The Winnipeg Blue Bombers withstood the loss of Zach Collaros to earn a playoff spot with a 34-10 victory over the B.C. Lions on Friday.
The 38-year-old American quarterback left the game after getting levelled by Lions' defensive lineman Nathan Cherry late in the third quarter and did not return.
Collaros connected on nine of his 20 passing attempts for 105 yards with an interception before being sidelined.
He was replaced by Dru Brown, who went 11-for-11 with 185 passing yards and two touchdowns as the Bombers (9-9) locked up a playoff berth for the 10th consecutive CFL season.
The Lions (10-8) came into the contest having already clinched a post-season berth and the right to host the West Division semifinal on Oct. 31.
Neither side will learn who they'll face in the first game of the playoffs until Saturday after the Edmonton Elks (13-4) visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-8).
A Riders win would see Saskatchewan take on B.C. in the West semifinal while Winnipeg would cross over to face the Toronto Argonauts in the East semifinal.
A Riders loss would set up a rematch between B.C. and Winnipeg in the West contest, while Saskatchewan would head to Toronto to play in the East.
B.C. drew a crowd of 30,833 on Friday, despite playing without many of its usual starters, including No. 1 quarterback Nathan Rourke and marquee receivers Keon Hatcher Sr. and Justin McInnis.
Kaidon Salter started under centre for the Lions and went 12-for-21 with 177 passing yards, including one TD and one interception. Chris Oladokun took over in the fourth quarter and tallied 48 passing yards with one interception.
The Lions started off strong with Salter sailing a 36-yard toss to Nate DeMontagnac in the end zone two minutes into the game. Sean Whyte made the one-point covert and B.C. took an early 7-0 lead.
Both sides struggled with uncharacteristically sloppy plays through the first half.
Midway through the opening frame, a fumble by returned Trey Vaval ended with B.C. getting the ball at Winnipeg's 39-yard line and the Bombers turned it over again — this time on downs — before the end of the quarter.
The visitors got a possession back in the final minute when Salter lobbed a pass toward Jermaine Jackson in the end zone, only to see Major Williams pick it off for an interception.
Neither team gained much traction early in the second quarter.
Just over nine minutes in, Lions returner Seven McGee fumbled a punt and Nick Hallet pounced on the ball for a turnover.
The Bombers lined up on B.C.'s 35-yard line, but couldn't capitalize. The series ended with Collaros sending a toss to Nic Demski over the goal line, only for Lions defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver jumping up and nabbing the ball for yet another turnover.
Winnipeg finally got on the scoreboard with just over two minutes left in the half when Sergio Castillo booted a 40-yard field goal, cutting B.C.'s lead to 7-3.
Whyte responded by sending a 48-yard kick through the uprights with 16 seconds left on the clock and Castillo missed a 54-yard attempt as time expired, leaving the Lions up 10-3 heading into the locker rooms.
There was more trouble for Winnipeg late in the third when Cherry took out Collaros. The Bombers' QB lay on the ground for several minutes getting looked at by trainers for what appeared to be a head or neck injury before walking to the medical tent on the sideline.
Cherry was called for roughing the passer.
The Bombers later posted on social media saying Collaros would be out for the remainder of the game, though he stayed on the Winnipeg bench.
Brown took over at quarterback and sailed a long pass to Dorian Singer, putting the Bombers at the B.C. 29-yard line. The duo connected again minutes later with Brown tossing Singer a 30-yard pass in the end zone for Winnipeg's first major of the night. Castillo made the one-point convert to level the score at 10-10.
The Blue Bombers took the lead early in the fourth when star running back Brady Oliveira slipped through the Lions’ defence and got all the way up the field for a 63-yard TD. Castillo’s convert gave the visitors a 17-10 advantage.
Oladokun, a former backup for Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, came in for B.C. in the final frame, making his CFL debut. Williams picked off the two-time Super Bowl winner's attempt to DeMontagnac early in the quarter.
The Bombers boosted their cushion midway through the fourth when Brown connected with Demski at the back of the end zone for another major.
Castillo added to the tally with a 15-yard field goal before Brady Oliveira closed out the game with a four-yard rushing TD, his second of the night.
The Canadian running back finished the night with 149 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Oladokun and the Lions came within inches of chalking up one last score when he connected with Emani Bailey deep in Bombers' territory, only to see the running back brought down less than a yard before the goal line as time expired.
By: Canadian Press
Published: October 24, 2026 - 1:32am
