It’s been 10 years since the Saskatchewan Roughriders last finished in first place in the C-F-L West Division and hosted the division final. The Green and White are on the cusp of doing it again in 2019!

Brett Lauther booted a 43-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter to give the Riders a 27-24 victory Saturday evening over the Eskimos in Edmonton. The result improves Saskatchewan’s record to 12-5 and sole possession of top spot in the West. A victory over the Esks in the return match next Saturday at Mosaic Stadium would mean the Roughriders would host the West final on November 17.

Edmonton jumped out to a 14-0 lead in Saturday’s contest, buoyed by the return of quarterback Trevor Harris after he missed the previous four Eskimos’ game with an injury right throwing arm. But, the Green and White defence recovered to slow up the Esks’ attack while Cody Fajardo got the Riders’ act together on offence. By the end of the third quarter, Saskatchewan led 21-17…and increased that to 24-17 with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining.

However, Harris led Edmonton on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that knotted the score. It appeared the game was heading for overtime when the Roughriders were penalized for holding on the ensuing kick-off return. But, despite starting from their own six yard-line, Fajardo drove the Green and White 70 yards, on six of eight passes, to set up Lauther’s winning kick.

Having signed a two-year contract extension, worth a reported $450,000 per season, earlier in the week, Fajardo proved his worth by throwing for 429 yards and two touchdowns, completing 25 of 35 passes. Kyran Moore caught 10 of those tosses for 159 yards while Shaq Evans hauled in another six passes for 174 yards.