The undefeated Edmonton Elks are headed to Kelowna, B.C., where they will take on the winless BC Lions at the Kelowna Apple Bowl in CFL Week 5 action on Saturday, July 4 at 5 p.m. MDT.<\/p>\n
Catch the action live on TSN<\/a>, 880 CHED<\/a> and CFL+<\/a><\/p>\n With a record of 3-0, Edmonton sits atop the CFL West Division, while the Lions are at the bottom of the standings with an 0-3 mark.<\/p>\n TEAM\u2019S BEST START IN YEARS<\/p>\n The Elks are off to their best start since 2017, when Edmonton won its first seven games. This also marks the first time in eight years that the Green and Gold has reeled off three consecutive victories.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, we don\u2019t ever talk like that in here,\u201d Elks coach Mark Kilam said. \u201cIt\u2019s about, \u2018what are we going to do to find a way to win every week\u2019. That\u2019s all that we talk about. We\u2019re trying to go 1-0, we\u2019re trying to improve, and that\u2019s the things that we\u2019re working on.\u201d<\/p>\n The Green and Gold marched into the Nation\u2019s Capital and and beat the Ottawa RedBlacks 29-21<\/a> in Week 1. At their home-opener in Week 3, the Elks went to overtime before beating the Montreal Alouettes 32-29<\/a>. And last week, Edmonton scored a last-minute touchdown on the road to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-18<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is about finding ways to win, and it looks different every game,\u201d said Kilam. \u201cEvery game is its own entity, different things happen \u2013 weather, injuries \u2013 all these things happen, and you\u2019ve got to find ways to overcome it and make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n LIONS PRESENT A CHALLENGE<\/p>\n The Lions have proven to be an exceptionally tough opponent for the Edmonton in recent times, with victories in 11 of the last 12 meetings between the two teams. In the 2025 regular season, the Elks went 3-0 against BC, losing by an average of 16 points over those three games.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a formidable opponent we are going to have our hands full with a really good team,\u201d Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo said. \u201cI remember last year we went 0-3 against them and got outscored: our offence didn\u2019t score very much and their offence scored a lot. So the guys that (were) here know that, and the new guys that don\u2019t know that, it\u2019s almost a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Entering Week 5, BC ranked first in the CFL for fewest yards net offence allowed per game (375.3), while Edmonton was second (382.7). Through the first four weeks of the season, BC was averaging the fourth most yards net offence (447.3), again just one spot ahead of the Elks, who sat in fifth spot (397.3).<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve got a lot of really good players on their roster and I think any team would be a fool to sleep on these guys,\u201d said Edmonton offensive lineman David Beard. \u201cThey\u2019ve built a great roster and got great coaches on their staff too, so you can\u2019t sleep on BC.\u201d<\/p>\n PAIR OF OUTSTANDING PLAYERS<\/p>\n As always when facing the Lions, the biggest threat is superstar quarterback Nathan Rourke, the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Player award winner in 2025. Through BC\u2019s first three games of the season, Rourke has completed 80 of 114 pass attempts for 1,083 yards, with four passing touchdowns and two interceptions.<\/p>\n \u201cReigning MOP for a reason,\u201d Kilam said of Rourke. \u201cCan make all the throws, the whole field is live, breaks a ton of tackles on pocket, tough to get down, and he can put their team on his back.\u201d<\/p>\n But while the Lions boast last year\u2019s Most Outstanding Player, the early favourite to win the award in 2026 wears green and gold: Edmonton running back Justin Rankin is off to a spectacular start this season, leading the CFL in rushing yards (387) and touchdowns (4), while averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Rankin is also Edmonton\u2019s top pass catcher, with 13 receptions for 154 yards.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he was our best player last year, too,\u201d Kilam said about Rankin. \u201cHe\u2019s a pretty good football player, the guy loves football, he\u2019s committed to getting better. He\u2019s critical of himself in a way that promotes production in areas to improve, and he raises the level of the play of the guys around him.\u201d<\/p>\n UNIQUE SETTING IN KELOWNA<\/p>\n Dubbed \u201cTouchdown Kelowna\u201d, Saturday\u2019s tilt will be the second ever CFL regular season game played in the Okanagan. The first came on June 27, when the Calgary Stampeders defeated the Lions 41-33 at the Apple Bowl in Week 4.<\/p>\n Get ready\u2026 another Coors Light Watch Party is on the way!<\/p>\n New season. New locations. Same Green & Gold passion! Hit all 9 watch parties this year for your shot at exclusive EE & Coors Light experiences.<\/p>\n LEARN MORE | https:\/\/t.co\/KQ4knbN8kh<\/a>#GoElks<\/a> | @CoorsLight<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/9w9kHQ6x63<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) July 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Lions are playing in Kelowna because their home stadium, B.C. Place, is currently in use for the FIFA World Cup. Given that the Elks have lost their seven regular season games in Vancouver, no one on the Green and Gold is complaining about a trip to the scenic Okanagan Valley.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a fun place to play,\u201d said Fajardo, a veteran of 10 CFL seasons. \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate enough to go to Touchdown Atlantic (in Nova Scotia) and now going to Touchdown Kelowna, it\u2019s just adding to my cool destinations that I\u2019ve been a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n After Saturday, the Elks will return home for their next game, against the RedBlacks on July 9 at 7 p.m. at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium. Tickets are available now<\/a>.<\/p>\n