Game Summary

The first-ever CFL regular season game to be played by a team based outside of Canada was seen by 23,916 fans at the newly-renamed Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa. The Rough Riders, who finished third in the East last season, demonstrated that they would be a team to contend with this year as the defence reached QB David Archer seven times throughout the night and picked him off twice to close down the visiting team’s offence. Ottawa QB Tom Burgess was outstanding as he completed 21-of-41 attempts for 373 yards and 3 TDs, including an 11-yard toss to Stephan Jones, a 61-yarder to Jock Climie in the first half and a 44-yard throw to W. Walker at the start of the third quarter. The Gold Miners could not get things rolling until the end of the 2nd frame when Archer found Mike Oliphant open from 8 yards out for the team’s first points of the night. Oliphant then opened the second half scoring with his second major, and 8-yard run. An 18-yard toss from Archer to Bouyer made the score 28-22 for the home team before Miner K Jim Crouch added a single on a 47-yard missed FG attempt for a single. Ottawa kicker Terry Baker completed the Ottawa scoring with a FG and a single while Crouch missed his 3rd FG try of the night for another single but it was all Ottawa as they spoiled Sacramento’s initiation into the League on this history-making night.