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Saskatchewan uses big fourth quarter to upend Edmonton

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06/29/2008 - Regina, SK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marcus Crandell completed 19-of-29 passes for 278 yards and two scores, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders opened its Grey Cup defense with a 34-13 win over the Edmonton Eskimos.

Last season the Roughriders won their first Grey Cup since 1989, but have undergone a host of changes -- most prominently the departure of head coach Kent Austin and quarterback Kerry Joseph, the CFL's most outstanding player.

Former offensive line coach Ken Miller was promoted to be Austin's replacement, and he got his first win as CFL head coach behind an offense that totaled 377 yards. Crandell, replacing Joseph, threw two interceptions but was effective under center.

Wes Cates ran 14 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns, while Adarius Bowman caught six passes for 112 yards and a score. Additionally for the Roughriders, D.J. Flick had three receptions for 52 yards and one touchdown.

Ricky Ray went 25-for-37 passing for 249 yards and one interception for Edmonton, which missed the playoffs last season after going 5-12-1. Damien Anderson led the Eskimos' rushing attack with 12 attempts for 45 yards, while Jason Tucker caught four passes for 78 yards.

Kicker Noel Prefontaine hit four of five field goal attempts to account for all of Edmonton's points.

Saskatchewan only held a three-point lead after three quarters, but after a single early in the fourth, took the ball on its own 21-yard line with 12:11 remaining. On second down, Crandell tossed a 37-yard pass to get the ball across midfield. Later in the drive, Crandell completed a 21-yard strike to Bowman. That got the ball to the Eskimos' 29-yard line, and though the drive stalled there, Luca Congi booted a 36-yard field goal to put the Roughriders ahead, 20-13, with 8:32 remaining.

But it was Crandell's 73-yard touchdown connection with Bowman, on the first play of a Roughriders drive, that put the game out of reach for Edmonton. The quick strike came with 6:54 left, and the 27-13 deficit was too much for the Eskimos to make up. Cates later scored on a 12-yard dash to complete the scoring.

Prefontaine nailed an 18-yard chip-shot field goal with 8:17 left in the opening quarter to put Edmonton on top, but it was the Eskimos' only lead of the game. Crandell completed a 33-yard touchdown throw to Flick later in the first quarter for a 7-3 lead, which the Roughriders took into the second.

Prefontaine opened up the second quarter scoring with another field goal, this time from 14 yards out. But with 1:28 left in the second the Edmonton kicker conceded a safety as Saskatchewan took a three-point lead. However, a single in the last minute brought Edmonton within 9-7 at halftime.

Prefontaine hit two field goals in the third quarter -- from 21 and 54 yards away. But they sandwiched a 10-yard touchdown run from Cates, and Saskatchewan took a 16-13 edge into the fourth.

Game Notes

Kamau Peterson caught a team-high six passes for 45 yards for Edmonton, which accumulated 306 yards of offense...Each team committed three turnovers... Andrew Fantuz caught four passes for 45 yards for the Roughriders.