Why does the Labour Day Classic matter so much to the Saskatchewan Roughriders? Well, it depends on who you ask.
The reasons are wide-ranging and go beyond the importance of emerging victorious in a single football game.
Defensive lineman James Vaughters considers Sunday’s matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers pivotal for positional reasons.
The Roughriders are 7-4 and two points ahead of the Blue Bombers, who are 6-5. They’re second and third, respectively, in the West Division. They’re both trying to hunt down the Edmonton Elks (8-3) for the top spot.
This is the first meeting of the season between the Riders and Bombers. The second and final matchup goes next Saturday.
“It just comes at a time in the season where it’s important to be winning,” Vaughters told Voice of the Roughriders Dave Thomas. “West opponent, rivalry … it’s just always a big game, a game that you need to win as far as division goes and as far as standings going into the back half of the season.”
Then there’s also the importance of the team trying to hit its stride heading down the stretch.
Labour Day is a signpost in the CFL calendar. It’s when things start getting real. After Sunday, the Riders will be two-thirds of the way through the campaign with just six games remaining before the playoffs.
Time is running out to work out the kinks.
“The season standings usually start getting tighter and tighter around this time,” Riders coach Corey Mace said. “You want to be hitting in stride once we’re about this far in the season. Everybody should understand what we’re trying to do in the system. You’re just looking for progression.
“We’re probably right where we’re supposed to be. Definitely room to grow with the remainder of the season. We need to see it each week.”
And then there’s the sheer magnitude of game itself.
Labour Day weekend means the Riders welcome the team that’s widely considered to be their biggest rival. There are bragging rights at stake. The atmosphere in Regina is always electric.
“It’s the best game that you can play in the entire CFL outside of the final one,” running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon said. “It’s the best energy. The fans are going to be hyped up. Everybody’s excited about it.
“You just have to let everything out. It’s a big game.”
Whether you place more weight on divisional positioning, finding overall team improvement, or trying to get the edge in an old-fashioned rivalry, there are plenty of options to choose from.
It’s no wonder this game’s considered a massive one.
