any quit in this team. And I believe if we recover the outside kick, we win the game, and if you don’t believe that, then something is wrong with you as the leader of a team.
“Hats off to Toronto; they did a great job, they’re well coached, a very good team, good personnel. But we’ve got to make sure that we come back next week and respond.”
Saskatchewan (2-1) will now get a chance to bounce back next Friday in the nation’s capital as they visit the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 5 of the season. The 0-2 Redblacks are set to visit Montreal on Sunday.
“I’m not concerned about this group or about how they’re going to handle adversity,” said Mace. “I know they’re going to fight.
“The concern, or the focus going forward, is just executing the details of the game plan and then as coaches, continuing to make sure that we’re trying to put them in the best positions.”
Injury report
Roughriders kick returner James Letcher took a big hit to the right arm in the first quarter of the game and went to the injury tent. Emilus took over at punt returner and was also injured on a return in the first half.
“It’s pro ball, man,” Mace said when asked why Emilus took over as the returner. “ We lost our returner; Sam’s done it for us before. He’s a good one.
“To say, ‘Why is he returning?’ Well, why is our starting linebacker playing punt? It’s football; it’s what we do.
“I haven’t gotten the update completely (on his injury), but hopefully it’s nothing crazy.”
