The Edmonton Elks look to continue their best start in several years when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium on Thursday (June 25) at 6:30 pm MT.
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After beginning the season with victories over the Ottawa RedBlacks on the road and Montreal Alouettes at home, Edmonton has a 2-0 record and is tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders atop the CFL West Division standings. Winnipeg currently occupies third place in the division, with a record of 1-1.
This marks the first time since 2019 that Edmonton has opened its schedule with a pair of victories. Now the Elks can improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2017 if they can win in Winnipeg for the first time since 2018.
“It’s exciting we get to play a West Division team,” says Elks linebacker Brock Morgensen. “Super significant, third game, we’ve just got to go out and do our thing.”
SHORT BREAK
Edmonton is on a quick turnaround, having just defeated Montreal in overtime at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium on June 20. The Blue Bombers, meanwhile, are coming off a bye in Week 3, having last played on June 11, when they lost at home to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“That’s what makes the CFL game so unique and special, is the short weeks,” says Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo. “Every team is gonna have their short weeks. I think (having ours) early on, there’s a little bit of a benefit to it, because there’s not a lot of tape to scheme, you just put stuff in and you’re just kind of facing what they’ve run in the past, so you just don’t overthink it.
“Sometimes later in the year when you have a short week, with a lot of tape, you’re just trying to get everything in because you feel you’re behind. Right now you don’t feel like you’re so behind, especially with them coming off a bye week, I don’t feel I’m behind on tape just because it’s a short week.”
BATTLE OF THE BACKS
Thursday’s tilt features arguably the top two running backs in the CFL, Justin Rankin of the Elks and Winnipeg’s Brady Oliveira.
Rankin has shot out of the gate this season, racking up a league-leading 281 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. The 29-year-old also has 10 receptions for 145 yards, most among all running backs.
Oliveira, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2024, has totalled 145 rushing yards and one touchdown over Winnipeg’s first two games.
“We’ve just got to stop the run, first and foremost,” Morgensen said. “Stop run and get them to pass, that’s our goal.”
ELKS WIN AS A TEAM
Ask any member of the Elks why they’ve been so successful early this season, and the answer will undoubtedly revolve around their team-first attitude.
That selflessness was never more apparent than a moment during Edmonton’s victory over the Alouettes, when Fajardo threw a tremendous block to help spring Rankin for a touchdown.
“It’s a team game,” Elks coach Mark Kilam said. “Twelve players on the field have to do their job for every play to be successful and that’s the way that we look at it.”
EYES ON THE SKIES
Edmonton’s first two games of the 2026 CFL regular season have come been rain-soaked affairs that made for slippery pigskin. But in those miserable conditions, the Elks have proven they can thrive.
The early forecast for Winnipeg on Thursday calls for a mix of sun and cloud, which should suit the Green and Gold just fine.
“Our first two games have been rain games, so hopefully we’ve got some sun in the forecast for our future games to really see what this offence can do, but one thing’s for sure, if it rains late in the year and some of those playoff games, we’re going to know how to win those ball games,” Fajardo said following Edmonton’s victory over Montreal.