Ottawa Redblacks secure 27-12 pre-season win over Montreal as Keelan White hauls in two touchdowns
Ottawa Redblacks beat Montreal 27-12 in CFL pre-season; Keelan White caught two TDs as Jake Maier and Bryson Barnes paced Ottawa’s strong offensive effort.
The Ottawa Redblacks opened their CFL pre-season slate with a 27-12 victory over the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, paced by Keelan White’s two first-half touchdown receptions. Quarterback Jake Maier targeted White for scores of 12 and four yards, helping the Redblacks build a 17-4 halftime lead. Ottawa’s mix of efficient passing, a short rushing touchdown and two field goals closed out the win as Montreal mounted a late response.
Maier-to-White connection sets tone for Ottawa
Jake Maier completed 10 of 14 passes for 155 yards, showing accuracy and timing in the Redblacks’ early drives. Keelan White was the primary beneficiary, turning two red-zone opportunities into touchdowns that put Ottawa ahead before halftime. That connection forced Montreal to adjust defensively and allowed Ottawa to dictate the tempo through the first two quarters.
Cade McDonald provided a complementary receiving performance, finishing with four catches for 73 yards and helping sustain several key drives. The balance between Maier spreading the field and targeted plays to White and McDonald kept the Alouettes off balance throughout the half.
Bryson Barnes and the short-yardage game
Backup quarterback Bryson Barnes finished the night a perfect eight-for-eight passing for 109 yards and also found the end zone on a nine-yard rushing touchdown. Barnes’ efficiency in limited snaps highlighted depth at the position for Ottawa and offered the coaching staff rhythm in short-field situations. His performance suggested the Redblacks can rely on multiple quarterbacks to move the ball effectively during pre-season work.
The nine-yard Barnes score added a different look to Ottawa’s offense, one that mixed play-action and quarterback draws to convert goal-line chances. Those short-yardage plays will be useful as the team evaluates packages and personnel ahead of the regular season.
Special teams influence and kicking breakdown
Paul Geelen accounted for Ottawa’s two field goals, converting from 40 and 26 yards to extend the lead when drives stalled. Geelen’s stability in the kicking game provided margin and kept the scoreboard moving, a notable comfort for a team testing combinations in pre-season conditions. Special-teams execution included not only field goals but also situational kicking that influenced Montreal’s starting field position.
Montreal’s kicker Jose Carlos Maltos was perfect on a 21-yard attempt in the first half but missed a 52-yard try late in the game, a swing that could have narrowed the gap. The contrasting kicking nights underscored the impact of distance and game conditions on scoring, and highlighted an area both clubs will monitor as they prepare for the regular season.
Montreal’s passing attack and late response
Alouettes quarterback Dustin Crum completed 15 of 20 passes for 130 yards, delivering a generally efficient night despite the loss. Shomari Lawrence provided a spark late with a two-yard rushing touchdown, demonstrating Montreal’s intent to keep pressure on Ottawa through the fourth quarter. The Alouettes were limited in explosive plays, which contributed to the persistent deficit they faced after halftime.
Montreal’s secondary and front-seven were tested by selective Redblacks play-calling that prioritized high-percentage completions and red-zone efficiency. The late touchdown and prior possessions suggested potential to sharpen offensive timing and red-zone conversions as the team continues pre-season work.
Game context and what coaches will watch next
Ottawa led 17-4 at halftime and managed the second half to preserve the win, leaning on efficient passing and opportunistic kicking. Coaches on both sides will use tape from the contest to evaluate quarterback rotations, receiver chemistry, protection packages and situational defense. For Ottawa, the focus will likely be on sustaining the Maier-White connection and validating Barnes’ composure with more scripted reps.
Montreal will review missed field-goal range, third-down defense, and opportunities to create turnovers that could have altered momentum. Both organizations commonly use pre-season results to sort depth charts rather than as definitive performance indicators, placing emphasis on individual progress and unit consistency.
CFL pre-season schedule continues around the league
The CFL pre-season slate continues Saturday with the defending champion Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the Edmonton Elks visit the B.C. Lions and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Toronto Argonauts. Those matchups will give other teams a chance to test starters and evaluate roster bubbles ahead of the regular-season cutdowns. Fans and coaching staffs will track how starters perform in short stints and how backups respond when called upon.
Pre-season contests offer a controlled environment for experimenting with playbooks and special-teams alignments, and Saturday’s slate will expand the league-wide evaluation picture. Teams often emerge from these games with clearer plans for training-camp priorities and final roster moves.
The Redblacks’ 27-12 victory provides positive indicators on offensive cohesion and kicking reliability, while leaving space for further refinement on both sides of the ball before the regular season.
