Alford, Roughriders stun Argonauts in dying seconds to win 39-32
Mario Alford returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the dying seconds as the Saskatchewan Roughriders stunned the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.
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After the Argonauts tied the Week 3 CFL contest 32-32 with 23 seconds left on Friday night at BMO Field, Alford brought back the ensuing kickoff to secure Saskatchewan's second straight 3-0 start to a season.
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'Coach told me before we went out there, 'Let's get it to the 40-, 45-(yard line),' ' Alford told TSN's Brit Dort after the game. 'Then I saw the hole and I did what I do best.
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'I try to put my team in the best position possible to win. We were able to execute; shoutout to the blockers.'
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While the defending Grey Cup champion Argonauts —who fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2019 — scored the opening points of the game on their first drive as quarterback Nick Arbuckle engineered a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a five-yard touchdown pass to Dejon Brissett, it was the Roughriders who led the way for the majority of the game.
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On Saskatchewan's first series, quarterback Trevor Harris and company put together a six-play, 75-yard drive highlighted by a 25-yard touchdown run by running back A.J. Ouellette, who had a similar 47-yard touchdown run last week against Hamilton.
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With the convert, the game was tied 7-7 midway through the first quarter.
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After a two-and-out by Saskatchewan's defence and a 35-yard punt return by Alford, Saskatchewan's offence went back to work as Harris connected with Dohnte Meyers for a 13-yard gain before the duo connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass on the very next play to put Saskatchewan on top 14-7.
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Following another two-and-out by the Roughriders' defence, Harris and company went back to work as Mitch Picton made a highlight-reel 33-yard catch which led to a 16-yard field goal by Brett Lauther to make it 17-7 Riders.
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Near the end of the first half, the Argonauts got down to Saskatchewan's one-yard line on a 17-play, 76-yard drive which lasted more than seven minutes, but they couldn't come away with any points as Saskatchewan's defence forced a turnover on downs after a goal-line stand.
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The Argos got the ball back before the half was up, and after Riders defensive back Marcus Sayles couldn't come down with an interception, Argos' kicker Lirim Hajrullahu nailed a 56-yard field goal to make it 17-10 at the break.
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On the opening drive of the second half, the Riders added to their lead as Harris hit Meyers on a slant pass before the second-year slotback broke free and rumbled 70 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown of the game to make it 24-10.
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