LIVE BLOG: CFL Western Div. Final: Sask. Roughriders vs BC Lions
I know. I am not naive. If you say I am – again – I’m calling my septuagenarian mother. She’ll have words.
I know this is not the way to get your content seen by eyeballs attached to human brains. I suspect this post will get less views than a picture of a caterpillar on a turd, but frankly, I don’t give a turd for that image. This is where I am.
The Canadian Football League-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders face the British Columbia Lions Nov. 8, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. local time.
The Riders semi-strolled through this year’s regular season, collecting a 12-6 record. Two of those victories came against the Lions, with BC – which finished second at 11-7 – earning one of the three seasonal contests. The Lions won six of their last seven heading into the Western Division semi-final versus the Calgary Stampeders.
The game is expected to be a battle of a stiff, ball-chasing, sack-bagging Rider defence against a running game led by Lion rusher James Butler and a flourishing offence under quarterback Nathan Rourke. Saskatchewan QB Trevor Harris will be under fire from a Lion defence that leads the league in cutting down the rock chucker.
Although the Roughriders are favourites, this humble analyst must resist temptation to go “homer.”
I don’t “Bleed Green.” I cheer for the team, but the whole Kermit-coloured cult is a little much.
(Editor’s note: We accept no responsibility or liability for the repercussions to Mr. Mangy Coyote for the above admission. We made him wear a watermelon football helmet for a week to see if Saskatchewan’s fervor for their football team would absorb by osmosis on the Ole’ Dawg. The experiment failed. And he now hates watermelon.)
The B.C. Lions have come on strong through the last half of the schedule. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s energy seemed to wane once it clinched a playoff berth and the regular season crown.
Armchair football wisdom at it’s worst
To be honest, the game is a toss-up and I don’t have the inside poop on anything. Long gone are the days I would wander the Rider locker room to interview the tallest player in the league immediately after he had left the shower refusing to towel-up. I ain’t no sideline photographer anymore, getting effectively roasted for wearing the wrong color shirt by some smart-ass in the Special Needs section.
I’ve been out of the loop a while, so we’ll look at other aspects of the game. Maybe we’ll make fun of that guy who always paints his face like a green dino-turtle-monster and always ends up on Rider promotional material. Maybe “Bill & Ted” on the radio will say something dumb enough it requires further satirical analysis.
Basically, we’re gonna have fun. Hell, we may even talk about something totally off topic. When was the last time you saw Meg Ryan’s face? Is it literally melting?
Anyway, I’m gonna be here providing no-where-near all the coverage you’ll require for this year’s Grey Cup Semi-Final. We’ll have a party.
Analyzing the game and culture while literally wearing a bathrobe and drinking hooch made in a cookie jar.
Quarter: Final
And Saskatchewan is victorious by the exact spread we called very early in the afternoon. We picked the wrong team, who knew we could judge offensive production to such accuracy, huh?
We had fun. Although not entirely sure when or if we will do this again, it might be fun to throw something on video to Youtube. Reaction clips to games and the like.
In the meantime, there are other screws to tighten and projects to sell, particularly in the area of disc golf.
Stay tuned.
Stay safe.
And ride’em high.
Or whatever.
The Dude
Abides.
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First and goal from the three yard-line with 11 seconds left when BC calls a timeout.
TOUCHDOWN RIDERS on a short pass up the middle to Nield.
Doubt be damned, they did it. “Old balls” was a “Big dog.”
Still a play and a half left.
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One. Last. Gasp. 1:03 left.
Riders stack the line and force BC to punt. They take the ball at their 34, where Harris promptly hits Emilus for 23 yards. On the BC 53.
After a dropped pass, Harris hits two completions for a first down at the BC 39 with 22 seconds left. They go no huddle and pick up another 10 yards on the ground with Ouellette.
Pass complete to Meyers. On the 4.
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Second and 10 after an incomplete pass. Injury on the field. Crowd is absolutely dead. No bells. No horns. No screaming.
Riderville has already accepted their fate. After an exciting season that saw them work solidly through the opposition, they fade into the November night, unable to check their baggage for a trip down the highway for the Grey Cup.
They punt the ball away and pray for a takeaway with a minute and half left. Rourke can burn it out, or churn it for more cushion. The Lions have full control of the steering wheel.
Burning the clock to the end.
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Lions go 2nOut, allowing the Riders to get the ball back with a full two minutes left in the game.
This team’s entire season, as successful comes down to a 39-year-old veteran and a lacklustre receiving corp.
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A football game has flowered from a dirty little seedling in the first quarter.
Riders miss two pass attempts and go to a third down needing five yards.
Only 2:42 left in the game and a timeout has delayed Rider Coach Mace’s decision to take the three points or get the TD.
