WINNIPEG – The Edmonton Elks are off to their best start in nearly a decade at 3-0 after defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a score of 23-18 in CFL Week 4 action at Princess Auto Stadium on Thursday (June 25) night.
T.J. Luther scored the winning touchdown on a pass from Cody Fajardo with less than a minute remaining, lifting Edmonton to a perfect record through three games for the first time since 2017.
“This is a team that there’s been a lot of changeover, there’s a narrative that’s been written about this organization over the last (several) years, and all I want to do and all these guys want to do is just change that narrative, and we do that by starting 3-0.” Fajardo said.
Edmonton’s Justin Rankin ran for a game-high 106 yards and scored his league-leading fourth rushing touchdown of the young season. Cole Synder also scored a touchdown for the Elks, who snap a seven-game regular season losing streak in Winnipeg that had dated back to 2018.
Fajardo was 25-of-35 passing for 267 yards and threw the 100th touchdown pass of his CFL career. Kaion Julien-Grant was Edmonton’s top receiver, making 6 catches for 84 yards.
Edmonton’s defence came up huge, sacking star Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros four times and forcing three turnovers by the Bombers.
It was a game of runs, as the Elks scored the first 17 points, then gave up 18 straight to the Bombers, before Luther scored his first CFL touchdown with 53 seconds remaining.
“Credit to Winnipeg’s defence, they made adjustments and they really had a great second half, but we talk about all the time, finding ways to win, and that’s what Cody and the offence did when we needed it the most, they drove down and found the points,” Elks coach Marik Kilam said.
Edmonton led 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, thanks to a five-yard touchdown run from Rankin followed by a 15-yard field goal by Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard.
After a Winnipeg turnover in its half of the field, the Elks extended their lead to 17-0 in the second quarter when Snyder scored on a one-yard rush.
Tim White got Winnipeg on the board, hauling in a pass from Collaros for a 26-yard touchdown just before half, making the score 17-7 in favour of Edmonton at the break.
Winnipeg added a point with a rouge on the opening play of the second half, then crept closer when Sergio Castillo knocked through a 53-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
Just over six minutes into the fourth quarter, Collaros connected with Brady Oliveira on a 14-yard touchdown. Winnipeg then took its first lead of the game, at 18-17, when Castillo tacked on the extra point.
TJ LUTHER WITH THE LATE TD pic.twitter.com/ueD5WWELUY
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) June 26, 2026
Getting the ball with just under four minutes left, Edmonton drove into the redzone, where Fajardo found Luther for an eight-yard touchdown that made the score 23-18. Winnipeg stopped the ensuing two-point convert attempt, holding the Elks’ lead to five points.
The Bombers would drive to Edmonton’s 10-yard line on the final possession of the game, but ran out of time.
Edmonton is the first team to reach three wins in the CFL this season, and momentarily sits atop the league’s overall standings.
“Nobody’s messing with us,” Luther said. “I feel like we’ve got the best team in the league. We’re very confident in our team, we all stay together, and very assignment-oriented.”
The Elks will be back in action on July 4, when they take on the BC Lions in Kelowna, B.C., at 5:00 pm MT.
Edmonton’s next home game at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium is July 9 against the Ottawa RedBlacks at 7 p.m. Tickets are available now.