VANCOUVER — Receiver Makai Polk had two touchdown catches while backup quarterback Nick Arbuckle came on in relief of injured starter Chad Kelly as the Toronto Argonauts defeated the B.C. Lions 26-12 in CFL action Saturday.
Rookie Toronto kicker Brady Lidster was good on four of five field goal attempts in his first CFL game.
Kelly competed 15 of 18 passes for 197 yards and touchdowns passes of 19 and 44 yards to Polk before leaving the game late in the first half after being injured on a late hit.
Arbuckle came off the bench and completed 13 of 20 passes for 134 yards as Toronto improved to 3-4 and snapped a three-game losing streak.
Polk left the game in the third quarter after a vicious hit from B.C. defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver. He returned and finished the game with four catches for 91 yards.
Lidster, filling in for Argo veteran Lirim Hajrullahu who didn’t play due to a non-injury-related roster decision, kicked field goals of 48, 47, 37 and 24 yards. He hit the upright on a 43-yard attempt.
B.C. quarterback Chase Brice, making his first CFL start, completed 14 of 25 passes for 163 yards as the Lions dropped to 1-5.
Sean Whyte accounted for all the Lions scoring, kicking field goals of 34, 30, 27 and 17 yards.
Brice played in place of the injured Nathan Rourke. The CFL’s reigning outstanding player hurt his shoulder on the second play from scrimmage in last week’s 19-17 loss to the Edmonton Elks.
Brice was replaced by Kaidon Salter later in the fourth quarter. Salter completed nine of 15 passes for 121 yards.
A crowd of 21,438 watched the Lions’ first game at B.C. Place Stadium this season due to the facility hosting the FIFA World Cup. The Lions played two home games in Kelowna, B.C.
The Argos scored on their opening drive following a Lions two-and-out.
A 32-yard punt return by Janarion Grant gave Toronto good field position.
Wide receiver Damonte Coxie made three catches for 39 yards before Polk finished the drive with a 19-yard touchdown catch.
Kelly and Polk hooked up again in the second quarter. Polk got behind the Lions defence and hauled in a 44-yard pass to make the score 17-6.
Tempers flared late in the first half. Kelly slid to the ground after a six-yard run but took a late hit from B.C. linebacker Darnell Sankey. That resulted in pushing and shoving and penalties accessed to both teams.
Kelly was replaced by Arbuckle for the rest of the game.
Toronto squandered a chance for more points on their final drive of the first half.
Arbuckle drove the team down the field. With 14 seconds left on the clock he threw to wide receiver Dave Ungerer who made the catch and struggled to the Lions two-yard line but didn’t get out of bound before time ran out.
Arbuckle showed his running skills early in the third quarter. He took off on an 11-yard scramble that was highlighted by a straight arm to a Lion defender. The drive ended with a 24-yard Lidster field goal to make the score 20-6.
Lions right tackle Joshua Donovan was injured on the Lions’ second series and was taken off the field on a cart.
UP NEXT
Argonauts: Host the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday, Aug. 6.
Lions: Visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2026.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
