Lions clinch playoff spot with win over Redblacks

VANCOUVER – The B.C. Lions locked up their spot in this year’s CFL playoffs with a 41-20 victory over the beleaguered Ottawa Redblacks on Friday.

Nathan Rourke threw for 360 yards, connecting on 25 of his 31 pass attempts with three touchdowns and an interception as his Lions (10-6) stretched their win streak to four games.

B.C. running back Zander Horvath rushed for 89 yards on 14 carries and drove in two majors, while James Butler amassed 76 rushing yards and a TD.

The Redblacks (0-16) tested the surging Lions at times, cutting the home side’s lead to just three points in the third quarter, but ultimately couldn’t complete the comeback and suffered the team’s 22nd straight loss dating back to last season.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson went 25 for 35 on his pass attempts, tallying 253 yards with a touchdown toss to Daniel Adeboboye. He was sacked four times and recorded one interception.

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Ottawa’s Kalil Pimpleton scored two points off a missed convert as he caught the ball in his own end zone and sprinted up the field, evading several tackles, and ending his run in the Lions’ end zone. Paul Geelen made four field goals, including a 52-yard strike early in the third quarter.

The Lions got off to a hot start Friday, scoring on the first possession of the game.

Rourke orchestrated an eight-play, 84-yard drive that ended with Keon Hatcher Sr. collecting a sharp pass directly under the uprights for B.C.’s first major of the night less than five minutes into the opening quarter.

The home side padded its lead midway through the first. Horvath took the ball on a short-yardage play and darting over the goal line. A single-point convert from Sean Whyte gave the Lions an early 14-0 advantage.

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Ottawa responded, with Bethel-Thompson finding Adeboboye with a short pass and the Canadian running back sprinting 18 yards up the field and into the end zone. The Redblacks settled for six points on the play when Paul Geelen’s convert single-point attempt went wide.

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The visitors added another three points early in the second thanks to Geelen’s 38-yard field goal.

B.C. regained a double-digit cushion before halftime when Rourke sailed a 26-yard pass to Stanley Berryhill. As the American receiver jumped up to make the grab, he was hit by Ottawa’s Ahmari Harvey, but Berryhill managed to come down with the ball and Whyte’s convert kick gave the Lions a 21-9 lead.

A trainer came out to look at Berryhill and, after a few moments, he got up on his own and walked back to the bench.

With less than a minute left in the first half, the Redblacks gained some momentum when Alonzo Addae picked off Rourke’s pass at midfield. The play marked the first time the Canadian quarterback was intercepted in 131 attempts over four games.

Ottawa worked the ball into B.C. territory and Geelen booted a 24-yard field goal to trim the Lions’ lead to 21-12 going into halftime.

He put a 52-yard kick through the uprights early in the third quarter to bring the visitors within six points.

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The Redblacks forced a turnover minutes later after Rourke sent a short pass toward Hatcher at Ottawa’s 36-yard line. Amani Bledsoe levelled Hatcher and came up from a dog pile with the ball, putting his team back on offence.

Bethel-Thompson capitalized on the possession, firing a rocket up the field to Justin Hardy for a 37-yard gain. An unnecessary roughness call on B.C. linebacker Darnell Sankey further improved Ottawa’s position, but the Redblacks settled for an 18-yard field goal from Geelen that cut their deficit to 21-18.

The Lions rallied. Horvath sparked the a scoring drive, plowing his way toward the Ottawa end zone for a 33-yard gain. He finished the drive by diving over a pile on the goal line for his second touchdown of the night and 21st of the season. Whyte’s convert put the Lions up 28-18.

It took B.C. just moments to regain possession. Casey Sayles sacked Bethel-Thompson and Sankey jumped on the loose ball for a turnover.

His teammates took advantage, with Rourke tossing an eight-yard dart to Jevon Cottoy for a touchdown.

The Lions pulled away midway through the fourth quarter thanks to a pair of big runs by Butler.

The speedster took the ball from Rourke and took off, getting 55 yards up the field before being felled by Kahzir Brown. Butler later accepted another handoff from his QB and dashed 14 yards for a touchdown. This time, Whyte made the convert and B.C. took a 41-20 lead.

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Kaidon Salter replaced Rourke at quarterback in the final minutes of the fourth but did not throw a single pass attempt, opting instead for multiple handoffs to Horvath and Butler.

UP NEXT

Redblacks: Host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday, Oct. 16.

Lions: Visit the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, Oct. 17.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2026.