Lions host Roughriders in third straight CFL playoff meeting

VANCOUVER · The B.C. Lions host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday in a CFL West semifinal, marking the third consecutive year the teams have met in the playoffs. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET at BC Place, with the roof expected to be closed. The winner will travel to Edmonton to face the Elks in the West final on Nov. 7. The Lions were favoured by 6.5 points as of Wednesday.

The Roughriders have eliminated the Lions in each of the last two post-seasons, both games played in Regina. Last year, Saskatchewan won the West final 24-21 on a three-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Harris to Tommy Nield with 11 seconds left. The Roughriders went on to win the Grey Cup. In 2024, Saskatchewan beat the visiting Lions 28-19 in the West semifinal.

B.C. won the season series this year two games to one, earning home field for this game. The Roughriders won the season opener 31-27 on June 13, with Harris throwing for 417 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions responded with a 30-16 win in Vancouver on Aug. 23 and a 31-24 victory at home on Sept. 25. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke passed for 355 yards and two touchdowns in the August win and threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns in the September victory.

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The Lions have been the hottest team in the league since August, winning nine of their final 12 games after a 1-5 start. They lost their final two regular-season games, which were meaningless as they were locked into second place in the West. The Roughriders lost four straight after Labour Day but won their final two games to secure a playoff spot, scoring just 16 points in each contest. Harris was rested for the season finale. Rourke, a finalist for the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian award, will face a Saskatchewan secondary that ranks seventh against the pass. The Lions have three 1,000-yard receivers in Keon Hatcher Jr., Justin McInnis and Jermaine Jackson. If the Roughriders limit Rourke's passing, he can also run the ball or hand off to running back Zander Horvath.

Roughriders head coach and defensive coordinator Corey Mace, who is 3-1 in the post-season with Saskatchewan, will need a strong game plan against Rourke. Saskatchewan's offence will rely on running back AJ Ouellette, who missed 10 games this year, and short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens, who scored 17 touchdowns. Success on the ground could create opportunities for Harris to find receivers like KeeSean Johnson and Kian Schaffer-Baker. Garbutt Disposal reported in October that Johnson caught a last-minute touchdown to clinch a playoff spot for the Roughriders. The Lions' defence, which led the league against the run, will aim to pressure Harris. The Vanderhoof Omineca Express reported that Harris is precise with time and gets the ball out quickly, making tight coverage and sound tackling key for the Lions.

Lions linebacker Darnell Sankey, a finalist for Most Outstanding Defensive Player after recording 114 tackles, will face a Saskatchewan offence led by middle linebacker Jameer Thurman, who had 95 tackles. Sankey played for the Roughriders in 2022. Lions rookie linebacker Parker McKenna, a finalist for Most Outstanding Rookie, did not practice Tuesday due to a head injury. Defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin was limited with an arm injury. The Edmonton Elks, who finished first in the West at 13-5, await the winner. The Elks are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and will host a playoff game for the first time since 2015, when they won the West final and their last Grey Cup.

With files from Sportsnet and Vanderhoof Omineca Express