The BC Lions can secure a home playoff game with a win on the road in Saskatchewan on Sunday. Should the Lions emerge victorious, then they will host the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final. The Lions are riding a 5-game winning streak, with the most recent being at home over the Edmonton Elks 37-24. The Roughriders are coming off a 16-17 loss at home to Winnipeg.
Game Details:
Date/Location: Saturday, October 25 /Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan
Kickoff Time: 7:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM PT
Channel: TSN (Canada), CFL+ (USA, Global)
Odds (If you place bets, please do so responsibly in moderation):Â
Spread: B.C. -7.5 (-105), Saskatchewan +7.5 (-115)
Moneyline: B.C. -330, Saskatchewan +260
Over/Under: 51.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
B.C. Lions (10-7): The BC Lions have a lot to play for as a win will secure them a playoff game at home in the Western Semi-Final.
Nathan Rourke is currently second in passing yards in the league at 4,922, trailing only Bo Levi Mitchell at 5,032. Rourke has the chance to be the first Canadian to pass for 5,000 yards in a CFL season. If Rourke finishes leading the league in passing yards, it will be the first time a Canadian has done so since Russ Jackson did so in 1969.
Canadian defensive end, Mathieu Betts is also poised to potentially finish leading the league in a stat category as he currently leads the league with 14 sacks.
Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-5): Saskatchewan was the first team to clinch the playoffs doing so back in week 15, and they clinched the West Division in week 19. This game has no effect on the final standings for them, but they will still look to maintain their momentum before they enter the bye week ahead of hosting the West Final. Saskatchewan has the opportunity to sweep the season series against BC for the first time since 2021.
The Riders have had strong play from their defense as of late, holding teams to under 3 yards in each of their last 3 games.
Trevor Harris has had another efficient passing year, completing 73.2% of his passes for 4,437 yards and 24 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Among starting quarterbacks, his 110.5 efficiency rating trails only Davis Alexander’s 110.7.
Lions’ Keys to the Game
No Turnover Worthy Throws From Nathan Rourke
Rourke has been playing fantastically as of late, making incredible throws and forcing defenders to miss tackles. There have been some lapses of judgment at times, however, in recent games in which there would be a careless throw. He has 2 turnover-worthy throws in each of the last 2 games by my count.
Keep Pouring on the Pass Rush
The Lions’ pass rush has been fantastic as of late. As long as they keep playing at this level, BC will be incredibly dangerous.
Don’t Let A.J. Ouellette Get Going
A.J. Ouellette is one of the best running backs in the league, and he is having a great season. The Lions will have a tall task in stopping him, but they have the pieces to do it.
5 Lions to Watch
#98 DE Levi Bell
Last week, Bell had a sack and 6 additional pressures (2 of which were a secondary source of pressure on the play).Â
#96 DE Bradlee Anae
Anae had 3 tackles last week, including 2 solo run stops, and was in on 2 shared stops. He had 6 total pressures (2 of which were a secondary source of pressure).
#4 WR Keon Hatcher
Hatcher again led the team in receiving yards last week, catching 5 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. Hatcher has 1,613 yards on the season, 244 yards shy of the franchise record held by Geroy Simon at 1,856.
# RB James Butler
Butler is second in the league in rushing yards after rushing 221 times for 1,185 yards (5.4 average) and 11 touchdowns. He has 43 receptions for 401 yards and a touchdown.
#18 WR Justin McInnis
McInnis caught 5 of his 7 targets last week for 96 yards.
#26 CB Robert Carter Jr.
Carter had 6 targets come his way last week and only allowed 1 completion for 9 yards. He had 2 passes defended and an interception in the win. He has 3 interceptions in the last 2 games.
5 Roughriders to Watch
#45 RB A.J. Ouellette
Ouellette has rushed 237 times for a career high of 1,179 yards (5.0 average) and 8 touchdowns. He has also caught 34 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. He is currently third in rushing yards in the league.
#81 WR Mitchell Picton
Picton was the most targeted receiver for Saskatchewan last week, catching 5 of his 8 targets for 71 yards.
#34 LB A.J. Allen
Allen had a career high of 9 tackles last week. He has 84 tackles on the season, including 4 sacks. He has 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles this season.
#11 DE Malik Carney
Carney has 38 tackles and a team-leading 7 sacks on the season.
#4 DT Micah Johnson
Johnson has 20 tackles and 6 sacks this season.
Injury Report:
Depth Charts:
Score Prediction:
I predict the Lions to win 27-23. I am predicting the Lions to win every game through the Grey Cup as long as there is no regression from Nathan Rourke’s level of play and the defensive line maintains its high level of play.
