Welcome to October, friends!<\/p>\n
And as we start the final calendar month of the regular season, almost everything remains undecided when it comes to the 2025 playoff picture.<\/p>\n
With the stretch drive entering its final phase, here are four questions still to be answered before the playoffs start next month.<\/p>\n
RELATED HOW WILL THE WEST DIVISION SHAKE OUT?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n With their 38-24 win over Calgary to close out Week 18, the BC Lions became the second West Division team to clinch a playoff spot, joining the first place Saskatchewan Roughriders. And, with a tough loss over the weekend, Toronto has officially been eliminated from playoff contention, which means we\u2019ll see an West Division\u00a0crossover for the first time since 2019.<\/p>\n So how is this all going to play out? Well, with three weeks remaining, all five West Division teams have something to play for.<\/p>\n Needing one more win the rest of the way to get the job done, Saskatchewan has its first chance to clinch top seed in the division when they\u00a0play on Friday night against the Argos. With a magic number of just one, the odds are in favour of the Riders hosting the Western Final on November 8.<\/p>\n Next up is the race for second and the right to host the Western Semi-Final one week prior. Saturday\u2019s win for BC was not only their fourth straight, but it also won them their season series with the Stampeders. Now alone in second place at 9-7, the Lions have the edge to secure a home playoff date, albeit a slight one.<\/p>\n Interestingly, with both Calgary and Winnipeg sitting at 8-7, there\u2019s a chance we could have a three-way tie here. In direct one-on-one scenarios, the Lions own the tiebreak over Calgary, the Bombers have it against BC, and the Stamps have the edge on Winnipeg.<\/p>\n Clear as mud, right?<\/p>\n And just to throw one extra wrench into the mix, the 6-9 Edmonton Elks are still alive, too. With games remaining against both Calgary and Winnipeg, at least two wins in their remaining three could see the Elks sneak in if a few other things go their way. That\u2019s how up for grabs this division is, even with October underway.<\/p>\n In terms of trends, the Lions are pointed way up. They\u2019ve won four in a row and six of eight, while the offence has posted 30 points or more in eight of their last nine. On the other end of the spectrum are the Stamps, who are averaging almost 40 points against during their current four-game skid.<\/p>\n It\u2019s going to be a fun fight to the finish.<\/p>\n WHO\u2019S GOING TO WIN THE RUSHING CROWN?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n With three weeks to go, Calgary\u2019s Dedrick Mills<\/a> (1,120 yards), Saskatchewan\u2019s AJ Ouellette<\/a> (1,110), and BC\u2019s James Butler<\/a> (1,103) are less than 20 yards apart on top of the rushing table. It\u2019s been a great season for all three, and we\u2019re almost certain to get a first-time winner of the league\u2019s rushing crown. But who has the edge from this tailback trio?<\/p>\n I tend to lean towards Mills, and not just because he currently leads the way. The Stampeders will be playing desperate football down the stretch, and the urgency level will likely be high in all three of their remaining games. The Riders also have three games remaining but may be in a spot to rest high-leverage starters depending on if or when they lock up the division.<\/p>\n That leaves Butler, who leads all running backs with 10 rushing touchdowns, but has just two games left and thus the least remaining runway. Regardless, Butler is having a stellar season. Those 10 touchdowns are already a career high, while he\u2019s a few carries away from setting a new mark in yards; Butler\u2019s career high is 1,116 from 2023.<\/p>\n CAN MONTREAL TRACK DOWN HAMILTON?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n With only two East Division teams heading to the post-season, there\u2019s only one remaining question: who\u2019s clinching top spot and a first-round bye?<\/p>\n Thanks to owning the tiebreaker, the odds heavily favour 10-6 Hamilton, who need to win just one of their remaining two regular season games to get that \u201cY\u201d beside their name. The math is simple for the Alouettes: they\u2019d need to win out with Hamilton losing their final two to flip the script.<\/p>\n But even if they don\u2019t win the division, Montreal feels dangerous. On a bye over the weekend, the Als have won three in a row, finally have starting quarterback Davis Alexander<\/a> back healthy, and boast one of the league\u2019s most terrifying defences. There\u2019s lots of football left, but you can\u2019t help but get 2023 vibes when Montreal built momentum late and rolled their way to the 110th Grey Cup.<\/p>\n WILL NATHAN ROURKE WILL THE DOUBLE?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In his first full year back in the league since 2022, Nathan Rourke<\/a> is becoming a louder candidate for Most Outstanding Player each passing week. Already a heavy Most Outstanding Canadian favourite, Rourke is in a great spot to be the second player in as many years to win both awards; Winnipeg\u2019s Brady Oliveira<\/a> took home the double last season.<\/p>\n
\u00bb Riders\u2019 defence help snap two-game losing skid with win over REDBLACKS<\/a>
\u00bb Tiger-Cats take down Argonauts in Toronto to claim season series<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Lions punch playoff ticket with win over Stamps<\/a>
\u00bb 112th Grey Cup Playoff Scenarios: Als, Lions clinch playoff berths<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally<\/a><\/p>\n