Lauther punches the points and they hand the ball back to to BC with a three-point deficit.
It’s nip and tuck, but leaning towards a post surgery infection for the Riders.
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Heart. Desperation. The result is the same with an Emilus 11-yard pick up to the 26.
The Three Minute Warning was called then reneged when another 20 seconds were added to the clock. A good timekeeper mistake for the homers and they pick up another first down to the five yard line.
And the Three Minute Warning has been issued. Throw your eggs into the boiling water. Lunch by end of game.
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CKRM’s Thomas and Mullinder are starting to sound a little somber. Both are emphasizing the the limited time available.
Harris’s first play garners more than 30 yards then Ouellette rumbles another 10 to put them at the BC 27. This is where they stalled on their last time in BC territory.
It’s desperation for Saskatchewan considering their lack of offensive consistency.
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TOUCHDOWN LIONS on a two yard rush by Rourke, putting BC up by a TD.
Studies show that three per cent of the crowd is already thinking of heading to the car to beat the traffic. Should Saskatchewan drop another 2nOut, the traffic helicopters will be in the air earlier than expected this evening.
With just six minutes left in the match, this is the make or break series. Don’t let anyone tell you any different.
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Rider defence is bending at their own 29. Will they break?
Rourke scrambles a flick to Butler who takes it 15 yards for another first down.
They’re breaking, allowing the Lions to push past the 10 and put the end zone three strides away.
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2nOut Saskatchewan on their first possession of the fourth quarter. Pitiful. BC is already at midfield. Even a field goal could nix it considering Harris’s mid-game flash-then-disappear and Lauther.
The kicker has actually been keen tonight, solid when needed.
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Fifteen minutes to go. Will Saskatchewan’s largest cult get to worship for the Cup of Grey.
Or do the Lions only have flesh wounds, saving energy for a fourth-quarter burst to knock the Riders from their season-long reign.
After punching through to the red zone, Rourke finds Hatcher int he end zone to tie the game after an extra point. Hatcher, the CFL’s leading receiver, untouched, uncovered and unconcerned with the feather light pass offered up by his QB.
Weak sauce for the Rider defense at a critical point in the GD game.
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Saskatchewan can’t punch themselves past the 26, so Lauther comes out to kick for three. The lead is now double for the home side.
We’re less than two minutes from the fourth quarter and the Riders are looking much more effective than they did through the opening 30 minutes. Harris must’ve loosened a knee brace, as he’s moving the offence smoothly in a no-huddle rush mode. And Ouellette, despite the fumble, has dominated when required.
Rourke and the Lions need to respond and they do by picking up 17 yards on a pass to McInnis at the Rider 54. With a big play in formation, Rourke is sacked, forcing second and 17 at the BC 50.
No foul. Cottoy and Rourke connect on a long shot for another first down.
Lions are prowling.
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CKRM’s Mullinder is running out of words again. They don’t do color commentary like they used to, huh?
The Riders are back in Lion domain with a first down off a 15 yard pass and run by Meyers. They follow that up with another first down pass and a seven yard rush.
Patient. Movement. Forward.
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We just noticed that with only two penalties a side, the referees are surprisingly a non-factor thus far in the game. They have about 20 minutes to screw me on this compliment, but all is good for now.
It’s the Rider shitheads making waves. Good thing the objectionable conduct went both ways. No blood.
Riders second and two, hand off to Ouellette and he makes up for the drop with a 13 yard run.
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Rourke threads a needle to give the Lions a first goal opportunity…
That is picked off by Marcus Sayles at the goal-line and pushes the ball to the 14 yard line.
Turnover given. Turnover taken.
That’s pendulum is going to kill someone.
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Lions go 2nOut after a pair of incomplete passes, the second batted away by the Rider backfield. Meyer on the field to punt again, and crushes a 59 yard kick to the Rider 16.
The momentum swung quickly. It was integral that Harris cashed on that last drive considering his age. No doubt, he deserves to be there, but equipment staff are already seeking extra oxygen tanks for the fourth quarter.
First turnover of the game goes against the Riders, with the Lions recovering a Ouellette drop at the Rider 30.
Pendulum crossed.
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Riders open the second half with the rock and march to the BC 9, closing in on the end zone with a Harris rush.
They series stalls at the three and they’re unable to punch it in. Coach Mace decides to gamble at 3rd and 3.
And it works!
TOUCHDOWN RIDERS on a pass to Schaffer-Baker. Saskatchewan retakes the lead on a five-minute clock eater that brought the Mosaic crowd back to life. They were waning. A little in digested from the pregame pub food and, I’d say 6 times out of 10, soused to the gills on Pilsner and Fireball.
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Here is the homemade hooch we’re sipping on tonight. This one is strawberry-Ponderosa Pine needle fermented for more than a week through various strainings.
