There is nothing better than a rivalry game and on OK Tire Labour Day Weekend, we have a trio of historic rivalries to revel in!

The battle of the prairies in Regina kicks off the weekend and the last four games between these clubs have been so entertaining!

The Tiger-Cats and the Argonauts have so many playoff implications in their final meeting of the regular season and it’ll be must-see TV.

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Then the Battle of Alberta will wrap up the weekend as the Stampeders and the Elks meet Monday evening. It may look like a battle of first vs. last in the standings, but Calgary is so much better than a last place team.

Here are five things to know about the Battle of Alberta!

LONGEST LABOUR DAY RIVALRY IN THE CFL

This year will be the 65th edition of the Battle of Alberta on OK Tire Labour Day Weekend. The tradition actually started in Edmonton in 1949 with the Stampeders winning on the road.

Edmonton also hosted the game in 1952 and 1953. After 1953, there were a few years off until 1959, when the classic resumed and has been hosted in Calgary ever since. Actually, the 1959 game was the last year the game wasn’t played at McMahon Stadium, which welcomed the Stampeders to their new home in August of 1960.

Overall, the series is the closest in terms of records. While Saskatchewan and Hamilton have taken advantage of their home-field advantage, it hasn’t been the same for the Stampeders.

Calgary is 31-27-1 since that game in 1959.

Since 2006, however, the Stampeders have dominated the series with just four losses in the last 20 years.

READY TO RUN

Dedrick Mills and Justin Rankin are going head-to-head? Yes, please!

Mills and Rankin are two of the most electric running backs in the CFL. Rankin is No. 1 and Mills is tied for No. 2 in 20+ yard runs. Rankin is No. 1 and Mills is No. 3 in the league with rushes over 10 yards.

These two are not just four yards and a cloud of dust type running backs. They are powerful and elusive, and are a focal point of both offences.

Rankin found some new life after defences were taking him out of the equation for a chunk of the season. Last week against Hamilton, Mills also topped 100-yards rushing for the first time since Week 7.

With rivalry games being extremely physical, and two running backs who can take over games, I can’t wait for the battle along the offensive and defensive lines.

OFFENSIVE FIRE POWER VS. DEFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT

The Calgary Stampeders have the highest-scoring offence in the CFL, as the only team with over 400 points so far. The Edmonton Elks are the top defence in the league allowing just 25 points per game.

So, who wins this battle?

Of course, we’ll have to watch Vernon Adams Jr.’s injury this week, though it is expected he’ll be ready to play in the Labour Day Classic. Jalen Philpot is the only Stampeders receiver in the top 20 in the CFL, as Adams Jr. has been able to spread the wealth around his receiving corps.

We’ve already highlighted Dedrick Mills as the driving force behind the offence.

In Edmonton, their defence is making plays all over the field and they’re consistently good against the run and the pass. If defence wins championships, the Elks are going in the right direction. But this will be one of their toughest tests of the season in the Labour Day Classic.

CALGARY DESPERATION

The Stampeders do find themselves in fifth spot in the West Division and with the BC Lions turning their season around, the Stampeders have gone from a team that looked like they could threaten to host a playoff game to one that may not make the playoffs.

With the Elks coming in, the Stamps can bring the Elks back to the pack a little bit in the West Division, but more importantly, they can catch the Lions or the Bombers, if either lose this weekend. Plus, with a few games coming up against the REDBLACKS for the Stamps, you can really see the Labour Day Classic as a potential kicking off point to surge up the standings in The Final Stretch of the season.

A loss to Edmonton this week and a tough road game in Edmonton next weekend, and the Stampeders could be facing an uphill battle in their final five games.

PROTECT THE BALL!

Turnovers are always a big part of any football game and when it comes to these two teams, creating turnovers has been a big part of their season.

On the other hand, their offences have done a great job at avoiding turnovers. The Elks have a league best +14 on the turnover ratio, while the Stampeders are not too far behind in a tie for second best at +11.

Ben Labrosse of Calgary and Tyrell Ford of the Elks are tied for the league lead with five interceptions apiece. Stampeders’ Zy Alexander is just one interception behind.

Last year the Stampeders won the turnover battle in the Labour Day Classic by 3-0 and controlled the game for a 28-7 victory.