The Roughriders’ quest for back-to-back Grey Cup titles is now well underway. Through four games of the 2026 CFL season, the defending champions sit at 3-1 and are tied atop the West Division after Edmonton’s recent loss to the BC Lions snapped the Elks’ unbeaten start. After opening with wins over the Lions and Calgary Stampeders, the Roughriders dropped their first game of the year to the Toronto Argonauts before bouncing back with a 27-22 road win over the Ottawa Redblacks. Quarterback Trevor Harris, last year’s Grey Cup MVP, has picked up right where he left off, a strong early sign for Saskatchewan’s title defence.
How To Bet On The Roughriders This Season
For fans following the Roughriders’ title defence, sportsbooks now have a full slate of in-season markets open: weekly game lines, player props for Harris and the receiving corps, and updated futures on the team’s odds to repeat as West Division and Grey Cup champions. One option worth considering when placing a wager is Swiper, a sports betting platform that offers CFL markets, which include moneylines, spreads, totals and futures on teams like the Roughriders. The platform is built with the user in mind: navigation is straightforward, the odds are competitive, and payouts are fast. Whether you’re betting on the Riders to win it all again or just want to get involved with individual games, Swiper is a top choice.
The Season So Far
The Roughriders’ only loss so far came against Toronto, 40-34, in a game where they let a late lead slip away. Still, the response was telling. Against Ottawa, Harris found Dhel Duncan-Busby for a touchdown, and rookie Mathew Sexton added a 101-yard punt return that set up a go-ahead score, with the Riders closing out the win by leaning on short-yardage specialist Tommy Stevens down the stretch. Entering that Ottawa game, Harris had completed 87 of 115 passes for 1,175 yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception through three games, a 75.7 completion percentage that mirrors the efficiency he delivered last season. He added two more touchdown passes against the Redblacks to extend his hot start.
What Stands In Their Way?
It was, as Harris put it afterwards, an ugly win, but it was the type of win that showed a champion’s ability to grind out a result even when the performance was far from perfect. The bigger challenge is Edmonton, who are tied with the Riders at the top of the West. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the team’s longtime rivals, are 2-2 but have plenty of time to make a move. What stands in the Riders’ way could be themselves. They need to raise their level of play across the board and hold it there.
Conclusion
The Roughriders have never won back-to-back Grey Cups in their history, but they’re in a great position to make it happen this season, and it’s a challenge that Harris and co are fully embracing. A good start to the new season, with one of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks playing well, means the Riders are certainly on the right track. However, there’s still a long way to go, and they will have to up their game and stay consistent if they’re to pull off a repeat.