Week 9 around the CFL opens with a Thursday night standalone game from the West Division as the last-place B.C. Lions visit third-place Winnipeg.
The Blue Bombers, off an embarrassing home loss last week, are 6.5-point favourites on the CFL odds with a total of 53.5. That is the lowest total of the week likely because both teams are expected to be without their starting quarterbacks.
CFL Odds and Betting
We are nearly to the halfway point of the 2026 CFL regular season, so it’s not too early to think about playoffs. The B.C. Lions aren’t looking good in that regard at 1-5 and last in the West Division by two games. B.C. and overall winless Ottawa are the only clubs yet to win on the road.
Winnipeg is a half-game behind second-place Saskatchewan in the West but needs to figure out what’s going on at home with a 1-3 mark compared to 3-0 away record. Last week’s loss dropped the Blue Bombers to +1400 to win the Grey Cup.
This is the first meeting of the season between the clubs that counts as B.C. won, 30-19, at Winnipeg in the third week of the preseason. The return regular-season game at B.C. will be the finale in Week 21.
The Bombers have won the past four in the series all by at least nine points. At home last year, they beat the Lions, 34-20, despite Winnipeg star tailback Brady Oliveira leaving with an injury in the first quarter and not returning, and starting QB Zach Collaros sitting out due to one-game suspension. Backup Chris Streveler had three TD passes and Winnipeg had 438 yards of offence.
Winnipeg is 7-1 ATS in the past eight meetings overall, and the under is 5-1 in the past six.
BC Lions
The Lions were 3.5-point underdogs last week vs. Toronto and lost, 26-12, as the Argos snapped a three-game skid. B.C. was missing starting QB Nathan Rourke after he suffered an injury in Week 7 against the Elks, so Chase Brice got his first CFL start under centre. It didn’t go great as he completed 14 of 25 passes for 163 yards.
Brice was replaced by Kaidon Salter late in the fourth quarter. Salter completed nine of 15 passes for 121 yards and is expected to start this game with Rourke still out. He signed as a free agent on May 4 after playing for Colorado last NCAA football season. Salter should bring a mobile aspect to the position as he rushed for 356 yards and five scores in his final collegiate season.
The Lions rank fourth in net offence in the league at 405.8 yards per game and third in passing at 347.4 per but have a league-low seven touchdown passes and the second-worst efficiency ranking (92.7). B.C. is 1-6-1 ATS in its past seven games.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg was flat-out embarrassed at home last Friday by Calgary, falling 52-30 – easily a season high in points allowed. The Blue Bombers had six turnovers and a missed field goal returned 118 for a touchdown.
To make matters worse, right tackle Jarell Broxton, one of the team’s big off-season additions in free agency, left before halftime injured and didn’t return. Three different players up front then changed positions, and Calgary had three QB sacks. Broxton is in doubt Thursday.
Nic Demski caught seven of nine targets for 76 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort but is in question this week with an ankle issue. So is top running back Brady Oliveira with a knee after rushing for 128 yards and two scores vs. the Stamps.
Dru Brown finished 24-of-40 for 249 yards but four picks in the loss while starting again for the injured Zach Collaros, who remains on the six-game injured list. Brown is expected to make his fourth straight start Thursday. Winnipeg is 2-4 ATS in its past six at home.
CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Lions vs. Blue Bombers?