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Elks clinch West Division crown with win over Bombers

Game DayOct 16, 2026
CFL.ca Staff
Elks clinch West Division crown with win over Bombers

Paul Swanson/CFL.ca

Player in green uniform runs with football.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks are West Division champions for the first time since 2015, clinching the title with a 35-27 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium.

Cody Fajardo did much of his damage with his legs, rushing for 72 yards and two touchdowns while adding 120 passing yards and two scores through the air. Justin Rankin rounded out the ground game with 133 yards on 23 carries as Edmonton improved to 13-4 and completed its first three-game season sweep over Winnipeg since 1979.

The Bombers struck first with Zach Collaros leading a 71-yard drive. The veteran quarterback found four different receivers on the way to the red zone, then stood tall under pressure to deliver a fall-away lob to Nic Demski in the end zone.

Fajardo managed just two passing yards in the first quarter, but rushed for 46 to help set up a short field goal. Kenny Logan Jr. gave his pivot a boost in the second, picking off Collaros to give Edmonton a goal-to-go opportunity, and ShunDerrick Powell took a screen pass home to complete the swing.

Collaros quickly put the interception behind him, storming downfield with six straight completions, including a 32-yard strike to Ontaria Wilson for six. Bryce Perkins added another touchdown after the three-minute warning, powering it in from the one-yard line after Dorian Singer drew a 28-yard pass interference call.

A 65-yard kickoff return from Montrell Washington gave Edmonton a late spark and a red zone opportunity before halftime. Facing third down with under 10 seconds remaining, Fajardo found Austin Mack breaking free at the back of the end zone to cut Winnipeg's lead to 21-17.

The back-and-forth continued after the break. Rankin set the tone with six straight touches while a pair of penalties moved Edmonton inside the five, where Fajardo punched it in himself to retake the lead.

Flags and a stingy Bombers defence kept the Elks without another first down for the rest of the quarter, while Winnipeg cut the deficit to one with a field goal. Collaros stretched his completion streak to 17 on the next drive, but Sergio Castillo hit the upright from 55 yards, his second miss from beyond 50 of the night.

Vincent Blanchard stretched Edmonton’s lead with a 50-yard field goal, then Nick Anderson intercepted Collaros deep in Elks territory to halt another Winnipeg drive. Edmonton made the most of the turnover as Rankin took over, ripping off 10 carries for 69 yards and bleeding more than five minutes off the clock. Fajardo capped the drive with his second rushing touchdown of the game to seal the result for Edmonton.

Collaros had just five incompletions in a 331-yard, two-touchdown performance, but his two interceptions proved costly as Winnipeg missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth. Wilson led all receivers with 120 yards, his second-highest total of the season, as the Bombers fell to 8-9.

RELATED

» Depth Charts: WPG | EDM » Blue Bombers, Elks by the numbers » Game Notes: Winnipeg at Edmonton » Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally

SCORING PLAYS

  • Zach Collaros 13-yard touchdown pass to Nic Demski (4:51, Q1) | WPG 7 EDM 0

  • Vincent Blanchard 18-yard field goal (0:00, Q1) | WPG 7 EDM 3

  • Cody Fajardo nine-yard touchdown pass to ShunDerrick Powell (10:09, Q2) | EDM 10 WPG 7

  • Zach Collaros 32-yard touchdown pass to Ontaria Wilson (5:32, Q2) | WPG 14 EDM 10

  • Bryce Perkins one-yard touchdown run (0:54, Q2) | WPG 21 EDM 10

  • Cody Fajardo four-yard touchdown pass to Austin Mack (0:03, Q2) | WPG 21 EDM 17

  • Cody Fajardo one-yard touchdown run (10:42, Q3) | EDM 24 WPG 21

  • Vincent Blanchard kickoff single (10:27, Q3) | EDM 25 WPG 21

  • Sergio Castillo 23-yard field goal (2:31, Q3) | EDM 25 WPG 24

  • Vincent Blanchard 52-yard field goal (8:40, Q4) | EDM 28 WPG 24

  • Cody Fajardo two-yard touchdown run (1:39, Q4) | EDM 35 WPG 27

  • Sergio Castillo 53-yard field goal (0:48, Q4) | EDM 35 WPG 27

NEXT UP

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers could still clinch a playoff spot with some out-of-town help on Saturday before closing out their regular season against the BC Lions on Friday, October 23. BC won their only previous meeting this season, a 35-19 victory in Week 9 with both Zach Collaros and Nathan Rourke sidelined by injuries.

With their playoff position settled, the Edmonton Elks head to Regina to wrap up their regular season schedule against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, October 24. The Week 21 matchup will decide the season series after Edmonton's 36-34 win in Week 8 and Saskatchewan's 28-26 victory in Week 9.