MONTREAL – The Ottawa Redblacks are still searching for their first win, and now sit in some very lonely company.
Ottawa suffered its 10th straight loss to open the season Thursday night, dropping an ugly 46-16 decision to the league-leading Montreal Alouettes before 22,482 at Molson Stadium.
Davis Alexander threw for 260 passing yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-23 completions for Montreal (9-1), improving his record to 20-1 as a CFL starter.
Travis Theis rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries while making three receptions for 33 yards.
Tyson Philpot caught two touchdowns and had 75 receiving yards and defensive back Kabion Ento forced a pair of turnovers, returning one interception for a TD.
The Redblacks became just the ninth team to lose its first 10 games of a season. They’ve dropped 16 straight contests dating back to Sept. 5, 2025 — the longest skid since the Hamilton Wildcats also lost 16 straight in 1948-49, almost a decade before the CFL was formed.
Related Videos
Ottawa quarterback Jake Maier struggled with two interceptions, completing 14 of 23 passes for 126 yards. Backup pivot McLeod Bethel-Thompson entered in the fourth quarter and wasn’t much better, completing four of nine passes for 55 yards and a pick.
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
The Redblacks gained a large portion of their yardage thanks to Montreal’s lack of discipline, as the Alouettes totalled 11 penalties for 85 yards.
Ottawa, playing with a league-high 17 players on the six-game injured list, also extended its losing streak against the Alouettes to 14 games (since Oct. 10, 2022).
Montreal placekicker Jose Maltos Diaz converted his only field-goal attempt. Ottawa’s Brett Lauther was 1-for-2.
Most sportsbooks listed the Alouettes as 13.5-point favourites. The margin could have been wider.
The Redblacks actually opened the scoring on their first drive Thursday when short-yardage QB Bryson Barnes — following a pass interference penalty — rushed for a one-yard touchdown on the team’s fourth attempt from the goal line.
But on Ottawa’s next possession, Montreal defensive back Nate Beauchemin intercepted an end-zone pass from Maier, and the Alouettes quickly made the Redblacks pay.
Alexander completed a 38-yard throw to Cole Spieker before finding Philpot on a four-yard TD toss to end the first quarter.
Then things swiftly went from bad to worse for Ottawa.
Redblacks holder Noah Gettman dropped the ball on a kick attempt before Ento stripped him, returning the fumble 49 yards to set up a one-yard TD run by Terry Wilson.
Ento was at it again three minutes later, easily picking off Maier’s pass intended for Kalil Pimpleton and running for a 29-yard TD to take a 21-7 lead with 8:49 remaining in the half.
Ottawa defensive back Alonzo Addae later recovered Wilson’s fumbled snap for a 57-yard return, but the Redblacks settled for a field goal.
The Alouettes increased their lead to 32-10 when Theis rushed for a three-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter.
After another string of Montreal penalties, Barnes added his second touchdown for the Redblacks to cut the lead to 32-16 with 4:49 remaining in the third quarter.
Alexander then completed passes to Philpot, Tyler Snead and Alexander Hollins to set up Wilson’s second one-yard TD of the evening, before connecting with Philpot on a five-yard touchdown and a 30-point advantage with 13:15 remaining.
UP NEXT
Alouettes: Visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Aug. 28.
Redblacks: Host the B.C. Lions on Aug. 30.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
