The last game of July around the CFL looks like the biggest mismatch of Week 9 on Friday night as Montreal, tied for the best record in the league, visits the only winless club in Ottawa. The Alouettes are 7.5-point favourites on the CFL odds with a total of 61.5 that is the highest of the week.
CFL Odds and Betting
Montreal and Edmonton are tied for the CFL’s best mark at 6-1 and could be on a crash course for the Grey Cup, but it’s the Alouettes who are currently +200 favourites to win it. Quarterback Davis Alexander is the clear +125 leader for regular-season Most Outstanding Player. Ottawa doesn’t have to worry about the Grey Cup or MOP as the league’s only winless club and outscored by 60 points on the season. Shows how much the pre-season matters as Ottawa was 2-0 vs. Montreal in exhibition games.
In Week 4, the Als were 9.5-point home favourites (total was 55.5) and they escaped the Redblacks, 37-35. Alexander threw for 345 yards and two scores. Tyson Philpot caught 12 of his passes for 198 yards. Ottawa QB Jake Maier threw for 336 yards, three TDs and a pick and nearly lead a ferocious comeback. That was Montreal’s 12th straight regular-season win in the series with Ottawa’s last victory in October 2022.
Montreal is 7-1 ATS in the past eight meetings and has covered four in a row at Ottawa.
Montreal Alouettes
Montreal was -10.5 last Sunday at home vs. Hamilton and won a fourth game in a row, 31-18. QB Davis Alexander hadn’t thrown for under 300 yards or tossed an interception this season entering, but both streaks ended as he was picked off (had been 356 straight passes without one) and held to 187 yards.
Tailback Travis Theis was the offensive star in rushing 19 times for a career-high 156 yards and one touchdown. It was his second career 100-yard game and second in a row. Theis has scored a rushing TD in five straight.
Backup QB Terry Wilson had two short TD runs as a short-yardage guy. The Alouettes passed for 187 yards against the Ticats and rushed for 167 – almost perfect balance.
The defence played arguably its best game of the season as seven of the 18 points Hamilton scored were on special teams. Rookie end TJ Guy made his CFL debut and had three tackles and a forced fumble. Returner DeVonte Dedmon made his season debut off injury and had 100 kickoff return yards and 45 punt return yards. The over is 6-1 in Montreal’s past seven games.
Ottawa RedBlacks
Normally, we give the Redblacks little chance against Montreal, but Ottawa is off a bye week and played very well in a 36-34 OT home loss to Winnipeg in Week 7. Lot of positives there, including Jake Maier completing 20 of 30 passes for 344 yards and a score. Brett Lauther was 6-for-6 on field goals and remains perfect on the season at 20-for-20.
But no doubt the Redblacks have to be better stopping the run as that unit is allowing 123.2 rushing yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry. Wideout Nick Mardner has been a full participant in practice this week and could make his season debut after missing the entire 2025 regular season with a lower-body injury. Mardner was the second overall pick of the 2024 CFL Canadian draft.
Not only is Montreal on a short week but has a huge game next week with fellow 6-1 club Edmonton visiting, so yeah this feels like a trap game for the Alouettes. Ottawa could steal it, but now that the spread is above 7.0 points it looks to be solid value.
CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Alouettes vs. RedBlacks?