Nathan Rourke and the B.C. Lions appear to be making their late-season push.
B.C. (8-7) has won three straight and five-of-seven games overall to climb into a three-way tie for second in the West Division. The Lions can take sole possession of the No. 2 spot with a home win Saturday night over the Calgary Stampeders (8-6).
The Lions dispatched Calgary 52-23 at McMahon Stadium in their first meeting Sept. 19. Rourke was a one-man show, completing 20-of-24 passes for 331 yards and two TDs while running for three touchdowns as B.C. finished with 527 net offensive yards and no turnovers.
B.C.’s defence forced four turnovers (three interceptions, once on downs) with Mathieu Betts registering both of its sacks.
Over B.C.’s last seven contests, Rourke has thrown for 300 or more yards five times. He also has 29 carries for 245 yards (8.5-yard average) with seven TDs, all coming in the Lions’ last three games.
That’s not to say the CFL’s top Canadian in 2022 has been perfect. He threw for 235 yards and three interceptions in last week’s 27-22 home win over Toronto but also scored two touchdowns.
Rourke is third overall in passing (4,170 yards), TDs (23) and rushing touchdowns (nine). He’s also tied with teammate James Butler (CFL rushing leader with 1,061 yards) for second in 20-yard runs (six each).
B.C. leads the CFL in offensive scoring (29.5 points per game), offensive TDs (48), net yards (423.9 per game) and passing yards (315.8) and is third in rushing (115.3 yards).
It’s been a tough stretch for Calgary, which has lost three straight. Last week, Davis Alexander returned to lead Montreal past the Stampeders 38-20 at Molson Stadium, passing for 350 yards and a TD to improve to 9-0 as a CFL starter, a league record for most wins to begin a career.
On Sunday, Calgary acquired veteran defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin IV from the Ottawa Redblacks for a 2026 fourth-round pick. With Folarin Orimolade out (season-ending Achilles injury), landing the CFL’s top defensive player in 2022 certainly filled a need for the Stampeders.
Defensively, Calgary has dropped to second in fewest offensive points allowed (22.8 per game, compared to 22.7 for Winnipeg) but still has given up a league-low 29 offensive TDs. However, the Stampeders are last against the run (112.6 yards per game), which could mean a busy day for Butler.
The Lions’ defence is ranked eighth overall in offensive points (27.1 per game) and TDs given up (40) but is allowing a league-low net 350.5 yards per game.
Calgary is 6-2 within the West and 3-3 on the road. B.C. is 3-4 versus division rivals and 4-3 at home.
The winner assumes sole possession of second in the West Division with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-7) idle. But B.C. would also sweep the season series with a victory and secure the tiebreaker if the two teams finished with identical records.
Pick: Lions.
Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Ottawa Redblacks (Friday night)
At Ottawa, the Redblacks (4-10) come off the bye week still in playoff contention, albeit barely. They must not only win out but have second-place Montreal (8-7) lose its final three games to secure a post-season berth. Saskatchewan (10-4) leads the West Division with the CFL’s best record but has lost two straight. Tommy Stevens’ late one-yard TD run pulled the Riders to within 27-25 of Edmonton last week but Trevor Harris’s pass for the two-point convert was incomplete. A.J. Ouellette ran for 115 yards and a TD and stands second in league rushing with 1,057 yards.
Pick: Saskatchewan.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats versus Toronto Argonauts (Saturday afternoon)
At Toronto, there’s nowhere to go but up for Hamilton (9-6) following last week’s 40-3 loss in Winnipeg, which began with Trey Vaval taking the opening kickoff 98 yards for the touchdown. Still, the Ticats have clinched a home playoff game, are 5-1 within the East Division and can strengthen their hold on top spot with a win. Nick Arbuckle returned as the starter for Toronto (5-10) in last week’s loss to B.C., passing for 281 yards with a TD and interception. But he’s been listed as limited in practice this week with his calf ailment. The Argos have lost two straight after reeling off three consecutive victories.
Pick: Hamilton.
Last week: 2-2
Overall: 39-27.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
