Playoffs guaranteed for Bombers with Labour Day Classic victory over Riders

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This article was published 29/08/2023 (782 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot this weekend.

With a win in Regina on Sunday over the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-5), the Bombers (9-2) will become the first team in the CFL to secure a spot in the post-season.

The club locked up a playoff spot last year in their 12th game, which also happened to be the Labour Day Classic (LDC).

It would mark the seventh year in a row that the Bombers have qualified for the playoffs.

Saskatchewan leads the all-time LDC series 37-21 and has won 14 of the last 17, although Winnipeg has captured the last two.

Former Bombers kicker Marc Liegghio, now with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, drilled a 55-yard field goal late to give Winnipeg a 20-18 victory in last year’s classic. There have been 58 meetings between the two sides on this weekend with 32 of them being decided in the final three minutes of play.

The Blue and Gold are on a five-game winning streak with their most recent victory coming last Thursday in a 47-17 beatdown over the Montreal Alouettes in front of a sell-out crowd of 32,344 at IG Field.

Bomber quarterback Zach Collaros returned from a one-game absence after suffering a neck injury in a Week 10 matchup against the Edmonton Elks and had what could be described as a cold-hot night.

The CFL’s reigning two-time most outstanding player surrendered three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He rebounded in a big way, throwing for 240 yards and four touchdowns, as the Bombers put up 441 yards of offence.

Winnipeg’s defence really stole the show, forcing three turnovers — an interception, fumble recovery and a turnover on downs — and limiting the Alouettes offence to three points and none in the second half. Montreal finished with just 173 offensive yards, with only 21 of them coming in the final two quarters.

The Bombers are scheduled to return to practice on Wednesday.

The Riders are coming off a bye week as they last played on Aug. 20 when backup quarterback Jacob Dolegala threw three touchdowns in a 34-29 win at home over the B.C. Lions.