Edmonton Elks to miss playoffs for 3rd straight season after loss to Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are back in the Canadian Football League playoffs after two years on the outside looking in.

Trevor Harris passed for 358 yards and two touchdowns as the Roughriders clinched a post-season berth with a 28-24 victory over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday.

It was the third straight win for Saskatchewan (8-7-1) which has triumphed in their past seven games at Commonwealth Stadium, dating back to 2019.

"We knew it was going to be a challenge coming into their building in the situation they are in, but our offence moved the ball, our cover teams were great all night, our return game was pretty darn good," said Saskatchewan coach Corey Mace. "I am extremely proud of everybody in finding a way to get a victory."

Harris said he was pleased to have the playoff hurdle accomplished.

"It is a relief," he said. "It will be a quick celebration and then it is time to move on because we have bigger and better things we want to accomplish as a group."

It was the third straight loss for the Elks (5-11-0).

"This team has been through hell and back again and tonight was another frustrating one," said Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who passed for 379 yards and two touchdowns. "It was a case of so many what-ifs? Going into the half and coming out of the half, it was really unfortunate to turn the ball over back-to-back.

"Everything you can imagine going against us went against us."

Edmonton was the sole team to hit the scoreboard in the first quarter, registering a punt single.

The Elks added a major 4:21 into the second quarter as Bethel-Thompson pitched it out to running back Javon Leake on a third-down gamble from the one and he took it wide into the end zone.

Saskatchewan responded in a big way just 37