Argonauts rally in final quarter to blitz short-handed Roughriders

REGINA — The short-handed Saskatchewan Roughriders were no match for Toronto tailback Andrew Harris as the Argos registered a 31-21 come-from-behind CFL victory on Sunday.

The 35-year-old Harris gained 143 yards on 26 carries as the Argos (3-2) overcame a 21-14 deficit with 17 points in the final 4:30 of the game.

With 10 regulars out of the lineup due to COVID-19 exposure, the Riders (4-3) entered the rescheduled game as underdogs but came close to earning a victory before Toronto took over late in the final quarter.

Kurleigh Gittens, who scored on a 70-yard pass and run play in the second quarter, hauled in a five-yard touchdown pass that tied the game 21-21.

Boris Bede kicked the game-winning field goal, a 29-yarder, with 47 seconds left in the game. Toronto sealed the deal on the ensuing kickoff when Enoch Penney-Laryea scooped up a fumble by returner Mario Alford and scored a 10-yard touchdown.

The winning field goal was set up by a 35-yard punt return by Brandon Banks that put the Argos on the Saskatchewan 50-yard line with 3:30 remaining.

It was the combination of big plays and turnovers that allowed Saskatchewan to keep the game close until the late stages. The Riders capitalized on five Toronto turnovers — the Argos were stopped twice on third and one attempts, they fumbled twice and were intercepted once.

The Riders gathered momentum by scoring two touchdowns in the final 1:39 of the second quarter. Rookie quarterback Jake Dolegala, making his first CFL start, hit Tevin Jones with a 10-yard scoring pass to cut the Argos lead to 11-10.

Then with 26 seconds left in the half, Alford scored an electric 112-yard touchdown on a return of a missed 61-yard field goal attempt by Bede. Alford caught the ball to the left