Roughriders hitting tough spell at end of season - BERITAJA

These are difficult times for backmost Trevor Harris and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The defending Grey Cup champions person dropped 4 consecutive games. And matters don’t get immoderate easier Saturday erstwhile Saskatchewan (8-8) hosts Montreal (13-3) to complete a home-and-home series.

The Alouettes took past week’s title 44-24 astatine Molson Stadium, the first gathering betwixt the 2 teams since past year’s Grey Cup game.

But Saskatchewan would punch its playoff summons pinch a triumph complete Montreal and a nonaccomplishment by either Calgary aliases Winnipeg loss. The Blue Bombers (8-8) sojourn the Edmonton Elks (12-4) connected Friday nighttime while the Stampeders (8-9) big the B.C. Lions (10-6) connected Saturday night.

Neither Saskatchewan nor Calgary could big a playoff contest. Edmonton could clinch first successful the West — and big the section last Nov. 7 — pinch either a triumph complete Winnipeg aliases a B.C. loss.

The Lions could clinch a location playoff crippled pinch a triumph aliases Winnipeg loss. The Bombers could unafraid a post-season berth pinch a triumph aliases Calgary loss.

The East is group pinch Montreal having clinched first. The Toronto Argonauts (9-7) will decorativeness 2nd and big the section semifinal Oct. 31 versus the West crossover squad.

Last week, Montreal starter Davis Alexander threw for 403 yards pinch 5 touchdowns and an interception versus Saskatchewan. The Alouettes besides converted 13-of-21 second-down opportunities and accumulated 524 nett violative yards.

Alexander leads the CFL successful passing yards (5,247), TDs (35) and completion percent (72.1).

Harris completed 23-of-33 passes for 243 yards pinch 2 TDs and an interception.

There is simply a mobility of really overmuch Alexander and Montreal’s different starters will play. The Alouettes participate action tops successful violative points scored (33.8 per game) and 2nd wide successful nett offence (430.6 yards) and passing (334.4) while besides averaging 106.1 yards rushing per contest.

Conversely, Saskatchewan is 4th successful passing (320.8 per game), 5th successful some violative points (27.5 per game) and nett violative yards (401.6) but a distant seventh successful rushing (89.8 yards).

Montreal besides leads the CFL successful 30-plus gait completions (37) and is 2nd successful fewest 30-plus gait passes allowed (16, 1 down Hamilton). Canadian Tyson Philpot needs 228 receiving yards complete the Als’ last 2 games to break Allen Pitts’s single-season grounds of 2,036.

Despite Saskatchewan’s struggles, Harris stands 2nd wide successful passing (5,117) and sports a coagulated 70.1 per cent completion average. While Harris has 31 TD tosses, his 14 interceptions are tied for second-most by a CFL starter.

Saskatchewan is 5-3 astatine location and should beryllium the much hopeless team.

Pick: Saskatchewan.

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Toronto Argonauts vs. Ottawa Redblacks (Friday night)

At Ottawa, Chad Kelly is expected to commencement for Toronto, which comes disconnected a bye week. Kelly (right hand) didn’t play successful the Argos’ 24-17 location nonaccomplishment to B.C. connected Oct. 3 but practised afloat this week. How overmuch he and different starters play remains unclear. Newcomer Bryson Barnes starts for Ottawa (0-16) and is expected to do truthful for its regular-season finale successful Hamilton connected Oct. 24. The six-foot-one, 213-pound Barnes has been utilized mostly successful short-yardage situations, having scored 9 rushing TDs. He has completed 10-of-13 passes for 110 yards pinch an interception.

Pick: Toronto.

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Edmonton Elks (Friday night)

At Edmonton, the Elks look to expanse the three-game play series. More importantly, the Elks are chasing first spot successful the West Division. The Alberta nine has won 2 consecutive and six of its past 7 games overall. Veteran starter Zach Collaros made a triumphant return past week for Winnipeg, passing for 349 yards and 2 TDs successful the 33-28 triumph complete Calgary aft missing 2 games pinch a caput injury. The Bombers are 6-4 pinch Collaros nether centre, but CFL rushing leader Brady Oliveira (1,307 yards) should get much than the 8 carries (40 yards) he had against Calgary.

Pick: Edmonton.

B.C. Lions vs. Calgary Stampeders (Saturday night)

At Calgary, B.C. has won 4 consecutive and 9 of its past 10. Nathan Rourke threw for 360 yards and 3 TDs successful past week’s 41-20 location triumph complete Ottawa. Zander Horvath ran for 89 yards and 2 TDs, giving him 18 rushing scores and 21 overall. He needs 1 much rushing touchdown to necktie Mike Pringle’s single-season grounds and 2 much TDs to necktie Milt Stegall’s wide mark. The Stampeders (8-9) missed a chance past week to clinch a playoff spot by losing to Winnipeg. Vernon Adams Jr. had 284 passing yards and a TD while rushing for 38 yards connected 5 carries. If the Stamps driblet this, they’ll request Saskatchewan to suffer retired to scope the playoffs.

Pick: B.C.

Last week: 3-1.

Overall: 50-23.

This study by BERITAJA was first published Oct. 14, 2026.