THE MOJ: B.C. Lions host Roughriders Saturday in CFL West Division semifinal

Published 11:11 am Wednesday, October 28, 2026

LIONS LOOKING TO PUNCH TICKET TO EDMONTON: The B.C. Lions (10-8) face the Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-8) at BC Place on Saturday (1:30 p.m., TSN; 730 CKNW; Sher-E-Punjab Radio AM 600), with the winner advancing to next Saturday’s Western Final in Edmonton against the Elks (13-5). The Riders eliminated the Lions from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but both games were played in Regina – including last year’s 24-21 loss, in which the Riders scored the winning touchdown with just 11 seconds left on the clock. So how do the Lions beat the Riders? First, they need to play a clean game on offence and avoid turning the football over. Another big key will be giving quarterback Nathan Rourke enough time to execute plays. The secondary has been an issue for the Riders this year, and the Lions will look to exploit it with their high-octane offense. Meanwhile, defensively, the key will be getting to Riders quarterback Trevor Harris and making him uncomfortable. Given time, Harris can have the precision of a surgeon. He likes to get the football out of his hands quickly, so tight coverage and sound tackling will be points of emphasis for the Lions’ defence. The Lions’ special teams have been an issue all season long, but their coverage units have shown signs of improvement lately. They can’t afford to give Saskatchewan any short fields.

AND THE WINNER IS: A trio of Lions have been nominated for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player awards. Rourke has been named a finalist for Most Outstanding Canadian, linebacker Parker McKenna is in the running for Most Outstanding Rookie honours, and linebacker Darnell Sankey is up for the Most Outstanding Defensive Player award. Rourke and Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira are in tough, as most expect Montreal receiver Tyson Philpot to win the award after his outstanding season. The Seaquam Secondary grad caught 124 passes for 1,809 yards and 13 touchdowns. To put those numbers into perspective, that’s the most receiving yards in a season since 2006 and the most receptions in a season since 1998. Inserted into the starting lineup in Week 5, McKenna recorded 75 tackles and was one of the reasons the Lions’ defense turned things around after a poor start. It’s a toss-up between McKenna, Toronto receiver Tyler Kahmann and Winnipeg cornerback Major Williams when it comes to the Most Outstanding Rookie award. As for Sankey, he should win the award based on the season he’s had. His 114 tackles were second only to fellow nominee Adarius Pickett (116) of Toronto. The other nominee is Calgary’s Clarence Hicks, who led the CFL with 12 sacks. Looking at the big picture, Sankey should win based on his overall performance and his impact as a leader on the Lions’ defense, but this vote will be tight.

SPEAKING OF MCKENNA: He did not participate when the team returned to practice on Tuesday, with the reason for his absence listed as a head injury on the Lions’ injury report. There didn’t appear to be an incident in the game against Winnipeg in which McKenna required medical attention, so hopefully his absence is precautionary. Defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin was also limited in practice with a recurring arm injury, and his status for Saturday remains uncertain.

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