Lauther hits late field goal to lift Roughriders over Eskimos 27-24

Oct 26, 2019 | 7:34 PM

EDMONTON — Brett Lauther nailed a 43-yard field goal with time expired as the Saskatchewan Roughriders won their second game in a row and fourth out of the last five with a 27-24 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday.

The Roughriders (12-5) have earned at least a home playoff date and still have hopes of hosting the Western final.

The game didn’t have playoff implications for Edmonton (8-9), which already has its ticket booked to cross over to the East.

Eskimos quarterback Trevor Harris made his return after being sidelined since Sept. 7 with a hand injury and made a 65-yard pass to Ricky Collins Jr. on his first play of the game, only to then be intercepted in the end zone by Rider Nick Marshall.

Edmonton came back and scored on its next possession, with Calvin McCarty going in on a one-yard plunge.

The Eskimos closed out the opening quarter with Mike Moore recovering a fumble by Roughriders QB Cody Fajardo on the Saskatchewan one, leading to McCarty’s second TD on the night.

Saskatchewan got on the board with four minutes left in the second quarter on a three-yard TD run by Marcus Thigpen.

Edmonton made it 17-7 at the mid-mark on a 23-yard Sean Whyte field goal.

The Roughriders closed to within three points on a 25-yard TD pass from Fajardo to Kyran Moore.

Saskatchewan then surged in front on its next possession with a five-yard TD pass to Emmanuel Arceneaux, and added a 30-yard field goal by Lauther midway through the fourth.

The Eskimos tied the game with 1:48 to play when Harris connected with Tevaun Smith for a 12-yard passing TD.

The two teams play a rematch in Regina next Saturday to close out the regular season.

Notes: It was the first meeting between Edmonton and Saskatchewan this season. The late-season matchup meant it had been 383 days since the last Eskimos-Riders contest… The game featured the two most-penalized teams in the CFL with Edmonton averaging a league-high 11.4 penalties per game, followed by the Riders at 10.4… Eskimos running back C.J. Gable missed the game with an injury with his status for next week uncertain. Backup Shaq Cooper took his place in the backfield.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2019.

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press