Roughriders, Stampeders clash in best of CFL's West Division on TSN
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CALGARY - Who can run the football more is the game-within-the-game Saturday when the Calgary Stampeders host the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Roughriders and Stampeders excel at both executing their ground game on offence and defending against it.
"The game of football is won in the trenches," said Stampeder tackle Joshua Coker. "We have the better offensive line and defensive line, so when it comes down to it, we just have to play to our ability."
The clash of the CFL's West Division leaders at the halfway mark of their seasons is a swing game for both clubs.
Calgary (6-3) seeks a second straight win over the Roughriders after prevailing 24-10 in Regina on July 12, when Stampeder quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 428 yards and three touchdowns and Calgary's defence held the 'Riders to just 16 rushing yards.
That game originally scheduled for July 11 was postponed until the next afternoon because of poor air quality due to forest fire smoke.
Saskatchewan (8-1) has won four straight since then. The Roughriders have yet to lose a road game, haven't given up a touchdown in their last two games and have recorded 16 sacks over their last three.
"Feels good to be eight and one, you know? Want to leave here nine and one," said Roughriders defensive tackle Mike Rose, who was a Stampeder for seven years before he was released and signed with Saskatchewan in February.
The Roughriders' meagre output on the ground in Regina was a hiccup as Saskatchewan's average 110 rushing yards per game ranks third in the league behind Calgary (115.7) and Winnipeg (112.8).
"Establishing the run for every team is important," Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris said. "It makes everything better. You can stay on the football field, stay ahead of the chains, you can keep your defence off the field and get them rested."
The Roughriders' defence tops the league at an average 69.1 rushing yards against per game, and a league-low 135 rush attempts.
Saskatchewan's 5.9 average yards against on first downs is second only to Calgary's 5.8.
So springing Calgary running back Dedrick Mills, coming off a season-high 105 yards in his last game, and Saskatchewan counterpart A.J. Ouellette is a subplot Saturday.
"Both teams feel like they're at their best if they can run downhill on their opponent, but you decide what's working and you try to call the game to win the game," Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson said. "But yeah, it's easier on quarterback play, it certainly is, if you have a running game.
"They've got a great scheme and system as far as their run game. Ouellette and their running backs are good players, strong, but can make you miss. I think we've got the same thing with our running backs, so it's going to be a challenge."
Mills, with 660 rushing yards and a league-leading seven touchdowns, and Ouellette (648 yards) are both chasing leader James Butler of the B.C. Lions at 785.
"I am ready to come out pounding," said Mills, who rushed for 85 yards in Regina.
If teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, the greater number of total wins is the first tiebreaker followed by the team with the higher winning percentage in all games played against the other tied clubs.
So after securing the season series (3-0) against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Stampeders want a sweep of their two regular-season games against Saskatchewan to also hold that card come playoff time in November.
"When you grow up and you love football as much as I do, as much as some of these guys do, you crave and you look forward to a game as competitive as this because you know how important it is for the standings and how important is for the city and also for our team to prove how good we want to be," Coker said.
"This could potentially be the West final, so we have to take games like this seriously."
Calgary is coming off a bye week after a 28-27 win over the Blue Bombers decided by a Rene Paredes 40-yard field goal on the final play of the game.
The Roughriders thumped the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 29-9 last week when Harris threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns.
IN AND OUT
Calgary's bye week reaped limited benefits. Damien Alford, who has five touchdowns in six games, will play after sitting out a game and three quarters. He injured his hamstring in the first quarter of a 23-21 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on July 24. But the Stampeders will be minus wideouts Tevin Jones (illness) and Dominique Rhymes (quad). Roughriders defensive back Marcus Sayles is said to be a game-time decision.
KICKING INSURANCE
The Roughriders signed kicker Campbell Fair this week. Veteran Brett Lauther is 22-for-33 in field goals this season for an average of 66.7, but he will start Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2025.