Bryson Barnes leads Ottawa Redblacks to win over Toronto Argonauts

Rookie quarterback Bryson Barnes completed 27 of 37 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Ottawa Redblacks to a 40-39 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday, snapping a 22-game losing streak.

The win at TD Place, securing the Redblacks their first victory of the season in their final home game, prevented the team from finishing the year with an 0-18 record. Barnes engineered the final scoring drive in the dying seconds, capped by a 24-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Eberhardt with six seconds remaining.

How Barnes Secured the Dramatic Finish

Ottawa trailed 39-33 with 30 seconds left after Toronto running back Isaiah Smith scored a touchdown. Starting with the ball at their own 42-yard line following the kickoff, the Redblacks scrambled for 21 yards. Barnes then found Eberhardt for the game-tying score, and the ensuing extra point provided the winning margin.

Barnes finished the night with 339 passing yards and added 62 rushing yards on seven carries. Eberhardt hauled in nine receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns, crossing the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the season.

“We’re playing hard, I liked where we were at.”

Chad Kelly Suffers Lower-Body Injury During Game

Toronto starting quarterback Chad Kelly exited the game after suffering a lower-body injury while trying to escape pressure from defensive lineman Luiji Vilain. Nick Arbuckle replaced Kelly, completing 27 of 35 passes for 315 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Miller stated he had no immediate update on Kelly following the contest.

The Argonauts (9-8) conclude their regular season schedule next Friday against the Montreal Alouettes before hosting the East semifinal on Oct. 31, 2026. Despite the loss, receiver Kevin Mital recorded a touchdown, bringing his season total to 871 yards.

Ottawa wraps up its 2026 campaign on the road against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 24, 2026, with Barnes slated to make the final start of the year.

Fans Express Frustration over Disappointing Team Trajectory

The dismal campaign took a heavy toll on the fanbase, with long-time supporters expressing deep frustration over the team’s trajectory after high expectations following the off-season hiring of head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group president and CEO Mark Goudie acknowledged the organization has fallen short of expectations during what he described as a trying year.

Radio play-by-play announcer AJ Jakubec noted that the season ranked as the most difficult he has covered since the franchise’s inaugural year, eclipsing even the struggles of their early years when a novelty factor remained. Goudie stated that season tickets for 2027 have not yet gone on sale as the organization searches for a new team president tasked with assembling a championship-caliber roster.

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