Edmonton Elks beat Blue Bombers 23-18

Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo orchestrated a dramatic late-game touchdown drive, securing a 23-18 victory for the Elks over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The win came before a sold-out crowd of 32,343 at Princess Auto Stadium on Thursday night.

With under three minutes remaining, Fajardo connected with T.J. Luther for an eight-yard touchdown pass, capping a nine-play, 57-yard drive. Although the subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed, the score proved decisive. The Blue Bombers' final attempt to drive down the field fell short as time expired when they reached Edmonton's 17-yard line.

The victory propelled the Elks to a 3-0 record, their best start to a season since 2017. In contrast, the Blue Bombers slipped to a 1-2 standing. Fajardo delivered a strong performance, completing 23 of 35 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown, supported by running back Justin Rankin's 106 rushing yards on 18 carries.

Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros attempted to rally his team after they trailed 17-0 in the first half. He completed 24 of 33 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Collaros connected with Brady Oliveira for a 14-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, giving Winnipeg a brief 18-17 lead after Castillo's convert. However, the Elks' early momentum, including a touchdown run by Rankin and a field goal, had put them in a commanding position.

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With less than three minutes to play Fajardo found TJ Luther on an eight-yard touchdown pass to complete a nine-play, 57-yard drive.