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The B.C. Lions will now travel to Regina to meet the first-place Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western final on Nov. 8. Read our recap of the dramatic semifinal win that got them there.
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Published Nov 01, 2025  • Last updated 15 minutes ago  • 6 minute read
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B.C. Lions’ Sean Whyte (back right), Andrew Peirson (back left) and Tibo Debaillie (front right) celebrate after Whyte kicked the game winning field during the CFL western semifinal football game against the Calgary Stampeders, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSArticle content
With another walk-off Whyte win, the B.C. Lions are on to the CFL’s Western final.
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Sean Whyte booted a field goal on the game’s final play to give the Lions a 33-30 victory over the Calgary Stampeders Saturday at B.C. Place before an announced crowd of 26,383. A 28-yard pass from Nathan Rourke to Justin McInnis had set up Whyte for the final kick with 0:03 left on the clock.
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It’s the 12th career walk-off win for Whyte, the 40-year-old from White Rock who’s in his 17th CFL season.
Whyte was 4-for-4 on field goals on the game. He was a 39-of-41 on the three-pointers during the regular season.
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Calgary had a couple of glorious opportunities to put up more points before that. Whyte’s longtime kicking rival, Rene Paredes of the Stampeders, clanged a convert attempt off the upright after Calgary had scored a major to make it 27-27. And Calgary had elected to get in one more play from scrimmage from the B.C. 19-yard line with 0:08 left in the second quarter rather than kick the field goal, and the Lions held them out.
The Lions, who came in second in the West in the regular season with an 11-7 mark, now travel to Regina next week to meet the first-place Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-6) in the Western final on Nov. 8. The winner advances to the Grey Cup on Nov. 16.
Rourke was 16-of-22 for 223 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. He also ran for 68 yards on six carries and scored a touchdown along the ground.
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B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke, back right, hands off to James Butler during the first half of the CFL western semifinal football game against the Calgary Stampeders, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS
Vernon Adams Jr. went 23-for-33 for 324 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Calgary led in net offence yards 476-298.
B.C. running back James Butler, who rushed for a career-high 1,213 yards during the regular season, was a game-time decision with an ankle issue that kept him out of two days of practice this week, but he wound up playing. He ran seven times for 25 yards, and also had two catches for 26 yards.
The Lions came into the game winners of six-straight games, including two victories against the Stampeders. That gave the Lions (11-7) the season series against the Stampeders (11-7) and the right to host.
B.C. Lions vs Calgary Stampeders recap
To read chronologically, start from the bottom and work your way backup:
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B.C. Lions’ Sean Whyte kicks the winning field goal as Carl Meyer holds during the second half of the CFL western semifinal football game against the Calgary Stampeders, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS
5:21 p.m. Whyte boots a 43-yard field goal on the game’s final play to give the Lions a 33-30 win. Rourke had set it up with a 28-yard pass down the middle to McInnis.
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5:16p.m. Whyte and Paredes trade field goals down the stretch. It’s 30-30 with 0:29 remaining. Paredes kicked 38-yarder with 33 seconds left, following Whyte’s 39 yarder with 1:11 showing on the clock.
4:46 p.m. Calgary ties it 27-27 on a one-yard plunge by Quincy Vaughn, but Paredes’ convert try hits the upright and it stays out. There’s 7:46 remaining. Paredes was 41-of-43 on converts in the regular season.
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4:44 p.m. Arching 40-yard throw from Adams to Clark Barnes put Calgary’s on the doorstep to a score, at the B.C. 12-yard line.
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4:34 p.m. We’re into the fourth quarter. Lions lead 27-21.
4:30 p.m. Attendance listed at 26,383.
4:27 p.m. Adams finds Barnes in the end zone on a 3rd-and-two from the B.C. two-yard line, making it 27-21 in favour of the Lions. There’s 2:08 to go in the third quarter.
4:24p.m. Finger tip, touchdown-saving tackle by B.C.’s Deontai Williams on Dedrick Mills, catching him from behind on the B.C. six-yard line. Mills’ run ends up 43 yards.
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4:18 p.m. Calgary’s rally is short-lived as Robert Carter, Jr. takes the ensuing kickoff back 95 yards for a major. Starts right, goes left, and rambles for pay dirt. It’s 27-14 B.C. with 7:16 to go. Carter returned seven kicks for a combined 133 yards in the regular season.
