The tightly contested West Division will finally have a victor today as the Calgary Stampeders travel to Mosaic Stadium to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders with a spot in the Grey Cup on the line.
Catch all the action at 4pm et/1pm pt on TSN and TSN HD.
After a 32-11 loss at the hands of the Montreal Alouettes in Week 15, Stamps quarterback Henry Burris vowed they would see the Als again in the Grey Cup. It's a comment, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have not forgotten.
"Whenever a team looks past you and says that they'll be in the Grey Cup, they're overlooking whoever is in their way," stated Riders' quarterback Darian Durant. "That's a little disrespectful being that we played them tough one game and beat them twice."
Burris qualified his statement, but didn't back down from the confidence that he has in his club, the defending Grey Cup champions.
"I'm a competitor, not disregarding or disrespecting any other teams, but I feel confident about what we have and I'm going to do whatever it takes in my power to make sure that we're there for November 29th and hosting and playing in that Grey Cup in Calgary," stated Burris.
"Playing against the teams that we played against and all the teams in this league, all respect due to them. We have some great teams in this league and a lot of great players, but we had nothing to do with those teams. I'm just aware of what we have in our locker room and what we're capable of doing," he explained.
Burris will have a chance to back up his words in front of a packed house at Mosaic Stadium, which has been sold out since Monday. It's been three decades since Saskatchewan has played host to the West Final, and fans have responded to the team clinching their first West Division regular-season crown since 1976.
This is the third straight year that the Riders host a game in the post-season. A year ago, they fell to the B.C. Lions, while in 2007 they overcame Calgary, en route to their Grey Cup victory.
Sunday's game will mark the fourth time the Stamps and Riders meet this season, with Saskatchewan having remaining undefeated up to this point, courtesy of two wins and a tie. During the season series, Durant out-dueled his quarterback counterpart, posting 980 yards and seven touchdowns, to Burris' 730 yards and three touchdowns.
"The thing we do well is beat man coverage. Their strength is man, our strength is beating man. It's worked in our favour so far," said Durant.
The team who emerges with the win on Sunday advance to next week's Grey Cup in Calgary against either the Lions or the Alouettes.