Week 9 of the 2025 CFL season begins Thursday, when the Calgary Stampeders visit the Ottawa Redblacks at 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Place.

Calgary (5-2) had its three-game winning streak halted last week as it dropped a 23-21 decision to the Montreal Alouettes at home. The Stampeders will have revenge on their minds after suffering a 20-12 home setback in Week 3 against Ottawa (1-6), which has lost four straight since—the last two versus the red-hot Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

After winning the rematch of last year’s title game last week at home, the reigning Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts attempt to sweep the season series for the second consecutive campaign when they take on the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Argonauts (2-5) lost back-to-back contests before posting a 31-17 victory last Saturday over the Blue Bombers (3-3), who are in the midst of a three-game slide after beginning the year with three straight wins.

A pair of contests take place Saturday, with the first being a matchup between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Edmonton Elks at 3 p.m. ET at Commonwealth Stadium. 

Hamilton (5-2), which is tied with Montreal for first place in the East Division, opened the season with two losses but regrouped during its first bye week of the year and enters this contest with a five-game winning streak after topping the BC Lions 37-33 last week. Edmonton (1-5), which split its two-game series versus the Tiger-Cats in 2024, is coming off its second straight defeat—a 21-18 road setback against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The week concludes when the Alouettes host the Roughriders at Molson Stadium at 7 p.m. ET. Montreal (5-2) has followed its first bye week of 2025 with a pair of close victories, as it squeaked past Toronto 26-25 in Week 7 before edging Calgary. Saskatchewan (6-1) sits atop the West Division and also is seeking a third consecutive win but has lost three straight meetings with the Alouettes since recording a 41-20 triumph in Week 4 of the 2022 season.

Ottawa is a 3.5-point favorite against Calgary at FanDuel Sportsbook, while Toronto is a 3-point underdog versus Winnipeg. Hamilton is favored by 3.5 points in its matchup with Edmonton, and Saskatchewan is -2.5 against Montreal.

SportsLine football expert Emory Hunt is 18-13 on his CFL picks this year and has revealed his selections for Week 9 of the 2025 CFL season, including against-the-spread predictions and leans on the total of every game.

Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007. He is a former running back for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and knows the game from a player’s perspective. Hunt’s dedication to analysis of all levels of professional football helped him crush the CFL, XFL, and USFL in 2023, posting a combined ATS record of 98-73 in his SportsLine articles.

Calgary Stampeders at Ottawa Redblacks (Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Pick: Ottawa -3.5
Lean: Over 49.5

The Stampeders will be starting P.J. Walker at quarterback in place of Vernon Adams, who is out with a concussion. This is a perfect opportunity for the Redblacks to make up some ground in the East Division. Coming off a bye week against an unknown commodity in the CFL could be a recipe for an easy cover for Ottawa.

Toronto Argonauts at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET)

Pick: Toronto +3
Lean: Over 49.5

Winnipeg’s offense isn’t as cohesive as it was last season. Right now, the plan is simple for opposing defenses: stop the run and you stop the Blue Bombers. Look for the Argonauts to make things very interesting in Winnipeg, as they are beginning to hit their stride a bit.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Edmonton Elks (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET)

Pick: Hamilton -3.5
Lean: Over 54.5

The Tiger-Cats look like the best team in the East Division. Or at least they are trending that way with how good they’ve been of late. It’s strong complementary football that has them playing well, and they face a team in the Elks that still is trying to find its identity. 

Saskatchewan Roughriders at Montreal Alouettes (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET)

Pick: Saskatchewan -2.5
Lean: Over 49.5

Montreal is reeling a bit as it enters this game. Offensively, the Alouettes have just been getting by the last couple of weeks, and while it has worked out for them, they now face a team in Saskatchewan that’s looking to remain atop the West Division standings. I like the Roughriders to take care of business on the road.