Edmonton Elks' Zach Mathis, bottom, is tackled by Toronto Argonauts' Tyshon Blackburn during first half CFL football action in Edmonton, on Friday, October 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry Wong
EDMONTON – In a game that meant nothing in the CFL standings, the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks played one of the strangest games of the season.
Jake Julien’s 54-yard punt sailed over the end zone for a rare game-winning rouge, as the Elks beat the Argos 31-30 in overtime Friday at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Elks capitalized on big plays and a powerful running game to overcome an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter during the season finale for both teams.
Quarterback Tre Ford led the Elks (7-11) on a 90-yard, two-play drive in the final minute to complete a wild fourth quarter. After a 50-yard bomb to Eugene Lewis, he connected with Zach Mathis on a 40-yard touchdown play. After the extra point, the Elks had a 30-27 lead.
But Lirim Hajrullahu hit a game-tying field goal for the Argos as the fourth quarter expired, sending the game to overtime.
The Elks entered the fourth trailing 20-9.
After a four-yard touchdown catch by Eugene Lewis brought the Elks to within five, quarterback Ford led the Elks on a 98-yard drive, highlighted by a 71-yard pass play to Jerminic Smith. It was punctuated by a 10-yard touchdown run by Justin Rankin.
Lewis finished the game with 88 yards receiving, boosting him to 1,070 on the season. Lewis may have played his final game as an Elk, as he finished up a two-year deal that paid him $320,000 a season.
But the Argos snatched the lead back on Deonta McMahon’s second touchdown of the game, a nine-yard pass from quarterback Nick Arbuckle.
The Argos (10-8) got 122 yards receiving from Makai Polk and Jake Herslow caught his first career touchdown pass.
For Polk, the big night allowed him to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark on the season. He finished the campaign with 1,024.
Herslow laid out to catch a 29-yard touchdown pass from Nick Arbuckle in the second quarter, and finished with 55 yards on the night.
Arbuckle, a former Elk, entered the game in the second quarter and threw for 378 yards. Second-stringer Cameron Dukes played the first quarter for the Argos, who rested No. 1 quarterback Chad Kelly ahead of their Eastern semifinal date next week against the Ottawa Redblacks.
With the game having no bearing on the standings for the Argos, the team also rested its top running back, Ka’Deem Carey.
They started Tre Ford at quarterback despite him not being under contract for 2025. In the first quarter, he evaded a blitz and threw a 67-yard touchdown strike to running back Javon Leake, who snuck uncovered out of the backfield.
Leake, who also had an 88-yard run early in the third quarter, finished with 128 rushing yards.
Ford passed for 325 yards, added 81 rushing yards, and threw three touchdown passes.
Argos coach Ryan Dinwiddie could not rest all of his regulars, because of CFL roster sizes and salary-cap considerations. So, Argos fans will sweat the condition of wide receiver Damonte Coxie, who limped off in the second quarter after taking a hard hit to the hip from Elks’ linebacker Nick Anderson.
He did not return.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2024.