It’s not as fizzy as I’d like it to be, so if anyone has any tips regarding that side of the home brew soda world, we’re open to them. Anything but adding more sugar. That stuff is poison and we like it too much.
The batch percolating in the background is an apple/cinnamon experiment that may require adjustments considering the lack of bubblies in the jar. I’ll work with it tomorrow.
For now, it’s BC over SSK as predicted by yours truly. That can/may/will certainly flip at any time through the next 30 minutes of play. Especially if Saskatchewan does what we suggested the entire first half; give the football to Ouellette. If for no other reason than to prove my negative father wrong, that anti-French hypocrite. It’s the same thing CKRM analysts are saying right now. “Run the ball.”
But in the wisdom-filled words of a long, lost smart ass from Whitewood, Sask. in the ‘90s:
“What do I know? I’m just a short, fat, white guy.”
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Down below a minute left and Riders have hit the BC 49 with a quick-paced strategy. No huddle completion followed by no huddle completion, the latter finished by Schaffer-Baker to reach the edge of the Red zone.
They end up 3rd and three and Lauther comes out for a 22 yard field goal attempt, which is good.
The first half is over with Lions up by 3. <<<<<<<<<
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Riders get the ball with 3:19 left. They rush for three then Harris misses Schaffer-Baker to go 2nOut like a wilting flower.
“Big dogs?” Or “Old dogs?”
After accepting the punt, the Lions have two minutes to crush the hearts of Mosaic Stadium’s faithful Sea of Green.
They can’t do it and the Riders get the ball one more time before the clock hits zeros. A minute-23 left for Harris to get something positive out of the offence in the first half. Working from their own 40.
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TOUCHDOWN LIONS
The Lions have finally made this a football game with a four-yard touchdown, marching down the field from their own seven yard line. Rourke is not phased by early pressure from Rider defensive line, obviously hiding the run well enough to get it on five plays of that touchdown drive.
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Back to the legs of Ouellette. First down. Two short pass attempts for not enough inch space and out comes Mirco, who punts to the BC 7, plugging the Lion offence deep as we wind down to halftime. It was a solid, bounce-play Diego Maridana would have loved.
A Butler rush. Butler catch. Butler rush. The Lions are discovering their legs while the Riders are getting a little leaky in the short field.
Pinned deep or not, the Lions are moving the ball with seeming ease, particularly on the ground with Butler. Brilliant field strategy with an immaculate punt wasted by Saskatchewan.
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Saskatchewan goes 2nOut. Whispers on the Greenie sidelines are Mirco may hold out in the third quarter to get paid by the kick.
BC takes the ball on their 41. The neutral zone battle continues. Maybe it’s a good thing the field is getting shorter next season. I mean, I’ve seen thumb wrestling matches with more action.
Jackpot for the Riders 50/50 is nearing $600,000. It could hit a Mil. We’re not sure if Coyote Queen is getting a couple of tickets, but oh, how timely that wad of sweat and beer stained cash would be right now.
And after two plays, Meyer punts the ball 50 yards too Alford who brings the ball to their 35.
Roughriders have the ball with 11: 27 left in the half, and negotiations between Meyers and Mirco to form a union have begun.
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Lions broach the Rider territory then puncture the defense with an 18 yard passing play and another first down.
But Rider lineman Baldonado catches Rourke for the first sack of the game. The BC QB picks himself up, dusts himself off and immediately slams the ball into the hands of Cottoy for 16 yards. Then a No-End penalty knocks them back again.
No mo fo no one.
At the end of the First Quarter, Saskatchewan has a thin edge on net offence. Everything is balanced except the acidic build-up in the kicking legs of the punters.
However, Whyte hits the upright from 42 yards, allowing the bending Rider defence to get off unscathed.
No mo fo ever.
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Ball goes to Ouellette and, voila, another first down. Who mentioned leading with the run earlier?
They tried it again and got nothing. At least Sask. is pushing some variety now.
A pass doesn’t get there, but Riders go third and short, try to draw the Lions offside and fail. Punting again.
So after most of the first quarter, we have no shots on goal, mostly neutral zone play and a 1-0 score.
Welcome to the game of hockey.
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Riders punt again. Lions take the ball on their 41. The field begins to lean in British Columbia’s favour.
(Editors note: I think we all know why he’s saying “British Columbia” specifically. If you don’t, carry on.)
2nOut again for the Lions after attempting a deep play. The kick goes out of bounds, giving the Riders a penalty advantage and tilting that field back in their direction ever so slightly.
But if the QBs aren’t going to move the ball, it’s going to come down to the leg-game. The Riders lose by that standard.
For goodness sake, we want points somewhere. What is this? The NFL?
