The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have saved their season.
asserted
Bombers → save → season
Sparked by the return of quarterback Zach Collaros, the Bombers narrowly defeated the Calgary Stampeders 33-28 in front of a full house at Princess Auto Stadium on Saturday.
asserted
Bombers → spark → Saturday
The victory improved Winnipeg’s record to 8-8, putting them right back in the mix for one of four playoff spots coming out of the CFL’s West Division.
asserted
victory → improve → Division
With the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-12) and Ottawa Redblacks (0-16) officially out of playoff contention, ensuring a crossover to the East, all but one Western club will make the post-season.
asserted
club → ensure → season
The Bombers have the season series over the Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders, who are 8-7 and will travel to play the CFL-leading Montreal Alouettes (12-3) on Thanksgiving Monday.
asserted
who → have → Monday
The season series is the first tiebreaker, meaning the Stampeders and Roughriders will have to finish with a better record than Winnipeg.
asserted
Stampeders → mean → Winnipeg
Winnipeg now controls its own destiny.
asserted
Winnipeg → control → destiny
The Bombers can clinch a playoff spot with a victory over their final two games — on the road against the Edmonton Elks on Oct. 16, with the season-finale Oct. 23 in Vancouver versus the Lions.
asserted
Bombers → clinch → Lions
The Elks (12-4) and Lions (10-6) have already clinched playoff berths.
asserted
Elks → clinch → berths
The Stampeders could have clinched with a victory.
uncertain
Stampeders → clinch → victory
Instead, they fall to 8-9 and will need some help down the final stretch.
asserted
they → fall → stretch
If the Roughriders defeat the Alouettes on Monday, they will officially clinch a playoff spot.
asserted
they → defeat → spot
That means Calgary would have to win their regular-season finale against the Lions next week and hope the Bombers lose their final two games.
asserted
Bombers → mean → games
Collaros returned after missing two games with a head injury and went 19-for-27 passing for 349 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
asserted
Collaros → return → yards
The Bombers put up 392 net yards on offence, with Ontaria Wilson, Nic Demski and Trey Vaval adding touchdowns.
asserted
Wilson → put → touchdowns
Sergio Castillo rounded out the scoring with four field goals, connecting from 45, 48, 44 and 33 yards.
asserted
Castillo → round → yards
Dorian Singer led all receivers with 166 yards on five receptions.
asserted
Singer → lead → receptions
Running back Brady Oliveira had eight carries for 40 yards.
asserted
Oliveira → have → yards
Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw 283 yards on 29-for-43 passing, along with one touchdown.
asserted
Jr. → throw → touchdown
Calgary’s offence totalled 400 net yards, with running back Deonta McMahon scoring a pair touchdowns, including a six-yard scamper, with quarterback Quincy Vaughn punching in a one-yard score.
asserted
Vaughn → total → score
Rene Parades was 3-for-4 on field goals, missing from 46 yards out.
asserted
Parades → miss → goals
After the Stampeders opened the scoring late in the first quarter with Parades’ 20-yard field goal, the Bombers answered back with an 18-yard touchdown to Wilson on the ensuing drive to take a 7-3 lead into the second frame.
asserted
Bombers → open → frame
The defensive battle continued into the second quarter, with the two sides exchanging field goals, including a 56-yarder from Parades.
asserted
sides → continue → Parades
Winnipeg threatened to add to its lead with just more than five minutes remaining before halftime, earning a new set of downs at Calgary’s 40.
asserted
minutes → threaten → 40
But Collaros’ pass sailed over Demski and into the arms of Stampeders’ defensive back Ashton Miller-Melancon for an interception.
asserted
pass → sail → interception
The Stamps cut it to 10-9 with another Parades field goal, this time from 43 yards.
asserted
Stamps → cut → yards
Collaros connected with Demski for a 25-yard touchdown on the very next drive to give the Bombers a 17-9 edge at halftime.
asserted
Collaros → connect → halftime
Singer reeled in a 45-yard pass on the serie’s opening play to give him 97 yards on two receptions through two quarters.
asserted
Singer → reel → quarters
Vaval opened the second half by returning the kickoff 88 yards to pay dirt.
asserted
Vaval → open → dirt
Vaval’s second return touchdown of the season put Winnipeg up 24-9.
asserted
touchdown → put → Winnipeg
Minutes later, McMahon scampered for a six-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game, 24-16.
asserted
it → scamper → touchdown
McMahon added another TD on the Stampeders next drive, reeling in an eight-yard toss from Adams.
asserted
McMahon → add → Adams
A failed two-point convert made it 24-22 Bombers heading into the fourth quarter.
asserted
it → fail → quarter
Two more Castillo field goals restored Winnipeg’s lead to 30-22.
asserted
goals → restore → 30
With 1:42 remaining, Castillo put the game away with a 33-yarder.
asserted
Castillo → remain → yarder
The Stampeders made it exciting with a one-yard score, but a second failed two-point convert sealed the game.
asserted
convert → make → game
Blue Bombers: Visit the Edmonton Elks on Friday.
asserted
Bombers → visit → Friday
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
