Corey Mace called out his team’s effort after Hamilton, and now the Roughriders have to answer for it on the road against a Lions team riding a three-game winning streak.<\/p>\n
Game Details<\/p>\n
Odds<\/p>\n
Spread: BC Lions -1
\nMoneyline: Saskatchewan Roughriders +114, BC Lions -135
\nOver\/Under: 63<\/p>\n
Saskatchewan has been the more reliable side to bet on this year, sitting 5-3-1 against the spread with the over hitting five times in nine games. BC is a more middling 4-5 ATS, with the total splitting almost evenly at 4 overs, 4 unders and a push. A near pick’em number in a building that’s been kind to the Lions lately.<\/p>\n
Overview<\/p>\n
The Roughriders<\/a> arrive at BC Place still holding down third in the West at 6-3, but the tone around this team shifted after last week’s 19-26 loss to Hamilton. Saskatchewan blew a lead and got outscored 16-0 in the fourth quarter, and Mace didn’t hide his frustration afterward, flatly calling it “bad ball.” That loss snapped a stretch where the Riders had won three of four, and it dropped them to a season-low 19 points \u2014 well off the offensive pace that had them at 293 points scored on the year, third-most in the league.<\/p>\n The Lions<\/a>, meanwhile, are playing their best football of the season. BC has won three straight \u2014 over Hamilton, Winnipeg and Calgary \u2014 to climb to 4-5, and Nathan Rourke has been the engine behind it, throwing for at least 290 yards in every game this year. This is also a rematch of a Week 2 shootout the Riders won 31-27, a game where Harris and Rourke both went off. Whoever wins the rematch controls the tiebreaker edge and, more importantly, keeps pace in a West race where Edmonton and Montreal have separated from the pack.<\/p>\n This is a classic strength-on-strength clash. BC leads the CFL in rushing offense at 116.9 yards per game, but Saskatchewan allows the second-fewest rushing yards in the league at 64.6 per game. The Riders are 4-0 this season when they run for 100-plus yards themselves and 2-6 when they don’t, which puts real pressure on a Saskatchewan offensive line dealing with shuffled personnel this week. The edge here leans BC \u2014 home field, momentum, and a defense that’s held six straight opponents to 26 points or fewer \u2014 but Trevor Harris’ history in this building says don’t count the Riders out.<\/p>\n Key Players<\/p>\n Trevor Harris (Saskatchewan Roughriders, QB) \u2014 Sitting at 221\/304 for 2,862 yards and 20 TDs on the year, and he’s 11-4 in his career against BC with a passing touchdown in every single meeting; he torched the Lions for 417 yards and three scores in the teams’ first meeting this year. Keys to the Game<\/p>\n Establish the run early \u2014 Saskatchewan is a different team offensively when it hits triple digits on the ground, and it can’t afford to be one-dimensional against a defense that’s forced the fewest turnovers in the league. Injury Report<\/p>\n PlayerTeamStatus<\/p>\n Samuel Emilus (WR)Saskatchewan RoughridersAvailable The Riders got a wave of bodies back this week, activating Emilus, Letcher Jr., Quali Conley, Daniel Johnson, Zack Fry and Ali Saad off various injury designations. All five are cleared as available heading into Sunday, which gives Saskatchewan its full complement of receivers and offensive line depth back for the trip to Vancouver.<\/p>\n Depth Chart<\/p>\n Saskatchewan Roughriders<\/a> starters by position, built from the official Week 12 depth chart. This is a projected chart and may not reflect further mid-season changes.<\/p>\n PositionSaskatchewan Roughriders<\/p>\n QBTrevor Harris (Jack Coan, Tommy Stevens) Score Prediction<\/p>\n Saskatchewan Roughriders 31 – BC Lions 32. Two teams trending in opposite directions collide in a game that should track the total, with Harris’ history of success against BC keeping the Riders in it deep into the fourth quarter before Rourke and Horvath find just enough in the trenches to edge it out at home.<\/p>\n CFL Standings<\/a> | Full Schedule<\/a> | League Leaders<\/a><\/p>\n Who takes this one? 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\nNathan Rourke (BC Lions, QB) \u2014 3-4 all-time versus Saskatchewan but he’s thrown for at least 290 yards in every start this season, including 330 in the Week 2 loss to the Riders.
\nZander Horvath (BC Lions, RB) \u2014 Has been unstoppable lately, piling up 355 rushing yards on 7.4 yards a carry with six total touchdowns over his last three games.
\nKeeSean Johnson (Saskatchewan Roughriders, WR) \u2014 Leads the Riders with 61 catches for 765 yards and 6 TDs, and he torched this same BC secondary for nine catches and 131 yards back in Week 2.
\nAntoine Brooks Jr. (Saskatchewan Roughriders, DB) \u2014 Co-leads the entire CFL in tackles with 53 alongside teammate Jameer Thurman, and this defense has allowed a league-low 16 big plays all season.<\/p>\n
\nSlow down Horvath and the BC rushing attack; if the Riders’ run defense holds up to its season-long form, Rourke becomes far more one-note.
\nFinish. Saskatchewan blew a fourth-quarter lead last week against Hamilton, and against a Lions team that’s found ways to win close games all season, there’s no margin for a repeat.<\/p>\n
\nZack Fry (OL)Saskatchewan RoughridersAvailable
\nDaniel Johnson (OL)Saskatchewan RoughridersAvailable
\nJames Letcher Jr. (WR)Saskatchewan RoughridersAvailable
\nAli Saad (DL)Saskatchewan RoughridersAvailable<\/p>\n
\nRBQuali Conley (Thomas Bertrand-Hudon)
\nWR (left)Dylan Djete (James Letcher Jr.)
\nWR (right)Dhel Duncan-Busby (Daniel Wiebe)
\nSBKeeSean Johnson, Johnny Johnson III, Samuel Emilus
\nLTPayton Collins
\nLGErik Andersen \/ Daniel Johnson
\nCLogan Ferland \/ Zack Fry
\nRGJacob Brammer
\nRTJermarcus Hardrick
\nDEDesmond Evans \/ Derick Roberson, Benoit Marion \/ James Vaughters
\nDTAli Saad \/ Caleb Sanders, Devin Adams \/ Mike Rose
\nWLBRyder Varga, Nick Wiebe, Josh Woods
\nMLBDavid Gbenda, Aubrey Miller Jr., Jameer Thurman
\nSLBMelique Straker, Antoine Brooks Jr.
\nCB (weak)Marcus Sayles
\nCB (strong)Malcolm Bell \/ Nelson Lokombo
\nHBJonathan Edouard, DaMarcus Fields
\nFSKerfalla Exume \/ Jaxon Ford
\nKAlex Hale
\nPOscar Chapman
\nLSMike Benson<\/p>\n