It took 13 years but Trevor Harris is finally a Grey Cup-winning starting quarterback.
The 39-year-old Ohio native threw for 302 yards in leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders past the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 on Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium. Harris completed 23-of-27 passes (Cup record 85.2 per cent completion average) and was named the game’s outstanding player.
This marked Harris’s third Grey Cup championship but his first two (Toronto in 2012, Ottawa in 2016) were as a backup.
“Listen, the first meeting I ever had with a player was Trevor Harris and I told him that this was going to happen,” said Corey Mace, the Riders second-year head coach. “I understood what everybody said about him and he’s never been.
“You can’t say (expletive) no more other than Grey Cup champion, starting quarterback, MVP. And you better put Hall of Fame next to that name, too. Love that guy.”
Harris’s future remains the big question now. Does he retire on top or return for a 14th CFL season?
It’s a question he deftly evaded all week. On Sunday, he wouldn’t discuss any feelings of validation with this Grey Cup win.
“I think that’s for you guys to talk about,” said Harris. “I’m just grateful for my teammates, I’m so thankful for my teammates.
“We did it. It wasn’t the prettiest game but it never is.”
Saskatchewan receiver Sam Emilus was the game’s top Canadian with 10 catches for 108 yards. Riders running back A.J. Ouellette ran for a game-high 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Riders are scheduled to return home Monday, with their victory parade slated for Tuesday in Regina.
In registering their fifth Grey Cup title — and first since winning in 2013 in Regina — the Riders did something no other CFL team had done before: hand Montreal starter Davis Alexander a loss.
Alexander came into the contest having won 13 straight starts (11-0 over two years during the regular season, then playoff wins over Winnipeg and Hamilton in 2025.) Alexander’s regular-season record — the best start to a career in league history — will carry over to 2026.
Alexander was a big story this week after tweaking his left hamstring in the East Division final win over Hamilton. Alexander received treatment all week and played Sunday but Saskatchewan’s defence intercepted him three times.
Alexander was limited to just seven regular season starts this year as the hamstring ailment twice landed him on the injured list. Alexander started and finished Sunday’s game but his lack of mobility was noticeable as he was 22-of-34 passing for 284 yards with two rushes for 14 yards.
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“I thought he ran around pretty good,” said veteran Riders defensive lineman Micah Johnson. “I thought we did a good job of taking stuff away from him.
“In my opinion he was running around decently … he was healthy.”
Still, Saskatchewan made it interesting with Brett Lauther’s missed 39-yard boot with 6:36 remaining. Montreal drove to the Riders’ three-yard line before cornerback Marcus Sayles recovered Shea Patterson’s fumble in the end zone, giving the West Division champs the ball at their 30-yard line with 2:53 remaining.
Montreal regained possession at its 23-yard line with 58 seconds left when Alexander took off on a four-yard run but was limping noticeably returning to the huddle. Alexander remained in the game despite his mobility being further hampered.
“I didn’t play well enough to win this game for us,” Alexander said. “I did a couple things that I didn’t do during the year, you know, turn the ball over three times.
“When you get outplayed in the quarterback position, you put your team at a deficit right away.”
Mace earned his first Grey Cup win as a head coach. But as the Riders defensive coordinator, he took great delight in the unit’s play.
“We just didn’t want to give up chunk plays,” said Mace. “We gave up a few but they put the ball up and these guys (Riders defenders), they capitalize.
“We’ve got ball hawks back there. Incredibly proud of all those guys. Ultimately at the end of the game they had to put the ball up and I’ll trust my front four and our back end with anybody in the league.”
Jose Maltos Diaz’s 23-yard field goal at 7:08 of the fourth cut Montreal’s deficit to 25-17.
“We had some big second-down conversions,” Harris said. “I didn’t throw any touchdowns but we had some big-time second down conversions through the air.
“We ran the ball well, we were able to stay on the field and that last drive we were able to get some first downs and bleed some clock to really put the pressure on them.”
Saskatchewan was the decided favourite of the enthusiastic Princess Auto Stadium sellout of 32,343. This marked the 15th straight sellout at the facility dating back to August 2024 and including the West Division final.
This was the third Montreal-Saskatchewan Grey Cup matchup. The Alouettes won both previous meetings in 2009 and 2010.
Tommy Stevens had Saskatchewan’s other two touchdowns. Lauther booted three converts and a field goal while Jesse Mirco added a single.
Patterson and Stevie Scott III scored Montreal’s touchdowns. Maltos Diaz kicked the converts and a field goal.
Scott ended the third quarter with an 11-yard TD run to pull Montreal to within 25-14. Lauther’s 48-yard kick at 11:01 put the Riders ahead 25-7.
Saskatchewan opened the second half with Stevens culminating a four-play 48-yard drive with a one-yard TD run at 2:48 of the third for a 22-7 advantage. It followed Mario Alford’s 38-yard kickoff return.
Saskatchewan outscored Montreal 14-0 in the second quarter to take a 15-7 lead into halftime.
Ouellette scored on a five-yard run at 12:22 to boost Saskatchewan’s lead to 15-7. The 11-play, 92-yard drive took more than six minutes off the clock and included Ouellette’s 32-yard reception.
Stevens’ one-yard run at 3:52 put Saskatchewan back ahead 8-7. It followed a successful challenge for pass interference by the Riders after Montreal’s Kabion Ento knocked away Harris’s third-down pass to Dohnte Meyers.
Harris was a solid 13-of-16 passing in the opening half — registering 10 straight completions at one point — for 155 yards. Ouellette ran for 54 yards on nine carries with the 32-yard catch.
Alexander completed nine-of-14 passes for 97 yards but was intercepted twice. He ran once in the opening half for 10 yards.
Patterson put Montreal ahead 7-1 with a one-yard TD run at 13:48 of the first, capping a six-play 54-yard march. Mirco’s 69-yard punt single opened the scoring at 4:55.