B.C. Lions’ Robert Carter Jr. scores a touchdown on a 95-yard kick return during the second half of the CFL western semifinal football game against the Calgary Stampeders, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS
4:14 p.m. Calgary cuts the margin to 20-14 on Jalen Philpot’s 30-yard touchdown catch with 8:07 left in the third quarter.
Jalen Philop breathes some life into the Stamps hopes. Hauls in a 30-yard Adams pass. Calgary trails 20-14. That missed chance at end of the first half still haunts them. @CFL @BCLions @calstampeders
— Jim Morris (@jememorris) November 1, 2025
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4:08 p.m. Rourke call his own number from seven yards out and B.C.’s up 20-7. There’s 11:16 to go in the third quarter.
4:06 p.m. Rourke’s 44-yard run down the left side will be highlight of the night material, considering how dispy doodled around some poor Calgary defender.
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4:03 p.m. Micah Awe sacks Adams on first play of third quarter. Third sack for B.C., who led the CFL in that category (45) during the regular season.
3:54: According to TSN’s Farhan Lalji, there was a Donnybrook or fracas or melee — whichever you prefer — during the break.
Lots going on at halftime. Matthieu Betts right in the middle of it. #Stamps believe he threw a punch at one of their players (possibly Fortin) on the final play. Betts was furious about something on the play before. It carried over into the tunnel where teams had to be separated
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) November 1, 2025
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3:43 p.m. Calgary elects take one more crack at the end zone with 0:08 remaining on the clock on a 1st-and-10 from the B.C. 19-yard line. Adams finds Tevin Jones on the right and Jones gets to the six-yard line, but can get no further before the clock runs out.
It’s 13-7 at halftime. Calgary has a 172-137 edge in net offence. Adams is 11-for-17 for 140 yards. Rourke is 9-for-12 for 126 yards.
3:40 p.m. Whyte kicks a 39-yard field goal with 0:43 remaining in the second quarter to give the Lions a 13-7 margin.
3:36 p.m. Ayden Eberhardt got the crowd going at B.C. Place.
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3:32 p.m. A 35-yard field goal by Paredes cuts B.C.’s lead to 10-7 with 2:38 to go before the intermission. Calgary drive stalled by 10-yard loss on a sack by B.C.’s Jonah Tavai on a 2nd-and-10 from the B.C. 18-yard line.
3:22 p.m. Ir’a 10-4 for the Lions with 6:58 to go until halftime, thanks to a one-yard plunge by quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. Drive aided by a couple of Calgary penalties.
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3:11 p.m. Calgary goes up 4-3 on a single via a 54-yard punt from Mark Vassett 2:54 into the second quarter.
3:07 p.m. Crowd is starting to fill in, but it’s easy to wonder how much the messy morning weather and the World Series teamed up to hurt attendance here.
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3:05 p.m. First quarter is over. Tied 3-3. Calgary had 39 yards of offence, B.C. countered with 29. It’s been a slow start from both teams to be sure.
3:02 p.m. We’re tied 3-3 as Rene Paredes boots a 50-yard field goal with 1:32 to go in the first quarter. Sack by Tavai on Adams on a 2nd-and-7 from the B.C. 41-yard line stalled the drive.
2:38 p.m. B.C. scores on its first drive, going up 3-0 on a 40-yard field goal by Sean Whyte just 1:57 into the game. Drive was set up by a 55-yard kickoff return by Seven McGee. Here’s your regularly scheduled Whyte appreciation factoid: he’s playing in his 20th playoff game today, which leads all active players.
2 p.m. Horvath has started to take some reps with the offence.
1:57 p.m. Butler seems to running full speed as the team goes through some offensive plays.
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1:38 p.m. Courtesy of the CFL stats guru Steve Daniel: Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams, Jr., is 1-3 in playoffs, while Nathan Rourke is 1-1.
1:35 p.m. Yet more from Mr. Daniel: since 2014, home teams have won the West semifinal seven out of the 10 times it has been contested. That includes four straight wins for the home side.
1:30 p.m. Players. have started take to the field. The Lions are saying they’ll update Butler’s status after the warm-ups. Butler is on the field.
12:45 p.m. Pregame fit check.
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