Ottawa vs Calgary Recap: René Paredes Drills 62-Yard Walk-Off in 40-38 Thriller

The Ottawa vs Calgary recap ended with one of the biggest special-teams moments of the CFL season. René Paredes hit a 62-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to lift the Calgary Stampeders to a 40-38 win after Ottawa had taken the lead less than 90 seconds earlier.

The ScoresAndStats preview backed Ottawa +8.5 at -110, arguing Calgary’s defensive problems and key offensive injuries made more than one score of separation difficult to justify. That Best Bet cashed easily despite Ottawa falling to 0-13. The secondary Under 63.5 did not survive a 78-point shootout.

The main game-script thesis held where the spread was concerned: Calgary remained the likelier winner, but Ottawa’s quarterback change gave the REDBLACKS enough offense to stay attached. McLeod Bethel-Thompson did much more than that, throwing five touchdown passes and nearly delivering Ottawa’s first victory.

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Ottawa REDBLACKS vs Calgary Stampeders Game Recap

Calgary scored first when short-yardage quarterback Quincy Vaughn punched in a one-yard touchdown, but Ottawa immediately showed that the offensive baseline had changed with Bethel-Thompson starting. He connected with Keelan White for two second-quarter touchdowns, helping Ottawa take a 14-10 lead.

The Stampeders answered before halftime when Vernon Adams Jr. hit Tevin Jones for a 60-yard score. Calgary then opened the second half with another Vaughn rushing touchdown before Ottawa responded through Kalil Pimpleton.

The fourth quarter became a full CFL shootout. Ottawa tied the game 24-24, White caught his third touchdown to make it 31-27, and Adams responded with a 26-yard touchdown strike to Jalen Philpot. Paredes added a short field goal for a 37-31 advantage.

Bethel-Thompson then appeared to have delivered Ottawa’s breakthrough. His 15-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hardy with 1:17 remaining put the REDBLACKS ahead 38-37. Calgary’s final drive was pushed backward by a penalty, leaving Paredes facing a 62-yard attempt. He made it.

Key Stats That Explain the Betting Result

The numbers explain why Ottawa covered while the under failed:

• Bethel-Thompson produced five touchdown passes in his first start of the season.
• White turned all three of his receptions into touchdowns.
• Adams answered with 357 passing yards against Ottawa’s vulnerable defense.
• Paredes made all four field-goal attempts, including the 62-yard winner.

The spread never required Ottawa to be the better team. It only required the REDBLACKS to keep Calgary from creating nine points of separation. With Bethel-Thompson producing 379 yards, the underdog had far more offense than Calgary’s price could comfortably absorb.

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The rematch should price Ottawa’s improved offense without assuming another 78-point shootout.
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Betting Market Results and Analysis

Ottawa +8.5 at -110 won by 6.5 points of spread margin. Calgary won outright, which also matched the preview’s 34-27 final-score direction, but the Stampeders never created the margin needed to threaten Ottawa backers late.

The Under 63.5 alternative lost decisively. Calgary’s injuries did not reduce the offense enough, while Ottawa’s quarterback change increased scoring far beyond the previous baseline. Bethel-Thompson’s five touchdowns were the precise development the low-total case underestimated.

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Calgary stayed alive in the West race, but Ottawa proved it can no longer be priced like the same broken offense.
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Pregame Thesis vs. Actual Result

The preview identified three reasons to take Ottawa: Calgary’s weak defense, Bethel-Thompson’s improved quarterback floor and Calgary’s injury cluster. All three helped the spread ticket.

The total thesis was wrong. Missing Dedrick Mills and Dejon Brissett did not prevent Calgary from producing explosive offense. Deonta McMahon rushed for 102 yards, while Philpot and Jones both exceeded 100 receiving yards.

The biggest adjustment going forward is Ottawa. Bethel-Thompson turned an offense averaging only 22.5 points before the game into a unit capable of scoring 38 on the road. One performance does not erase an 0-13 record, but it does change the betting baseline.

René Paredes Changed a Cover Into a Calgary Win

Paredes was the decisive player because Ottawa had already done enough to win the game outright. His 62-yard field goal was not ordinary late-game execution; it was the only play that prevented the REDBLACKS from leaving Calgary with their first victory.

The fact that Calgary needed that kick also reinforces the original spread argument. A favorite laying more than a converted touchdown should not require a career-level field goal in the final seconds simply to win by two.

What to Watch Before the Next Games

These teams meet again immediately in Ottawa, which makes the rematch unusually important for bettors. The market has to decide how much of this offensive explosion is repeatable and how much came from a uniquely open fourth quarter.

• Track Bethel-Thompson’s starting status and second-down efficiency.
• Watch whether White’s touchdown rate can normalize without reducing his role.
• Monitor Calgary’s injured skill players before the rematch.
• Reprice Ottawa totals upward if Bethel-Thompson remains the starter.

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