The BC Lions will host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday night at BC Place. The Lions are coming off a big 35-19 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the Tiger-Cats are coming off a heavy 20-44 loss to the Calgary Stampeders. Both teams will continue to be without their starting quarterback as both Nathan Rourke and Bo Levi Mitchell continue to heal from injuries.
Game Details:
Date/Location: Saturday, August 8, 2026 / BC Place, Vancouver, BC
Kickoff Time: 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT
Channel: TSN, RDS (Canada), CFL+ (USA, Global)
Radio: 730 CKNW/Lions Audio Network/Sher-E- Punjab Radio AM 600
Odds (If you place bets, please do so responsibly in moderation):
Spread: B.C. -7.5 (+100), Tiger-Cats+7.5 (-122)
Moneyline: B.C. -360, Tiger-Cats +280
Over/Under: 55.5 (Over -114, Under -106)
B.C. Lions: The BC Lions are coming off a strong 35-19 win over Winnipeg. Kaidon Salter completed 7 of 15 passes for 96 yards and 1 touchdown while also rushing for 160 yards on 10 carries. Zander Horvath exploded for 191 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 17 carries as the Lions rushed for 377 yards. Deontai Williams and Darnell Sankey both recorded 8 tackles.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are coming off a 20-44 loss to Calgary. Harrison Frost completed 9 of 20 passes for 165 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception, while Tre Ford added 4 of 10 for 58 yards. Larry Rountree III rushed for 63 yards on 12 carries while the receiving corps was led by Kiondre Smith with 5 catches for 66 yards.
Hamilton has lost 3 of their last 4 games since losing Bo Levi Mitchell to injury in week 5.
Lions' Keys to the Game
Keep the Run Game Dominant
Zander Horvath rushed for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns last week, while Kaidon Salter added 160 rushing yards. Continuing to control the ground game will wear down Hamilton’s defence and provide a footing for Salter to become more comfortable as a passer in what will be his first CFL start.
Efficient Quarterback Play
Salter was productive as a dual-threat last week, but we are yet to see much of what he will be bringing to the table as a passer.
Contain Larry Rountree III and Limit the Rush
With Hamilton’s passing game leaving some room for improvement in the absence of Bo Levi Mitchell, I would expect Hamilton to prioritize getting the run game going.
No Turnovers
In a game where both teams may see offensive limitations due to injuries to star quarterbacks, turnovers could have an even greater impact on the game.
5 Lions to Watch
19 QB Kaidon Salter
In the Week 9 win over Winnipeg: 7/15, 96 yards, 1 TD, plus 10 carries for 160 rushing yards. A dual-threat quarterback who creates with both his arm and legs.
34 RB Zander Horvath
Horvath has rushed 40 times for 254 yards (6.4 average) and 6 touchdowns so far this season. Last week he rushed 17 times for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win over Winnipeg.
4 WR Keon Hatcher
Hatcher had 1 catch for 32 yards last week. He is the leading receiver on the Lions with 29 catches for 497 yards and a touchdown.
82 WR Kieran Poissant
Poissant had 4 catches for 32 yards last week.
9 DB Deontai Williams
Last week saw Williams record 8 tackles, 2 special teams tackles, and a sack. He has 38 tackles so far this season.
5 Tiger-Cats to Watch
5 QB Tre Ford
In the Week 9 loss to Calgary: 4/10, 58 yards, plus 4 carries for 52 rushing yards. A dual-threat option who can create plays with his mobility.
37 RB Larry Rountree III
Rountree III has rushed 105 times for 449 yards (4.3 average) over 8 games this season.
85 WR Kiondre Smith
Smith caught 5 passes for 66 yards last week. He has 33 catches for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season.
89 WR Kenny Lawler
Lawler caught 28 passes for 382 yards so far this season with 5 touchdowns. He caught 3 passes for 45 yards and a touchdown last week.
8 WR Keric Wheatfall
Wheatfall had his 3rd consecutive game with 50 yards or more last week as he caught 2 passes for 59 yards. He has caught 22 passes for 354 yards so far this season.
Injury Report:
Depth Charts:
Score Prediction:
I predict the BC Lions to win 30-20. Hamilton just hasn’t had the same offensive juice without BLM to make me expect to see many victories for them right now.