A Classic rivalry is to resume Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are to meet in the 54th edition of the Labour Day Classic (1 p.m., CKRM, TSN), the annual grudge match between the traditional rivals.
Saskatchewan has won 35 of the previous 53 games in the series, including 12 of the past 13.
The teams enter the 2018 version of the Classic tied for third in the CFL’s West Division with 10 points apiece, but the Roughriders (5-4-0) have a game in hand on the Bombers (5-5-0).
This is the first of three meetings between the teams this season. Winnipeg plays host to a rematch on Saturday and the clubs are to meet again in the Manitoba capital on Oct. 13.
Here’s one man’s list of five things (or players) to watch during Sunday’s game.
- Good ol’ Mo: The Roughriders enter the Classic with the momentum created by a two-game winning streak. Those victories have pulled them into a tie for third place in the West with the Bombers — because Winnipeg has lost two consecutive games. The Bombers haven’t looked like the same team which was red-hot to start the regular season and which, two games ago, was booed by the faithful at Investors Group Field. The Roughriders, on the other hand, appear to be hitting their stride after playing two straight solid games to get back over the .500 mark.
- Sam I Am: Roughriders weak-side linebacker Sam Eguavoen is having a stellar season. The third-year CFLer leads the team in tackles (41) and tackles for losses (five), he’s second in forced fumbles (two), he’s third in special-teams stops (seven) and he’s tied for third in sacks (two). He also has a blocked punt, which he recovered and returned for a touchdown against Calgary. Eguavoen doesn’t get the headlines that some CFL linebackers receive, but he’s as productive as many of the higher-profile players.
- The Nick of Time: Cornerback/Wildcat quarterback Nick Marshall has a unique stat line this season. Marshall has scored a touchdown on each of his four touches in his four games played, returning both of his interceptions for scores (66 yards against Toronto on June 15 and 67 yards versus Calgary on Aug. 19) and scoring on both of his snaps as the short-yardage QB (three yards against the Stamps two weeks ago and one yard against the Lions on Aug. 25). Head coach-GM Chris Jones has said Marshall is “dynamic” with the ball in his hands and he has proven that so far.
- Staying Grounded: The Bombers have the CFL’s most productive running game, while the Roughriders are tough against the rush. That means something has to give Sunday. Winnipeg leads the league in attempts (230), average gain per rush (5.9), rushing yards per game (136.7) and rushing TDs (14) this season. Saskatchewan’s D, meanwhile, is second in attempts (154), rushing yards per game (78.3) and rushing TDs (five) and is first in average gain per rush (4.6). The Bombers will try to emphasize Andrew Harris, so the run defence will have to be stout.
- Isn’t that special?: Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea made his name as a CFL coach as a special-teams co-ordinator and, while he doesn’t officially hold that title with the Bombers, he keeps his fingers in the pie. The Bombers’ special teams were solid in the teams’ most-recent meeting — remember Moe Leggett’s 97-yard punt return for a touchdown on the misdirection play Winnipeg ran last Sept. 9? — so Roughriders special-teams coaches Craig Dickenson and Mike Scheper must have their charges prepared for anything in this contest.
