Rourke throws 3 TDs as B.C. Lions dump Edmonton Elks 31-14 in season opener

Nathan Rourke threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns as the B.C. Lions opened their CFL season with a 31-14 win over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday. 

The Canadian quarterback went 27-for-36 on his passing attempts, linking up with Stanley Berryhill III twice in the end zone. Justin McInnis caught his first touchdown of the year and James Butler drove in another major. 

Veteran kicker Sean Whyte, who played his first game under rookie head coach Buck Pierce, contributed a 22-yard field goal for the Lions.

Elks quarterback Tre Ford put up 178 passing yards, connecting on 17 of his 27 attempts and throwing one interception. He was sacked twice.

Cody Fajardo chalked up two short-yardage rushing majors for Edmonton, who also have a first-year head coach in Mark Kilam.

Rapper Snoop Dogg performed for the announced crowd of 52,837 fans before kickoff.

The game got off to a promising start for the Lions with Rourke and his teammates steadily working the ball up the field to give B.C. a first down at Edmonton's two-yard line. 

Chase Brice came in for short yardage duty and appeared to stretch the ball into the end zone on third down. A review by the command centre, though, determined the QB went down before getting the ball across the line. 

Ford struggled early, going 0-for-3 on his first attempts of the game, before connecting with Zach Mathias for a six-yard gain on his fourth attempt of the night. 

Edmonton got on the board with just over three minutes left in the first quarter when Cody Grace sent a 66-yard punt into the end zone for a rouge. 

B.C. again came within inches of a touchdown early in the game when Rourke threaded a crisp pass to Jevon Cottoy directly under the uprights. The Canadian receiver fumbled the ball,