Redblacks edge unbeaten Stampeders 20-12 for first win of CFL season

By Canadian Press on June 21, 2025.

CALGARY — Dustin Crum tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Adeboboye in the fourth quarter to secure a 20-12 CFL victory for the Ottawa Redblacks over the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Until Adeboboye hauled in the game’s only TD pass with 5:02 left on the clock, both teams had to settle for points off of field goals, singles and one safety by the Stamps on a cold, windy and rainy afternoon in front of far less than the official announced attendance of 16,584.

Lewis Ward kicked four field goals for the Redblacks (1-2), while Richie Leone added a single.

Rene Paredes finished the game with three field goals for the Stampeders (2-1), while Fraser Masin had a single. Jaylon Hutchings tackled Crum in the end zone for a safety to account for Calgary’s other two points.

The Redblacks opened the scoring at 5:46 of the first quarter with a 34-yard field goal by Lewis.

The Stamps had a chance to pull into a 3-3 tie a short time later but Parades missed a 43-yard field goal wide to the right.

Instead of conceding the single point, Ottawa’s Devonte Dedmon chose to run the ball out of the end zone. Following an illegal block penalty to Robert Priestner, the Redblacks were forced to start their drive on their own one-yard line.

Two plays later, Hutchings sacked Crum in the end zone for a safety to pull the Stamps within a point.

On the ensuing drive, the Stamps drove down to Ottawa’s seven-yard line, but ended up turning over the ball on downs after Clark Barnes wasn’t able to haul in a pass from Adams in the end zone.

The miscues Calgary continued in the second as quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. fumbled the ball right into the hands of Ottawa defensive back Amari Henderson at midfield before Priestner atoned for his earlier penalty by tackling backup Calgary quarterback P.J. Walker on the one-yard line for another turnover on downs for the Stamps.

This time, the Redblacks avoided another safety and instead Crum engineered an 11-play, 95-yard drive that was capped off by Ward kicking a 22-yard field goal to give Ottawa a 6-2 lead.

After Masin kicked a 77-yard single early in the third quarter, Ward responded with a 27-yard field goal before Paredes did his part for the Stamps by splitting the uprights from 42 yards out.

Ward then booted a 33-yard field goal before Paredes kicked one from 51 yards out with 41 seconds left in the third quarter.

After Richie Leone booted a 72-yard punt single early in the fourth quarter to put the Redblacks up 13-9, Paredes responded with a 42-yard field goal to pull the Stamps within a point.

After Adeboboye’s TD grab, Ward’s field-goal attempt from 49 yards out bounced of the left upright and wide to give the Stamps another chance to tie the game.

Although Adams completed three straight passes — two of them to former Redblack receiver Dominic Rymes — to get Calgary into Ottawa territory, the Calgary quarterback wasn’t able to find an open receiver in the end zone to complete his first touchdown pass of the season.

UP NEXT

Redblacks: Host the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday, June 29.

Stampeders: Host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday, July 3.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.

Laurence Heinen, The Canadian Press