The B.C. Lions and Calgary Stampeders can secure Canadian Football League playoff berths with victories this week, while the already-qualified Edmonton Elks have a chance to clarify their post-season path. B.C. (9-6) hosts the winless Ottawa Redblacks (0-15) on Friday night, and Calgary (8-8) visits the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-8) on Saturday.
Edmonton (11-4) can lock up a home playoff game by beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday night or if Saskatchewan loses to Montreal on Saturday. A victory over Hamilton combined with a Lions loss to Ottawa would give the Elks first place in the West and a home date for the division final on Nov. 7.
Calgary and Winnipeg meet with their season series tied 1-1. Each has won in the other team’s stadium, but they have not played since Calgary’s 52-30 victory in July. The Stampeders are 5-3 on the road from McMahon Stadium, while the Bombers are 4-5 at Princess Auto Stadium. Both have struggled against West Division opponents: Calgary is 3-5 and Winnipeg is 2-5.
The Stampeders enter on a three-game winning streak after edging Saskatchewan 37-31 on the road Friday. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 22 of 29 passes for 242 yards and four touchdowns. Riders veteran Trevor Harris also threw for 463 yards and four touchdowns. Adams leads the CFL with 34 touchdown passes and has five interceptions. Calgary has scored 40 red-zone touchdowns, tied with Saskatchewan for second behind Montreal’s 43.
Winnipeg has lost its last two games, including a 37-10 defeat to Montreal last week. The Alouettes earned their second consecutive win and clinched first place in the East Division. Montreal starter Davis Alexander passed for 440 yards and a touchdown, while Stevie Scott III ran for 83 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
For Winnipeg, Dru Brown completed 11 of 16 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. CFL rushing leader Brady Oliveira, with 1,267 yards, gained 44 yards on nine carries. The Bombers finished with 182 net offensive yards and converted only two of 12 second-down opportunities. Their offence ranks last in net yards at 337.5 per game and passing yards at 254.1. Calgary’s defence ranks eighth in yards allowed, with 419.6 net offensive yards and 328.1 passing yards per game. The Stampeders also rank eighth in offensive points surrendered at 32.9 per game, while their offence leads the league in points at 33.4 per game and touchdowns at 57. The game preview’s pick is Calgary.
Hamilton (5-11) hosts Edmonton after a 34-16 road win over Ottawa. Ticats quarterback Harrison Frost completed 28 of 35 passes for 342 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Larry Rountree III ran for 128 yards, and Kenny Lawler caught six passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Hamilton’s defence held Ottawa to seven conversions on 19 second-down attempts.
The Elks required a CFL-record nine field goals from Vincent Blanchard on Sept. 26 to earn a 37-35 overtime home win the last time they played Hamilton. Edmonton’s defence ranks among the top three in fewest offensive points, net offensive yards, passing yards and rushing yards allowed. The preview’s pick is Edmonton.
Ottawa travels across the country to Vancouver on Friday to face a Lions team that has won three straight and eight of its last nine games. McLeod Bethel-Thompson started the Redblacks’ last two games, but Ottawa’s starting quarterback for this game was uncertain in the report. B.C. is coming off a 24-17 road win in Toronto, where kicker Sean Whyte made a club-record eight field goals. The Lions’ defence sealed the result with a late goal-line stand. B.C. leads the league in net offensive yards at 426.1 per game and rushing at 119.8. Zander Horvath had four touchdowns and 164 rushing yards in a 45-24 win in Ottawa in August. The preview’s pick is B.C.
Saskatchewan (8-7) visits Montreal on Saturday night after three straight losses to Winnipeg, B.C. and Calgary. The Riders are 4-2 against East Division teams, but this is their first meeting with the Alouettes since Montreal beat them in last year’s Grey Cup. The question in the preview is how long Montreal’s starters will play after the club secured home field for the East Division final. The Alouettes are 8-0 at home and 5-3 against West teams.
Montreal receiver Tyson Philpot set single-season records for a Canadian receiver last week against Winnipeg with 119 catches and 1,735 yards. He is on pace for 2,082 yards, which would surpass Allen Pitts’ all-time record of 2,036. The preview’s pick is Montreal. Its selections last week were 2-2, bringing the overall record to 47-22. The Canadian Press report was first published Oct. 7, 2026.
Based on reporting by Global News Edmonton.