CFL & NFL

Alouettes aim for perfect home record in Grey Cup rematch with Roughriders

The game is the first meeting since Saskatchewan beat Montreal in last year's Grey Cup.

Marc-André Roy · Football Writer
October 12, 2026 · More from this writer

MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes can complete a perfect 9-0 home record when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thanksgiving Monday.

Montreal (12-3) has already secured top spot in the East Division and a home playoff date on Nov. 7, but head coach Jason Maas said his team is focused on staying sharp.

Quite a few of us were part of that 2024 team so obviously finishing strong down the stretch is important,

Maas said, referencing a season where the Alouettes clinched top spot with three games left but then dropped three of their next four, including an East final loss.

Staying healthy is important as well. Ultimately, it’s about competing every single day, staying focused on the day-to-day tasks and not thinking too far ahead.

The Thanksgiving Day game at Percival Molson Stadium is expected to be a sellout.

It’s a big shout-out to our fans because I think they make it extremely hard and difficult for opposing teams to come in here and play,

Maas said.

I think it’s a huge home-field advantage for us. We’ve taken advantage, obviously, this year. Our guys love playing in our stadium.

A perfect 9-0 home record has been accomplished just twice before in franchise history, in 1954 and 2009, and only eight times in CFL history.

It’s definitely an honour and a privilege,

said Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander.

The important part is just finding a way to get a win, having our fans enjoy the game and getting ready for the playoffs.

The Roughriders (8-7) are trying to end a three-game losing streak and keep pace in a tight West Division race.

Saskatchewan is tied with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders with 16 points, but holds a game in hand on Winnipeg and two on Calgary.

Both Winnipeg and Calgary hold the tiebreaker over the Roughriders by virtue of their respective season series.

I know perhaps the implications may not be ‘win and you’re in’ this week, but we control the narrative,

Roughriders head coach Corey Mace told reporters.

You’ve got three games left in the season. If you win each one, you’re putting yourself in good (position). Right now, we’re focused obviously on the task at hand out there on Thanksgiving Day against a good opponent.

The game is the first meeting between the clubs since Saskatchewan defeated Montreal 25-17 in last November's Grey Cup.

We talk about faceless opponents so we could care less who we’re playing, but any athlete will tell you they look for added motivation,

Maas said.

I know last November it sure didn’t feel great leaving that stadium at the end of the year. It’s just unfortunate it took 11 months to get an opportunity to play them again, but we’re looking forward to playing them on Thanksgiving in front of our home crowd and playing Alouette football.

Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander is 146 yards shy of 5,000 passing yards this season.

His top target, Tyson Philpot, leads the CFL with 1,735 receiving yards and 119 receptions.

Philpot is a great deep threat,

said Saskatchewan cornerback Tevaughn Campbell, who is returning from an eight-game absence due to a forearm injury.

He has great ball judgment. He goes up and gets it. You’ve just got to limit that.

The Roughriders will be without top receiver KeeSean Johnson, who is out with an ankle injury.

Johnson is fourth in the CFL with 1,243 receiving yards and second in receptions with 101.

Saskatchewan is looking for its first road win since Aug. 1.

The two teams will complete a home-and-home series in Regina on Saturday.

With files from The Globe and Mail and Sportsnet