REGINA — Bo Levi Mitchell threw three touchdown passes and the Calgary Stampeders improved to 6-0 with a 34-22 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night.
The Stampeders exploded with a 24-point first quarter, highlighted by Mitchell’s two touchdown strikes, both of which were set up by Saskatchewan turnovers.
Calgary recovered a fumble at the Saskatchewan 40-yard line and on the ensuing play from scrimmage, Mitchell connected with Marken Michel for a 40-yard touchdown.
After a Rene Paredes field goal and a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown from Terry Williams, Calgary’s defence forced another Saskatchewan turnover.
Jerome Messam, a former Stampeder, fumbled, and Calgary recovered inside Saskatchewan territory. Four plays later, Mitchell hooked up with Eric Rogers on a 15-yard touchdown.
Calgary led 24-0 after the first quarter and the rout appeared to be on.
Saskatchewan’s lone first-half touchdown came on Tobi Antigha’s 52-yard interception return. Kicker Brett Lauther added a pair of field goals for the Roughriders (3-3).
Calgary led 24-13 at the half.
Saskatchewan’s momentum carried over into the second half, as Lauther connected on two field goals to cut the Calgary lead to five (24-19) with five minutes to go in the third quarter.
It marked the first time in 2018 that Calgary had allowed more than 14 points in any game. The 1979 Edmonton Eskimos were the most recent team to record such a stingy start to a season.
Order was restored, however, when Mitchell marched the Stampeders and capped a drive with a 15-yard touchdown strike to DaVaris Daniels.
Calgary led 31-19 after three quarters.
Lauther booted his fifth field goal of the game midway through the fourth quarter to make it 31-22, but that was as close as the home side would get.
Lauther was 5-for-5 on field goal attempts.
Paredes’ second field goal of the game gave Calgary a 34-22 lead.
Former Stampeders standout Charleston Hughes, in his first year with Saskatchewan, had two sacks against his former team.
Saskatchewan will travel to Edmonton to take on the Eskimos next week, while Calgary will host the B.C. Lions.
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