CALGARY — The Ottawa REDBLACKS came out of a wet and windy McMahon Stadium with a 20-12 win on Saturday afternoon, their first victory of the 2025 season. The weather was part of the story if not the main character through large parts of a low-scoring game in southern Alberta but then Ottawa running back Daniel Adeboboye broke free for a 57-yard rush in the fourth quarter before he got the game’s only touchdown. The result makes it four straight wins for the REDBLACKS over the Calgary Stampeders.
Making his first start in 603 days with Dru Brown still on the mend, Ottawa quarterback Dustin Crum went 9-22 in tough conditions, going for 111 yards through the air and 64 more on the ground. William Stanback pitched in with 82 yards on nine rushes in a game where both teams leaned on the ground game.
The Ottawa defence forced Calgary into five turnovers, including a crucial stop to keep P.J. Walker out of the end zone on a goal line try in the second quarter, and a fourth-quarter interception on Vernon Adams Jr. by Charlie Ringland.
Adams Jr. was 17-32 for Calgary, throwing for 218 yards and running for 21 more. He lost a fumble and threw an interception in the fourth quarter. Dedrick Mills finished with 96 yards rushing on 15 attempts and four catches for an additional 27. Clark Barnes had a game-high 61 receiving yards on just two catches.
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After holding Calgary to a two and out to start the game, an impressive start by the Ottawa offence got the visitors into scoring range. Crum had 30 yards rushing on his team’s first possession, and Lewis Ward finished it off with a 34-yard field goal against the wind to get the REDBLACKS into an early 3-0 lead.
Mills found some early success on Calgary’s follow-up drive, cutting to his left to pick up a first down. Dominique Rhymes got loose down the left sideline as Adams Jr. extended the play with his legs to earn Calgary another first down, gaining 22 yards on the passing play. Under pressure once again, the REDBLACKS continued to bring the heat in the trenches with multiple REDBLACKS surrounding Adams Jr. as Muftah Ageli ultimately got the sack, just his team’s second of the season. Forced to go for the field goal on third down, Rene Paredes couldn’t make his kick from 43 yards.
After an Ottawa penalty kept them just outside their own end zone, Jaylon Hutchings brought Crum down for the safety, making it 3-2. Getting the ball back, Adams Jr. looked left again, this time finding Barnes for a 27-yard completion. Adams Jr. showed off his legs on a 16-yard scramble, bringing Calgary down to the Ottawa 13. Going for it on third down, Barnes couldn’t collect Adams Jr.’s end zone look, giving Calgary possession deep in their own half once again.
Back-to-back plays early in the second quarter highlighted the battle both teams were in against the elements. First, Richie Leone let the football slip through his grasp on a punt try, just about doing enough to retrieve the loose ball and kick it out of harm’s way. Then, on a first-down run, Adams Jr. couldn’t quite control the football, with Amari Henderson scooping it up for Ottawa.
After Ottawa was unable to make the most of the turnover, Calgary’s ground game got rolling. Mills compiled 49 yards on five rushes, the longest of which going for 27. P.J. Walker got two looks on third-down tries, the first one getting his team 16 yards on a cut-back play. His second try from Ottawa’s one-yard line wasn’t as successful, with the Adrian Frye coming from the outside to wrap him up, forcing another turnover on downs for the Stamps.
Back with the football, it was Stanback’s turn to find some holes, coming up with back-to-back 18-yard gains. Two end zone looks to Eugene Lewis went incomplete in the slick conditions at McMahon Stadium so instead Ward kicked in a field goal to make it a 6-2 game at halftime.
Following the break, Calgary’s Fraser Masin dealt with a low snap at the end of a two and out and did enough to earn his team a rouge, bringing his team to within three of Ottawa. On the visitors’ first drive of the second half, a couple of incompletions inside Calgary’s 20 meant that they would call on Ward for the third time, with his 27-yard kick going through the uprights.
A 34-yard reception by Barnes helped the Stampeders on the ensuing drive, a quick four-play scoring drive. Paredes’ 42-yard field goal brought it back to a three-point with 9:06 to go in the third quarter.
Tackles by Hutchings and then Clarence Hicks stopped the REDBLACKS’ next drive at the Calgary 25. Ward made no mistake with his 33-yard try to make it 12-6 for the away team. Not going away, the Stamps replied with a field goal shortly after. Ottawa’s Frankie Griffin made a play at the line of scrimmage on second down, swatting an Adams Jr. pass attempt. With the wind at his back, Paredes nailed a 51-yard field goal to make it 12-9 after three quarters.
After the two teams traded scoreless drives, Leone gave the REDBLACKS a four-point lead after his 92-yard punt rolled out of the Calgary end zone for a single. The Stampeders would narrow the Ottawa advantage to just one point at the 6:46 mark after Paredes’ third make of the day.
The ensuing drive was all Adeboboye. On the first play, he rushed through the middle for a nine-yard gain. He then found a gap to break free for a 52-yard run. Crum found his running back once more from nine yards out as Adeboboye caught a crucial touchdown catch. Ward’s extra point extended Ottawa’s lead to eight with 4:45 to go.
The Stamps then took a gamble trying to avoid a quick two and out, deciding to go for it on third and six. Looking for Jalen Philpot on an Adams Jr. pass attempt, Ringland jumped the route and came away with the late-game interception. From there, the REDBLACKS would hold off their opponent, leaving Calgary with their first win of the season.
The REDBLACKS will close out Week 4 when they host an all East Division matchup against the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday, June 29. After their first bye of the season, the Stampeders will be in back in Week 5 to battle the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday, July 3.