Alouettes top Redblacks 39-28 to extend win streak to five games

By Canadian Press on October 18, 2025.

OTTAWA — The Montreal Alouettes tied the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for first in the East Division and extended their win streak to five games with a 39-28 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.

With just one game to go in the regular season, the Alouettes have a chance at earning a bye through the first round of the playoffs if they can finish top of their division.

For the Redblacks (4-13), it’s the second straight loss to the Alouettes (10-7) after falling 30-10 in Montreal on Monday.

The Alouettes fielded quarterback Davis Alexander, who extended his CFL record career-opening run to 11 straight wins. In this one, Alexander completed 21 of his 31 passes for 328 yards.

On the other side of the ball, the Redblacks gave stringer quarterback Tyrie Adams the nod with starter Dustin Crum sidelined with a head injury.

Until this game, Adams hadn’t logged any contributing numbers beyond appearances since suffering a torn ACL ending his 2023 season. Before that, he completed 31 of 49 passes for 412 yards through 2022 and 2023.

In a prove-it game, Adams stepped up as an offensive threat at points, converting 27 of 44 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions in key moments.

Ottawa failed to contain the Alouettes offence out of the gate, falling to a 13-0 deficit while Alexander completed five of seven attempts for 171 yards in the first quarter alone.

Even after an awkward tackle sidelined Alexander in one of the game’s opening plays, he was back on the field by the very next drive, where he delivered a 23-yard lob pass to set up Montreal’s first touchdown, rushed in by running back Stevie Scott III eight minutes into the game.

Just four minutes later, Alexander sniped a 44-yard pass to wide receiver Austin Mack to put the Alouettes within two yards of a score. After rushing it in, a botched Montreal conversion was little consolation for the hosts.

Halfway through the second quarter, Adams put Ottawa on the board with only his second career touchdown, finding wide receiver Eugene Lewis at the back of the Montreal endzone.

A 49-yard Montreal field goal from kicker Jose Maltos Diaz three minutes later gave the Alouettes some breathing room. Then a goal-line interception by Montreal defensive back Najee Murray devastated one of Adams’ best drives of the game.

An Ottawa field goal brought the Redblacks back within six points, as close as they would get through the remaining two quarters.

Montreal put Ottawa in a choke hold through the third quarter, starting with two successive field goals through the first half of the frame.

With just over a minute to go, a 38-yard interception return by Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette set the Alouettes up for a 22-yard touchdown pass to Mack on the very next play to go up 29-10.

Even as Adams led Ottawa’s offence to an 18-point showing in the final quarter, it wasn’t enough to catch the Alouettes and their dominant lead through three frames.

UP NEXT

Redblacks: Visit the Ticats on Friday in the regular-season finale.

Alouettes: Head to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers next Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2025.

David Cummings, The Canadian Press