Collaros comes up big for Riders

Zach Collaros was due. Defence and special teams had been carrying the Saskatchewan Roughriders through much of the season.

But on Sunday in the Labour Day Classic, Collaros came through, engineering two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to lift the Riders to a 31-23 comeback victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and a third consecutive win for the green and white.

“Our defence has been holding us in games all year. This was our turn,” said Saskatchewan’s Marcus Thigpen, who had a touchdown reception from Collaros in the decisive fourth quarter.

Trailing 20-17 after three quarters, the Riders’ offence hit its stride and capped a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive with Thigpen’s touchdown. Saskatchewan took a 24-20 lead, one it wouldn’t relinquish.

Winnipeg answered with a Justin Medlock field goal with seven minutes remaining to pull to within one at 24-23, but that was as close as they would get.

Collaros put the game out of reach when he marched the Riders on a late scoring drive, one that was highlighted with a 39-yard pass to Jordan Williams-Lambert that set up the Riders at the Winnipeg three-yard line.

Two plays later, Nick Marshall, a defensive back and short yardage specialist, scored on a one-yard run. It was Marshall’s second touchdown of the game.

The Riders have won 12 of the past 13 Labour Day contests versus Winnipeg.