MONTREAL — Canadian running back Brady Oliveira led the charge as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers handed the injury-plagued Montreal Alouettes their fourth consecutive loss with a 26-13 win on Thursday night.
The reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player gave Winnipeg (6-4) a 23-13 lead with a three-yard touchdown run with 8:28 left in the fourth quarter. He totalled 120 rushing yards and added 73 through the air on nine receptions.
Zach Collaros was an efficient 27-of-31 passing for 263 yards and one touchdown for the Bombers, who won their second in a row after a walk-off victory over the Ottawa Redblacks last week.
Canadian receiver Nic Demski caught a touchdown pass before exiting with an injury in the second quarter. Jerreth Sterns also left the game after a hard hit just before halftime.
In his first CFL start, fourth-string quarterback James Morgan finished with 198 passing yards on 18-for-33 completions with one TD and two interceptions for Montreal (5-6), which started a different QB for the third consecutive game.
Morgan, a 28-year-old from Green Bay, Wisc., often sprayed passes wide and behind receivers in his second CFL appearance.
Alexander Hollins caught a game-high 132 yards on five receptions, while Tyler Snead caught Montreal’s only TD before 20,310 at Molson Stadium.
Alouettes third-string QB Caleb Evans suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week’s 36-18 loss to the B.C. Lions and joined starter Davis Alexander (hamstring) and backup McLeod Bethel-Thompson (elbow) on the six-game injured list.
Montreal is also down top receivers Austin Mack and Tyson Philpot, safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy, returner James Letcher Jr., defensive back Dionte Ruffin, offensive lineman Justin Lawrence and defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson.
After Montreal held Winnipeg scoreless in the third quarter, the Bombers finally broke through when Oliveira rushed into the end zone to cap a 10-play, 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter.
Bombers kicker Sergio Castillo added to the lead with a 41-yard field goal to put Winnipeg ahead 26-13 with 2:37 remaining.
Morgan led the Alouettes to the Winnipeg 38 with three first downs late, before throwing another pick to Trey Vaval.
Castillo went 4-for-4 on field goals, while Montreal’s Jose Maltos Diaz was good on both his attempts, including a 38-yarder.
Winnipeg opened the scoring eight minutes into the game with a 13-yard field goal after the Alouettes halted the Bombers at their five-yard line with a Geoffrey Cantin-Arku hit on Collaros.
Morgan then sent a big throw 45 yards to Hollins, bringing Montreal to the Winnipeg 25. But Montreal also settled for a 13-yard kick after running back Travis Theis pushed Montreal to the Bombers’ five-yard line.
Demski caught a two-yard toss from Collaros with six seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Bombers a 10-3 lead after a Montreal roughing-the-passer penalty.
The Alouettes responded to tie when Morgan found Snead on a four-yard TD pass at 11:24 in the second quarter. Snead also sparked Montreal’s drive downfield by throwing a 44-yard bomb to Hollins on a well-executed trick play for his second career completion.
Under pressure, Morgan aired out an easy interception for Evan Holm at the centre of the field, leading to a second Castillo field goal from 20 yards out with 2:45 remaining in the half. And Castillo added another to put Winnipeg ahead 16-10 after two quarters.
UP NEXT
Alouettes: Host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sept. 6 after a bye week.
Bombers: Visit the league-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders on Aug. 31.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2025.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
