By: Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press Posted:
OTTAWA - Rookie quarterback Bryson Barnes led the Ottawa Redblacks to a 40-39 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday in his first CFL start, snapping the team’s 22-game losing skid.
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OTTAWA - Rookie quarterback Bryson Barnes led the Ottawa Redblacks to a 40-39 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday in his first CFL start, snapping the team’s 22-game losing skid.
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OTTAWA – Rookie quarterback Bryson Barnes led the Ottawa Redblacks to a 40-39 victory over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday in his first CFL start, snapping the team’s 22-game losing skid.
It was Ottawa’s first victory this season and first at home since Sept. 5, 2025.
Barnes completed 27 of 37 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns to Ayden Eberhardt for the Redblacks (1-16).
Nick Arbuckle led the way for the Argonauts (9-8) going 26-for-34 for 305 yards, two TDs and one interception after Chad Kelly left the game midway through the first quarter.
Kelly was apparently hurt after he was brought down by Ottawa defensive end Luiji Vilain.
Toronto took a 39-33 lead with 30 seconds left to play but Barnes was poised, putting together a three-play drive and connected with Eberhardt for a 24-yard touchdown to tie the game. Paul Geelen gave Ottawa the lead with the convert with six seconds remaining.
It was a shocking end to a back-and-forth final quarter.
With time winding down and Ottawa leading 33-31 Khazir Brown intercepted Arbuckle to regain possession at the Ottawa 27. The Redblacks were unable to capitalize and had to punt.
On the following drive the Argos got down field and Isaiah Smith ran in a four-yard touchdown and added the two-point conversion to take a 39-33 lead with 30 seconds remaining.
Ottawa took a 33-24 lead on Barnes’s first CFL touchdown pass, to Eberhardt, but Arbuckle answered right back with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Mital with three minutes remaining to pull Toronto within two, 33-31.
The third quarter saw Arbuckle put together an impressive 3:30 drive that culminated with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Mital and a two-point conversion to tie things 24-24. Paul Geelen put Ottawa back in front with a 51-yard field goal.
The Redblacks overcame a disastrous start to take a 23-16 lead at the half.
Ottawa went two-and-out on their first possession, with Barnes taking a sack before Derek Slywka blocked the ensuing punt and Ethan John returned it 16 yards for a Toronto touchdown.
Barnes was unfazed and responded with a seven-play, 66-yard drive and Daniel Adeboboye ran in a one-yard touchdown. Ottawa added a 20-yard field goal to take a 10-6 first quarter lead.
Toronto regained the lead with Arbuckle under centre. Arbuckle put together an eight-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Cam Porter’s one-yard touchdown run before Ottawa tied the game 13-13 on a 40-yard field goal.
The Argonauts were back in front on Lirim Hajrullahu’s 43-yard field goal, but Barnes answered right back and had Ottawa back in the red zone setting up Adeboboye’s second touchdown of the half, a three-yard run after he found an open lane. Ottawa closed out the half with a 53-yard field goal.
Up next
Toronto: Hosts the Montreal Alouettes on Oct. 23.
Ottawa: Visits the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 24 to close out the season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.
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