Riders' Week 2 Dominance
Roughriders secure strong Week 2 win over Lions led by Harris and key receivers
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The Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the BC Lions 31-27 in Week 2 of the 2026 CFL season, holding on at Mosaic Stadium for a gutsy home win Leader Post. Quarterback Trevor Harris was the offensive engine, connecting with receiver Samuel Emilus for two consecutive touchdown passes to seal the victory. Starting 2-0 in the West Division, Saskatchewan now holds a strong early edge in the playoff race.
The win was not without cost. Defensive halfback Rolan Milligan Jr. left the game in the first half with a lower-body injury and is not expected to play in Week 3 Ottawa Citizen. Despite that blow, the Riders never lost their footing — a sign of depth that head coach Corey Mace has built into the roster.
Harris and Emilus Connect to Seal the Game
Trevor Harris was sharp all night, finishing with a completion rate above 70% Leader Post. He saved his best for last, throwing back-to-back touchdown passes to Samuel Emilus in back-to-back drives. Harris said after the game, "Samuel makes my job easy when he wins his 1-on-1s like that." It was the kind of late-game execution that had been missing from Saskatchewan teams in recent years.
Five receivers made catches of 15 yards or more. Emilus led the group, but Kian Schaffer-Baker, KeeSean Johnson, Jaylen Johnson, and Dhel Duncan-Busby all made key grabs at key moments Ottawa Citizen. TSN analyst Dave Naylor called the chemistry between Harris and his receivers "the best in the league right now." It is a pick-your-poison offense that defenses are struggling to solve.
Canadian Depth Shines in Defensive Shakeup
When Rolan Milligan Jr. went down, many expected the secondary to fall apart. Instead, Canadian players Nelson Lokombo and Jaxon Ford stepped in and held their own Leader Post. Mace said after the game, "We don't just have a starting twelve; we have a starting forty-five." That depth is by design. Saskatchewan has leaned into a Canadian-heavy defensive scheme that also frees up roster spots for American receivers.
Analyst John Hodge of 3DownNation called roster depth "the real story" of the win. Losing a player of Milligan Jr.'s caliber — a frontrunner for early Defensive Player of the Year honors — would have tanked many other secondaries Ottawa Citizen. In Regina, it barely caused a stumble.
Pass Rush Suffocates Nathan Rourke Late
First-year Riders James Vaughters and Desmond Evans each sacked BC quarterback Nathan Rourke in the fourth quarter Leader Post. That back-to-back pressure killed any Lions comeback. Rourke, who returned to the CFL after a stint in the NFL, also threw a late interception. Critics have questioned whether his mobility has fully recovered from prior injuries, and the Riders' blitz scheme exposed those concerns.
Vancouver-based outlets framed the result as a Lions offensive line failure rather than a Riders win Ottawa Citizen. The BC protection scheme gave Rourke little time and no answers. Lions offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic may need to add more max-protection sets or turn to backup Vernon Adams Jr. if things do not improve by Week 4.
Milligan Injury Looms Large Over Week 3
The Roughriders face a tough few weeks without Milligan Jr. Trainers project a two-to-four week recovery timeline Leader Post. His absence is the biggest test of the "next man up" culture Mace has installed. If Lokombo and Ford can hold the secondary together, Saskatchewan may prove its depth is real and not just a one-game flash.
Historically, CFL teams that start 2-0 with a divisional road win make the playoffs about 78% of the time Ottawa Citizen. Saskatchewan has the offense, the pass rush, and the coaching to stay in that group. But health will decide how deep this team goes. The next three weeks will show just how ready the backups truly are.
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