The Saskatchewan Roughriders have been haunted for 12 months about falling one win shy of reaching the Grey Cup.
The Roughriders are back in the same position this season and they will look to reach the CFL title game for the first time since 2013 when they battle the BC Lions on Saturday at Regina.
Saskatchewan fell 38-22 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in last season’s West Division final, a bitter setback hard to forget.
“With the guys that were here last year, just their experience alone, understanding what to anticipate and dealing with the likes of you guys and the media, all that stuff,” Roughriders coach Corey Mace said. “The feel in the air is a little bit different.
“I heard (quarterback Trevor Harris) talk about that, the moment of the games, the big games, those guys understand that now.”
Saskatchewan had a bye last week but stumbled down the stretch of the regular season by losing four of its final six games.
But the Roughriders insist they are ready for the task ahead.
“We’re super excited,” Saskatchewan linebacker A.J. Allen said. “The stakes are high and that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
The expected frosty weather favors the Roughriders as BC is used to higher temperatures due to its coastal location in Vancouver.
Lions defensive back Garry Peters isn’t deterred by weather forecasts.
“For guys like me, I’ve been preparing for this moment for a really long time,” Peters said. “I’ve been playing in the league 10 years, haven’t been to a Grey Cup yet. So the cold isn’t going to get in our way.”
The Lions have been hot on the field with seven consecutive victories, including a 33-30 road playoff win over the Calgary Stampeders. Sean Whyte kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to give BC the dramatic win.
The Lions are looking to reach their first Grey Cup since 2011 and will ride the strong arm of Nathan Rourke, a finalist for Most Outstanding Player. Rourke continued his strong season by passing for 223 yards and rushing for 68 and a score against Calgary.
BC lost two of three meetings with Saskatchewan in the regular season and the victory came in the regular-season finale when the Roughriders rested several key players.
“They’re going to be fresh and they’re going to be confident, as they should be,” Rourke said. “They won the West. So I think that’s a challenge of itself right there.”
BC averaged a league-high 31.1 points in the regular season, while the Roughriders allowed a league-low 22.7 per game.
The winner will face either the Montreal Alouettes or Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Grey Cup on Nov. 16.
–Field Level Media
