The Rouge et Noir beat the Alouettes in Bob Dyce’s first game as interim head coach

MONTREAL – The Ottawa Redblacks scored 17 points in the second half to squander the Montreal Alouettes’ chance to clinch a playoff berth at home and claim a 24-18 win on Monday.

Trevor Harris attempted to throw a game-winning touchdown from the 20-yard line on third down with seconds left. Ottawa’s defense forced a turnaround on tries and the visitors left Percival Molson Stadium with a win.

In their first game under interim head coach Bob Dyce, the Redblacks (4-11) snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 4-4 on the road.

Caleb Evans had two rushing touchdowns from the one-yard line. Nick Arbuckle threw for 229 yards.

Harris threw for 338 yards and a touchdown.

In his long-awaited comeback after breaking his ankle in the season opener, William Stanback ran for six yards on the game’s opener and finished the game with eight carries for 20 yards.

During their first visit to the red zone, the Alouettes (7-8) were stopped short by the Rouge et Noir defence. Montreal settled for a basket with David Côté completing a 16-yard attempt.

Arbuckle responded on the next drive with a 40-yard bomb to Darvin Adams. Caleb Evans stole a yard on the first play of the second quarter to give Ottawa a 7-3 lead.

Adarius Pickett recovered a fumble return from Ottawa’s Devonte Deadmon on the Rouge et Noir 17-yard line. Montreal tried to make the visitors pay but the Ottawa defense resisted once against. The Alouettes didn’t pick up a single yard on the shot and Côté completed a 25-yard field goal.

Montreal found the end zone on its third attempt from the red zone. Harris found Eugene Lewis with a 15-yard touchdown pass but then hit the post on the two-point conversion.

Côté added a 14-yard field goal late in the game to give the Alouettes a 15-7 halftime lead.

Red-Blacks kicker Lewis Ward scored two field goals in the third quarter, reducing his team’s deficit to two points.

Ottawa regained the lead early in the fourth quarter, and then Evans scored his second one-yard goal. Arbuckle then found Justin Hardy for the two-point conversion to carry the Redblacks 21-15.

The Alouettes scored their first points of the second half with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. After the offense failed to register a touchdown within six yards of the end zone, Côté threw his fourth field goal of the game.

Ward placed a 25-yard attempt into the uprights with 1:08 left in the game to give Ottawa a 24-18 lead.

NOTE: Alouettes center Sean Jamieson went down injured and left the game, helped by two teammates, late in the second quarter.