EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks were defeated 32-14 by the BC Lions as Week 6 in the 2025 CFL season wrapped up on Sunday night at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo completed a touchdown pass to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and also scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.
Edmonton was looking for its second straight win after defeating the Ottawa RedBlacks 39-33 in Week 5.
“I think we came off our best week, collectively, as a group – offensively, defensively, special teams-wise, I thought we were familiar with our opponent, we had an idea what they were going to do because we already played against them, but I feel like it was just one of those nights, and if you’re around this league long enough, sometimes you just have one of those nights where the other team is better from you,” Fajardo said during a post-game interview on 880 CHED, radio flagship of the Elks.
Gittens Jr. was Edmonton’s top receiver with three catches for 55 yards, while Elks quarterback Tre Ford rushed for a team-leading 47 yards.
Green and Gold defensive back Kenneth Logan Jr. registered a game-high 12 tackles, including two on special teams. Edmonton defensive lineman Jake Ceresna had the first interception of his career.
“We’ve got to go back and watch the film and find the good, the bad, and the ugly,” said Green and Gold linebacker Nyles Morgan. “There’s lessons after every single game.”
Sean Whyte got the Lions on the board first, booting a 33-yard field goal with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter. The Lions extended their lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter, as Jevon Cottoy scored on a 17-yard touchdown reception from Nathan Rourke.
DL Jake Ceresna’s 1st career interception ☝️ https://t.co/0Bzx7UZXQa
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) July 14, 2025
Commonwealth Stadium erupted when Ceresna picked off Rourke deep in Lions territory, giving Edmonton possession at the B.C. 19-yard line. Three plays later, Fajardo punched the ball from the one-yard line, and the Elks cut the lead to 10-7 with just over five minutes left in the second quarter.
BC answered with two late touchdowns to close the half; James Butler found the endzone on a 15-yard rush at 12:41, and Stanley Berryhill hauled in a seven-yard touchdown toss from Rourke at 14:52, putting the Lions ahead 24-7 at the break.
Early in the second half Edmonton’s defense stopped the Lions on third and goal, taking possession at their own three-yard line, but BC was awarded a safety when EE offensive lineman Mark Evans II was flagged for holding in the endzone. BC would then get a 36-yard field goal from Whyte, to take a 29-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Whyte added his third field goal of the game, from 31 yards. Edmonton closed the scoring, when Fajardo connected with Gittens Jr. for a 31-yard TD. It was the 85th touchdown toss of Fajardo’s decorated CFL career, and first as a member of the Green and Gold.
The Elks now have a bye before returning to action on July 25 when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Edmonton’s next home game is Aug. 2 at 1 p.m. against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Tickets are available now.
THEY SAID
Cody Fajardo on the benefits of bye week:
“I think the fortunate thing about this is we have a bye week. It’s going to make guys sit on it a little bit longer, and they’re going to come back energized. It also allows guys to get away from football a little bit. We’ve got a gauntlet of 10 games coming up and we all know that in this room, but as young as a team as we have, we’d be crazy to think that everything’s just going to click on all cylinders from the get-go. There’s been some great spots, there’s been some great ball playing, we’ve just got to play more collectively, we’ve got to play three phases, which we’ve shown that we can do, but for four quarters. We have the right guys in our locker room. I’ve been around a lot of talented teams, this team is extremely talented, we just have to find a way to play with each other. With so much turnover on the roster, sometimes that doesn’t happen right away, so no need to hit the panic button, but obviously when you’re not winning football games you’ve got to find a way to win some football games.”
Nyles Morgan on his message for his teammates on defence:
“I told them we’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror, we’ve got to look really deep down, look past all this darkness, and find a light, find what we do best, find yourself over these next few days, it’s bye week, come back ready to play, new team.”