Edmonton Elks thump Toronto Argonauts 42-12 in CFL

Edmonton's J.J. Ross sparked a 85-yard return for a touchdown, aiding the Edmonton Elks in a 42-12 rout of the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday. The Elks, currently 7-3, ended a two-game losing streak. The Argonauts, ranked 4-5, fell short after claiming two consecutive victories. Cole Snyder, Justin Rankin, and Joshua Cephus scored for Edmonton, while kicker Vincent Blanchard nailed four field-goal attempts.

Edmonton's quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 25 of 31 passes for 301 yards and one touchdown without interceptions. Toronto's Chad Kelly was 21-of-31 for 265 yards and a single interception. Nick Arbuckle, Toronto's backup quarterback, scored the lone Argonauts touchdown, while kicker Brad Lister connected on two of four field goals.

Edmonton opened the scoring five minutes into the second quarter when Fajardo's 44-yard scramble led to a one-yard touchdown run by Snyder. The Argonauts fell behind 11-9 with just under a minute left in the half after Lister missed 35 and 53-yard field goals. Toronto's Rankin had just one yard on six carries, while the Argonauts managed only four rushing yards in the first half.

Edmonton's Brock Mogensen recovered Toronto's fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half, and Blanchard kicked a 41-yard field goal. Lister responded with a 31-yarder, followed by a 46-yarder for a 17-12 lead. With four minutes left in the third quarter, Rankin caught a 37-yard pass and ran it in from eight yards. The Elks defense halted Toronto on a third-and-inches gamble in the fourth quarter, and Fajardo connected with Cephus on a 10-yard TD pass.

A Ross interception late in the quarter sealed the win for Edmonton. The Elks will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, while the Argonauts face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.