Elks await winner of Lions-Riders West semifinal after earning playoff bye
The Edmonton Elks finished first in the CFL's West Division, securing a bye while B.C. and Saskatchewan battle for the right to face them.
The B.C. Lions host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday in the CFL's West Division semifinal, the fourth meeting between the two clubs this season and the third straight year they've met in the playoffs. Both teams finished the regular season with identical 10-8 records, with B.C. winning this year's season series 2-1, though Saskatchewan has eliminated the Lions from the playoffs in each of the past two years.
B.C. head coach Buck Pierce said the defending Grey Cup-champion Riders are a fundamentally sound opponent that shouldn't be underestimated, predicting another close, physical game decided in the fourth quarter. The teams' most recent matchup, on Sept. 25, saw B.C. win 31-24 behind a 375-yard, four-touchdown performance from quarterback Nathan Rourke, who cautioned that Saskatchewan will likely bring new wrinkles on Saturday.
The Lions started the season 1-5 before rattling off a 9-1 stretch to clinch a home playoff game, then closed the regular season with two losses while resting top players. Pierce credited the team's resilience as its defining trait this year.
The winner of Saturday's semifinal will travel to face the Edmonton Elks in the West Division final on Nov. 7. Edmonton finished atop the West Division standings, earning a first-round bye.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.