THE SUNDAY SNAP: WEEK 9 OF THE 2026 CFL SEASON
Updated: Oct 31
A 70-year-old Canadian record matched, a rookie quarterback shredding two team records dating back to the era of the first Moon landing, a rematch decided by a two-point convert and a wide-open race atop the West: Week 9 of the CFL had it all.
In Ottawa, Tyson Philpot wrote himself into the league's record book. In Winnipeg, rookie Kaidon Salter rewrote the Lions' with his legs. Calgary put on a defensive show in Hamilton, while the Saskatchewan champions got their revenge on Edmonton to tighten the West. Toronto was on a bye.
Montreal Alouettes 34, Ottawa Redblacks 13
TD Place, Ottawa
It took Tyson Philpot just eight games to make history. On a five-yard catch in the fourth quarter, the Alouettes receiver crossed the 1,000-yard receiving mark, becoming the first player in the CFL to get there in 2026 and the fastest Canadian ever to reach the milestone. The Delta, B.C., native also tied the all-time record for fewest games to 1,000 yards, a mark shared for decades by Hal Patterson (1956) and Terry Greer (1983). It's the first 1,000-yard season of Philpot's career after years of injury trouble.
The man himself finished with 9 catches for 184 yards in a 34-13 win that was never truly in doubt. Montreal scored a touchdown on each of its first three possessions — and would have gone four-for-four but for a Davis Alexander-to-Philpot touchdown wiped out by a holding call. Alexander threw for 420 yards, Tyler Snead added 174 receiving yards, and short-yardage quarterback Terry Wilson bulled in two touchdowns.
For Ottawa, the night mirrored the season: hard. The Redblacks, who slip to 0-7, managed their lone touchdown only after a controversial 25-yard roughing-the-passer penalty set them up at the Montreal one. The Alouettes' defence shut Ottawa out in the second half and delivered a 13th straight win over the rival. Montreal, alone atop the league at 7-1, rolls on.
Records: Montreal 7-1 | Ottawa 0-7
BC Lions 35, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 19
Princess Auto Stadium, Winnipeg
Nobody saw this coming — least of all like this. Thrust into his first career start, rookie quarterback Kaidon Salter gained far more ground with his legs than his arm and led the Lions to a 35-19 upset in Winnipeg, snapping BC's skid (now 2-5).
Called on after Chase Brice — himself filling in for injured starter Nathan Rourke — struggled, Salter ran 10 times for 160 yards, a single-game team record for a quarterback that erased Jimmy Walden's 116 from 1960. He completed 7 of 15 for 96 yards and a touchdown to Jermaine Jackson.
But it was Zander Horvath who did the heavy lifting on the ground: pressed into duty for James Butler, he piled up a CFL season-high 191 yards on 17 carries and three touchdowns, including 58- and 35-yard runs in the fourth to put it away. As a team, the Lions rushed for 377 yards, another franchise record, this one standing since 1969.
Down 6-0 after a quarter and 16-10 entering the fourth, the Lions flipped it in a hurry. Sean Whyte hit two field goals and three converts. For Winnipeg (4-4, and 1-4 at home), quarterback Dru Brown — himself in for injured Zach Collaros — was surgical before getting hurt in the fourth: 18-of-21 for 180 yards and a touchdown to Tim White.
Records: BC 2-5 | Winnipeg 4-4
Calgary Stampeders 44, Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20
Hamilton Stadium, Hamilton
Sometimes the defence steals the show. Calgary forced four turnovers and scored two defensive touchdowns to turn a tight game into a 44-20 runaway in Hamilton — a second straight win for the Stampeders (4-4).
Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. did his job without straining: 18-of-25 for 252 yards and a touchdown, his league-leading 21st of the season, all while keeping his interception-free streak intact (it took a Hamilton penalty to wipe out a would-be pick). His lone passing major went to Dejon Brissett, wide open for a 43-yard score in the first quarter, before Tyreik McAllister and Quincy Vaughn handled the rest on the ground. Kicker Jude McAtamney even added a 53-yard field goal.
But the game's signature came from the defence. Linebacker Kyle Wilson, a former Tiger-Cat, returned a fumble 28 yards to the house late in the first half on a strip-sack by Marquel Lee of reliever Harrison Frost. Defensive back Derrick Moncrief added a 25-yard pick-six in the fourth. Hamilton actually out-gained Calgary (395 to 338), but starting quarterback Tre Ford (4-of-10, 58 yards, plus 52 rushing) left after a fumble, and the Tiger-Cats' four turnovers made all the difference as Calgary poured in 20 fourth-quarter points.
Records: Calgary 4-4 | Hamilton 3-5
Saskatchewan Roughriders 28, Edmonton Elks 26
Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton
Seven days after surrendering a 57-yard field goal at the buzzer, Saskatchewan returned the favour. After a game delayed more than an hour by weather, the Grey Cup champions beat Edmonton 28-26 to even the series and close in on the top of the West.
The hero didn't wear the number you'd expect. Short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens scored three touchdowns on the ground, all one-yard plunges (his fifth, sixth and seventh of the season), while starter Trevor Harris ran the offence, going 19-of-24 for 239 yards. It was Harris who delivered the dagger — a four-yard touchdown pass to KeeSean Johnson followed by a two-point convert to the same Johnson to make it 28-19. Rookie Johnny Johnson III had set the tone earlier with an 87-yard kickoff return.
Edmonton, which once again opened the scoring on its first drive, battled to the end. Cody Fajardo found TJ Luther for a four-yard touchdown to pull the Elks within 28-26 with just over four minutes left, but Saskatchewan ran out the clock. Kicker Vincent Blanchard, last week's villain, made all four of his field goals. Edmonton (6-2) stays atop the West despite the loss — the Elks haven't made the playoffs since 2019 — but Saskatchewan (5-2) moves into sole possession of second.
Records: Saskatchewan 5-2 | Edmonton 6-2
At the top of the league, Montreal rolls on alone at 7-1, while the West remains a powder keg: Edmonton (6-2) still leads, but Saskatchewan (5-2) served notice it's never far away, with Calgary and Winnipeg (4-4) lurking.
At the other end, Ottawa is still hunting its first win at 0-7. Week 10 has plenty in store, starting with a top-of-the-table clash on August 8 between the league's two best teams, when Edmonton visits the Alouettes. The Sunday Snap will be waiting.
