West Division drama front and centre in penultimate week of CFL's regular season | iNFOnews.ca
Ottawa Redblacks' Charlie Ringland (24) and Gavin Heslop (37) and Montreal Alouettes' Shawn Oakman (2) attempt a catch during second half CFL football action in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

West Division drama front and centre in penultimate week of CFL’s regular season

It’s all about West Division races in the CFL’s Week 20.

Behind the Saskatchewan Roughriders home and dry with first place and the division final locked in, the B.C. Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Elks jockey for playoff stakes that include a crossover berth to the East Division for the first time since 2019.

The Roughriders (12-4-0) have the luxury of resting quarterback Trevor Harris and other starters Friday in Winnipeg, where the Blue Bombers (8-8-0) seek to rebound from last week’s loss to the Elks (7-9-0) who aren’t playoff dead yet.

“To win these games, you’ve got to play at an incredibly high level,” Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros told reporters this week in Winnipeg.

“We have to clean a lot of things up.”

The Lions (9-7-0) are playoff bound, but their grip on the No. 2 spot in the division isn’t yet secure. B.C. is coming off a bye week after winning four in a row.

The Lions host an Elks team Friday that’s gone 6-3 in its last nine and lost two of those games by a combined three points.

Calgary (9-7-0) needs the win Saturday against the Toronto Argonauts (5-12-0) to clinch a playoff spot, as well as some outside help to catch the Lions.

So round and round it goes in the West in the penultimate week of the regular season.

The Argonauts and Ottawa Redblacks are out of the playoff picture and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (10-7-0) atop the East are on a bye week.

The Montreal Alouettes (9-7-0) will try to catch the Ticats in a Saturday rematch with Ottawa (4-12-0) after dumping the Redblacks 30-10 on Monday.

Edmonton Elks at B.C. Lions (Friday night)

The Elks are proving to be a tough out in the back half of 2025 and this is a must-win to stay in playoff contention. The Lions are on a heater led by quarterback and Most Outstanding Player candidate Nathan Rourke. His legs are as dangerous as his arm with 477 yards on ground and nine rushing touchdowns. B.C.’s offence leads the league in touchdowns (53), average net offence (428.5) and average yards per play (7.93). Elks running back Justin Rankin is coming off a big game of 138 yards and a touchdown against Winnipeg. He’s compiled 1,608 receiving and rushing yards this season.

Pick: Lions

Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Friday night)

There’s urgency for the Blue Bombers and none for the Roughriders. Reports are Saskatchewan backup Jake Maier gets the ball and several starters will rest. A question mark for Winnipeg is the status of 1,000-yard receiver Nic Demski, who left last week’s loss to the Elks in the first half with a hamstring injury. Led by Brady Oliveira (1,088 yards), Winnipeg’s ground game is solid. Collaros is tied for the league lead in interceptions (15) with Toronto’s Nick Arbuckle.

Pick: Blue Bombers

Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa Redblacks (Saturday afternoon)

A short week for both clubs after a Thanksgiving Monday clash. The Als seek to stay in the hunt for the division lead. Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander is 10-0 in CFL starts bolstered by a defence that holds the opposition to a league-best 6.24 yards per play. Redblacks starter Dru Brown (knee) has been shut down for the season, so Dustin Crum gets his seventh start this season for Ottawa sitting outside the post-season for the fifth time in the last six years.

Pick: Alouettes

Toronto Argonauts at Calgary Stampeders (Saturday night)

The Stampeders play their first home game in almost a month after three straight road games. Calgary halted a four-game losing streak in Hamilton and host the Argonauts in Toronto’s last game of 2025 because of a bye. CFL rushing leader Dedrick Mills (1,225 yards) is coming off a two-touchdown effort for Calgary. With Arbuckle (shoulder) shelved, Argos quarterback Jarret Doege took a couple hard hits from Saskatchewan last week and didn’t play the second half. Third-stringer Tucker Horn finished the game.

Pick: Stampeders

Last week: 3-1

Overall: 45-28

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2025.

West Division drama front and centre in penultimate week of CFL's regular season | iNFOnews.ca
Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker Brett Lauther (12) sets up the field goal during second half CFL action against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Winnipeg, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
West Division drama front and centre in penultimate week of CFL's regular season | iNFOnews.ca
Calgary Stampeders wide receiver Jalen Philpot (85) makes a catch in front of Toronto Argos defensive back Darrius Bratton (9) during second half CFL football action in Toronto, Saturday, June 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

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Donna Spencer

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