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Lions unable to gain any traction after Rider single. Harris takes the field at the Rider 21.
Why the hell am I telling you this shit? I know you’re either watching it live or listening to it.
Let’s look forward. Harris needs to show he can move the ball early. There is no wiggle room with the Lions late in the game. Nice that their mixing up the plays, but gotta lean on the run.
Just as I say that, first down riders on a 19 yard play.
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Saskatchewan’s hawkish defence is already on high alert. There’s a near-pick on the second throw of the game.
Lions are two-and-out. Riders take punt and start their first drive on their 33 yard line.
CKRM’s Thomas and Mullinder a screaming into the microphone already. Settle down, boys. It’s stirring the heartburn caused by the chili from the other channel.
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17:34
The players are on the sidelines, the patriotic programming is complete and we’re getting to the coin toss…
Saskatchewan wins the toss and defers to the second half. Riders kick off to BC to open game. Lions start drive at their own 37 yard line.
Here we go.
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17:13 11/08
Meanwhile on CKRM’s Sports Cage, reporters are drumming up cliched drama between Harris and Rourke, suggesting that Harris not wanting to talk about Rourke was a slight of some kind. Reporters talked to one then went and tattled on him to the other.
Hard hitting sports journalism right there, Click Bait.
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17:03 11/08
French Fries and ketchup. Keeping it simple.
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16:54 11/08
We’re locking the Over/Under on heart attacks in the stands at 2. Still tabulating alcohol poisoning based on previous data on playoff wins and losses in Regina and this year’s Craven Country Thunder.
Unlike the musical event, there will be no sexual assaults today.
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16:49 11/08
Walk-off field goal for the Montreal Alouettes to defeat the Tiger-Cats 19-16 and punch their bus pass to Grey Cup 112 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, MB.
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16:46 11/08
Less than an hour before the game and we’re talking chili recipes on CJME’s Green Zone Game Day.
Just turned it on and now I understand why I didn’t do so earlier.
What’s next? A four-minute call-in on sugar cookies five-minutes before the National anthem?
At least they have given us the current status of the East Final between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Montreal Alouettes. It’s tied at 16 with less than a minute to go.
Do we find a way to cut live into the end of the match through a sister station?
Nope. Cut to commercial.
Cause it’s all about the listener.
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16:26 11/08
One hour, three minutes to game time and we’re still on the fence about how the dice are going to roll.
My heart says Saskatchewan has established enough of a balanced game, they can handle most anyone in the league. But the kicking and the total imbalance of that position between the two teams may just be the difference. A thirty point spread in kicking percentages between Lauther and Whyte can’t be overlooked. Especially in CFL playoff football.
Therefore, I go with my loins and have to take the Lions by three. My Wild friend, a long-time BC Orange representative, will be proud.
In other news, we contemplate the game time meal. We have hamburgers, fries and gravy. Will it be a hamburger with a side of fries or is it poutine time in Coyote Town?
Like a dawg, I’ve already scarfed the chocolate and candy. Total lack of self control.
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15:24 11/08
Okay. What are we thinking here?
The Roughriders have had solid play throughout the season in front wiley veteran QB Trevor Harris.
On the other side, the B.C. Lions have charged through the last half of the season. Nathan Rourke is settling into upper-crust talent status and a penetrative run offence has been established with James Butler serving as the tip of the spear. How will he fare against the Canadian Football League’s best run defence?
Odds-makers have the Roughriders as the slight favourite, with the emotional bet going for Lion’s and their late stage burst. The overall Over/Under at 53.5 is also a toss-up. Their three match-ups went 55, 60 and 48 respectively.
Considering the Rider propensity for ball-hawking and backfield penetration alongside B.C.’s league-leading quarterback sack attack, we suspect it’s going to be a low scoring meeting with both defences potentially playing an integral offensive role in the match with a pick-six and scrambly turnovers.
But the kicking… Heavy advantage Lions. Sean Whyte struck 94 per cent of his three-point attempts this season, demolishing Brett Lauther’s lousy 66.7 per cent.
Leaning Lions.
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Advertisement break:
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May, 2026. Registration opens January, ‘26.
Details at Mangy Coyote Media.
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14:41 11/08
It’s official. Mosaic Stadium is sold out with 33,350 expected to be in attendance.
One member of the masses is the Coyote Queen.
God bless you, gal. And remember, the whiskey won’t keep you warm and I need my hand warmers back.
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14:18 11/08
Unfortunately, many fans in the Regina area missed Harris’s “old dogs” comment and continue to pre-celebrate a Saskatchewan victory.
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13:58 11/08
13:32 11/08
Rumors that the Western Division Final has been delayed for three hours due to a conflicting event in the city are not true. The Regina Seniors Community Centre will postpone its penultimate pickle ball league night instead.
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