The Streak and the Spread

June 26th, 2025

Week four, third home game.

(2-0) Blue Bombers vs Elks (0-2)

Step on the bus and hear the old familiar snap of a fresh can of beer. Someone drops a can of Heineken and many hands are fast to help return it to its rightful owner. 

I decided to listen to the pre-game show on the bus to the stadium. The Blue Bombers are the big time favourite and Doug Brown thinks they’ll cover the spread so I put some money on it. Nothing that’ll make me rich but it won’t send me to the poorhouse either. Either way I need the Bombers to win by 8 points or more.

Back to 2019 the Bombers have beat the Elks 13 straight times so I like my odds.

Today marks the 7th straight home game sellout. A big feat, especially in the CFL. Watch a game played in Toronto and you’ll see what I’m saying.

Get to the stadium, find my seat. The national anthem starts and a place in motion momentarily comes to rest.

The Elks snuck a touchdown midway through the first. Collaros hit Nic Demski at the goal line for a touchdown on the next drive but Castillo shanked the point after. 7-6 Edmonton. Soon after it was 10-6. 

The next drive Collaros dropped one in the mitts of Keric Wheatfall downfield who fought his way to the endzone and it was 13-10 for the Bombers. 

A 61-yard TD pass to Demski and it was 20-10. Shifting to 23-13 by halftime.

The Elks hung around like a head cold. It was 23-23 early in the second half and after the Elks scored following a Blue Bombers interception getting called back for accidental pass interference.

A Castillo field goal put the good guys up 26-23. Under pressure in the fourth, inside the 15 yard line, Zach Collaros left the pocket, found an inch, stole a yard then 15 more for a rushing touchdown, only his third in the last nine seasons. The Bombers renewed their 10 point lead 33-23 with 5:13 to go in the game.

With 1:21 to go Castillo booted 3 more, giving the Elks the ball back down 36-23. 

They’re coming for the spread I thought to myself.

A solid kick return starts the Elks at their 49 and Willie Jefferson drives them back to their 42 with a massive sack. Next pass takes them to the Bombers 49.

37 seconds left, Elks ball from the Bombers 45 yard line. On 3rd and 6 they’re able to get a first. 24 seconds left from Bomber 38 yard line and they manage another first down. They’ve lost the game already but they’re playing for pride. If the Elks score here we’ve still won the game but more critically I’ll have lost my money.

8 seconds left when they line up with a running clock from the Blue Bombers 25 yard line. The clock hits 0, the ball is snapped. Tre Ford puts up a pass in the endzone and it’s caught.

Out of bounds.

Bombers win 36-23.

The alarm goes off at 5:30 tomorrow morning but that doesn’t matter now. The ride home is alive with celebration.