Collaros throws four touchdowns as Winnipeg beats Calgary to stay undefeated

Another week, another victory for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-0).

Nic Demski and Dalton Schoen had two touchdown passes each from quarterback Zach Collaros as the Bombers won 35-28 over the Calgary Stampeders (4-2) at McMahon Stadium on Saturday.

Collaros threw for 270 yards and four total touchdowns without throwing an interception.

Calgary’s Bo-Levi Mitchell completed 20 passes for 204 yards.

Stampeders running back Ka’Deem Carey himself scored two touchdowns while going for 92 yards on 14 carries.

The Stampeders started the game clocking up nearly five minutes with an impressive nine-game streak.

The home team’s opener ended with a 25-yard kick for three from Rene Peredes.

Paredes hammered another goal in the uprights on a three-and-out for Winnipeg on their first offensive drive of the night. The 38-yarder gave Calgary a 6-0 lead.

The Bombers finally got things moving on offense late in the first quarter, stringing together a ten-play streak that saw them take the lead less than a minute before the end of the first quarter.

Nic Demski netted a four-yard strike from Collaros across the end zone just across the goal line for the game’s first major score.

Demski’s first touchdown of the season gave the Bombers a slim 7-6 lead after 15 minutes.

The Stamps responded right away in the form of another field goal.

Parades hit a career 53-yard field goal through the uprights to complete a perfect 3-for-3 just 18 minutes into the game.

In the Blue Bomber practice that followed, Demski struck again. This time catching an absolute missile from Collaros down the middle and rushing into the end zone with a 16-yard touchdown catch. 14-9 visitors.

Parades and the Stamps responded with another three-point shot, this time from 38 yards to bring Calgary back to two points.

Collaros led the Bombers into the red zone with less than a minute left in the first half, but couldn’t score six points this time around.

Marc Liegghio scored his first basket of the game from just 12 yards out. That gave Winnipeg a 17-12 halftime lead.

Collaros had 102 passing yards in the first half to Mitchell’s 90.

Mitchell came out in the second half, connecting with Reggie Begelton at the Winnipeg 34-yard line for a 23-yard catch.

A few plays later, running back Ka’Deem Carey hit him two yards out. The go-ahead score was Carey’s fourth rushing touchdown of the season. 18-17 Calgary following an unsuccessful two-point conversion.

Collaros and company immediately went to work getting the ball back, marching quickly into Calgary territory.

The Winnipeg quarterback joined rookie Dalton Schoen, who scored his fifth CFL touchdown on a 26-yard corner run near the back of the end zone.

Schoen’s touchdown catch tied him for the league lead in touchdown catches. 24-18 bombers.

Mitchell found Begelton for a 26-yard strike early in the ensuing practice to set up another Stampeder touchdown.

Carey took a transfer down the middle from six yards for his second touchdown of the game, joining Nic Demski at that club.

The third quarter ended with Calgary up 25-24.

The final 15 minutes began with Liegghio drilling a 60-yard punt across the goal line to level things at 25 on the game’s first single point.

The kicker at the other end responded quickly, with Paredes going 33 yards for his fifth successful kick of the night. 28-25 Stampeders.

With just over four minutes left, Collaros threw a 25-yard bomb from behind the end zone for Schoen. The rookie scored his second touchdown of the game to give his team a 32-28 lead in the final minutes.

Liegghio drilled a 40-yarder to put the icing on the cake late in the fourth quarter.

The Bombers improved their record to 8-0 with a 35-28 win.

Calgary falls to 2-4 this season.

Winnipeg completes a three-game road trip to Montreal next Thursday.

4:02
DT on the Bombers: July 27