Rankin leads the way with three TDs as Elks run over winless Redblacks 40-17

Edmonton Elks' Justin Rankin (5) is tackled by Ottawa Redblacks' Luiji Vilain (left) and Adrian Frye (22) during first half CFL football action in Edmonton on Thursday, July 9, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Codie McLachlan

EDMONTON — Justin Rankin and the Edmonton Elks were back to their newfound winning ways on Thursday.

The Edmonton running back scored three big-play touchdowns as the Elks came away with a 40-17 victory over the struggling Ottawa Redblacks.

Rankin had 107 yards on just 14 carries with two touchdowns on the ground, adding three receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Cody Fajardo went 19-of-24 passing with 340 yards and two touchdowns.

“We needed that,” Fajardo said. “My message to the guys this week was to get back to playing our brand of football, and that’s our brand of football -- running the ball, quick passes, take your shots here and there.

“Their defence kind of threw us a wrinkle, but we adapted and overcame it and were able to hang 40 on them.

“I’m really proud of the offence, the way that we finished.”

The Elks, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2019, moved ahead of Saskatchewan into first in the West Division at 4-1.

“The players decided that we didn’t play to our standard last week,” said Elks head coach Mark Kilam of last week’s 36-24 loss to the B.C. Lions. “They put the work in in our practices and our walk-throughs and this is a credit to our work.

“I’m proud of them for sticking with it because I think we stalled out big time in the third. I don’t think we had a first down until the last minute-and-a-half of the third quarter. They just stayed with it and that’s what good teams do.”

The Redblacks are still seeking their first foray into the win column, sitting at 0-5.

“We’ve got to find some answers,” said Ottawa head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. “We told those guys that they’ve got to stick together. If we start panicking and turning on each other, that ain’t going to help out.”

QB Jake Maier went 26-of-39 passing for 293 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.

The Elks opened the scoring on a competent opening drive, capped off by Rankin, who bounced off a defender and swung wide for a 19-yard touchdown. The league’s leading rusher, Rankin only had 19 yards total rushing in last week’s loss to the Lions, but managed 40 yards on the opening drive.

The score remained stagnant until midway through the second quarter when Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard nailed a 36-yard field goal.

Ottawa got on the board with four minutes left in the second with plenty of help from the Elks. Edmonton took three penalties on the drive including a roughing the kicker call after initially pinning the Redblacks, eventually allowing for a one-yard plunge by backup QB Bryson Barnes to make it 10-7.

Edmonton closed out the first-half scoring after a Tyrell Ford interception and an impressive 90-yard catch and run down the sidelines by Brendan O’Leary-Orange to the six-yard line that set up a 15-yard Blanchard field goal. The Elks quickly got the ball back for another Blanchard field goal from 50 yards out for a 16-7 lead at halftime.

With less than two minutes to play in the third, Ottawa closed the deficit significantly as Maier completed a 21-yard pass into the endzone to Ayden Eberhardt.

Fajardo brought his team right back to start the fourth quarter, completing a four-yard TD pass to Kaion Julien-Grant.

Ottawa responded with a 27-yard field goal from Brett Lauther to cut the lead to 23-17.

Rankin made an impact again with 6:28 to play in the fourth as he caught a Fajardo pass and weaved 33 yards for the major.

Maier was intercepted for the third time in Edmonton territory on the night, this time by Chelen Garnes, setting up yet another Rankin TD as he took a pitch and cut in and around the defence for a 31-yard run into the endzone.

The Ottawa pivot was picked off for the fourth time, the second by Kordell Jackson, on their next drive, leading to an 11-yard Blanchard field goal.

“Going into the fourth quarter, it was a one-possession game,” Maier said. “We just didn’t make enough plays to keep us in it. Then towards the end we made decisions out of desperation to try and get back into the game and it obviously didn’t go our way and it just kind of snowballed towards the end.”

UP NEXT

Elks: Host the B.C. Lions next Friday.

Redblacks: Welcome the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to town next Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2026.

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press