Davis Alexander threw for 403 yards and five touchdowns as the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 44-24 on Monday afternoon at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, completing a rare undefeated home schedule.
The victory gave Montreal a 9-0 record at home for the third time in franchise history and the first since 2009, matching a standard set during their last Grey Cup championship season fifteen years ago. Playing in a rematch of the most recent Grey Cup game, the Alouettes fell behind by three points in the opening quarter before Alexander and the offense took control.
Alexander Reaches 5,000 Yards and Sets the Pace
Alexander reached a major individual milestone on his eleventh pass of the afternoon, a 12-yard completion to Tyson Philpot that pushed him past the 5,000-passing-yard mark for the season. He became only the second quarterback in Alouettes history to achieve the feat, joining Hall of Famer Anthony Calvillo, who accomplished it seven times during his career.
Despite the top spot in the East Division already being secured and a division final scheduled for November 7, head coach Jason Maas chose to play his regular starters rather than rest them. Alexander stayed on the sideline only for the game’s final offensive sequence when the outcome was fully decided.
Alexander finished the day completing passes to multiple targets, connecting twice with Tyler Snead for touchdowns, twice with Charleston Rambo, and once with Philpot. Rambo scored early in the second quarter to erase Saskatchewan’s early lead, after which Montreal maintained control.
Grit and Scrambles Highlight the Holiday Matchup
Alexander added 40 rushing yards on the ground, the third-highest single-game total of his career, overcoming two severe hamstring injuries sustained across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Early in the third quarter, three Saskatchewan defenders broke through the Alouettes’ line on a blitz, but Alexander scrambled away from the pressure, squatted under two tacklers, and found running back Stevie Scott III for a 17-yard gain that kept a drive alive.
“It was not necessary to win, but necessary to prove to you that I could,” Alexander joked in the locker room regarding his physical style of play after taking heavy contacts on synthetic turf.
Wide receiver Jerreth Sterns contributed significantly in his second game back following a 16-week absence, catching all eight passes directed his way for 124 yards. On defense, Geoffrey Cantin-Arku recorded his first interception of the season, and defensive back Lorenzo Burns broke up four passes.
The Road to the Division Final
While players acknowledged earlier in the week that an undefeated home slate was not their primary focus, linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku noted that coach Jason Maas utilized the historical parallel to drive the team.
“Coach Maas has a fixation on the number nine,” Cantin-Arku said, referencing the team’s “Grind for nine” slogan aimed at capturing a ninth Grey Cup title. “In 2009, they won the Grey Cup and they went 9-0 at home. It feels like history is writing itself for us.”
The Alouettes will host the East Division final on November 7 at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, entering the postseason with momentum from their perfect home campaign.
