The work is done. The waiting is almost over. And for Saskatchewan Roughriders\u2019 quarterback Trevor Harris, kickoff Saturday can\u2019t come soon enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cGame\u00a0day, get here, please,\u201d Harris said with a grin following the team\u2019s final practice ahead of the CFL\u2019s West Final against the B.C. Lions. \u201cYou finish the work day on Day Three and it\u2019s like that \u2014 come on, let\u2019s just get to game day.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no mistaking the energy around Mosaic Stadium this week. After a season that\u2019s seen the Roughriders reclaim their status among the league\u2019s elite, they now stand one win away from returning to the Grey Cup.<\/p>\n
And as Harris put it bluntly, this year feels different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the big dogs,\u201d he said. \u201cLast year, it was that storm-the-castle mentality, but this year it\u2019s more business-like. We expect to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
A year ago, the Riders were the underdog entering the West Final in Winnipeg. This year, the Riders clinched first place in the West Division for the first time since 2019 and are slight favourites entering Saturday\u2019s contest with the Lions. The 39-year-old veteran understands that with home-field advantage comes expectation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinnipeg ran the West for quite a while. We visited their place last year, trying to take the reins, but fell short. This year, B.C.\u2019s coming here and it should be a heavyweight tilt. It\u2019s going to be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
That fun, Harris cautioned, won\u2019t come without focus. He knows a game of this magnitude often comes down to the smallest moments: an untimely turnover, a key stop, a perfect throw under pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, it\u2019s about who deals with the elements best, who handles those big moments, those unexpected plays. I think this locker room is built for moments like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
The quarterback credits the team\u2019s leadership group \u2014 from general manager Jeremy O\u2019Day to head coach Corey Mace for shaping the culture that\u2019s made the Riders one of the CFL\u2019s most resilient outfits.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes time to build that. Last year, we had a good culture. This year, we have the culture we want \u2014 a brotherhood that has been bonded over the past two years. We\u2019ve got each other\u2019s backs.\u201d<\/p>\n
While much of the pre-game chatter has centred around Lions\u2019 quarterback Nathan Rourke, Harris isn\u2019t interested in the one-on-one comparisons.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not here to talk about Nathan Rourke, it\u2019s our time. I\u2019m \u00a0trying to be the best version of myself for my team. Nathan\u2019s a great player, but I feel like it\u2019s our time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris also knows the magnitude of the moment. Playing the West Final at home doesn\u2019t happen often, and he\u2019s determined to savour every second.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re young, you think, \u2018We\u2019ll do this a bunch of times.\u2019 But you realize how hard it is. These opportunities are rare, you\u2019ve got to relish them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, nearly two decades into his professional career, Harris remains grounded and grateful.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to go to games and think, \u2018Man, I\u2019d love to be that guy someday.\u2019 Now, here I am, 39 years old, standing in front of a packed house in the West Final. Pretty\u00a0awesome, man. I\u2019m grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the match-up itself, Harris expects a battle. The Lions bring the league\u2019s top pass rush to town, led by Mathieu Betts, but the Riders\u2019 offensive line held them without a sack in their last meeting \u2014 a game where Harris threw for nearly 400 yards.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got a great front. It\u2019s on us to be efficient, to keep them guessing. Run the football, stretch the field, mix things up. That\u2019s why you\u2019ve got guys like AJ Ouellette.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the stakes as high as they come, Harris and the Roughriders are locked in, confident, and calm \u2014 ready to prove that in 2025, they really are \u201cthe big dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n