Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5-0)
at Montreal Alouettes (3-10-0)
Sunday, 11 a.m., Percival Molson Stadium
CKRM, TSN
THE FORECAST: Environment Canada is calling for a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 15 C and a wind out of the west at 20 km/h.
THE LOWDOWN: The Roughriders and Alouettes are to meet for the second time this season. Montreal prevailed 23-17 when the teams played at Mosaic Stadium on June 30 … Montreal hasn’t been a nice place to visit for the Roughriders, who are 1-5-0 in their past six games in the CFL’s easternmost outpost … Since 2016, the Als are 7-21-0 against the West Division — but they’re 4-1-0 against the Roughriders in that span … Saskatchewan has won five of its past six games this season, including a 30-29 victory over the host Toronto Argonauts last Saturday. The Als have lost two straight contests, including a 31-14 defeat at the hands of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sept. 21.
THE RIDERS’ ROSTER: Quarterback Zach Collaros is set to make his eighth straight start and his 10th of the season for the Roughriders. He owns a 6-3-0 record as the team’s starter. Brandon Bridge, who started his CFL career with the Alouettes in 2015, and David Watford are the backups … One of Collaros’ main weapons won’t play in this game. Slotback Naaman Roosevelt was injured in Toronto and has been put on the six-game injured list for precautionary reasons … With Roosevelt on the shelf, Kenny Shaw is to make his 2018 debut Sunday. The receiver was signed to the practice roster on Aug. 22 and has been waiting for a chance to get on the roster. It’ll be his first game since Aug. 26, 2017, when he tore three ligaments in his right knee while playing for the Ottawa Redblacks … The rest of the starting receiving corps remains the same, with Shaq Evans, Kyran Moore, Josh Stanford and Jordan Williams-Lambert manning the positions. Rob Bagg, Devon Bailey and Brian Jones are the backups … Tre Mason and Marcus Thigpen will rotate again at tailback. In Toronto, Thigpen had an 82-yard touchdown run to become the first player in franchise history to record two scoring runs of at least 80 yards in a season; he also went 80 yards against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 19 … The offensive line is intact from the game in Toronto, with Dan Clark at centre, Dariusz Bladek and Brendon LaBatte at guard and Takoby Cofield and Thaddeus Coleman at tackle. Josiah St. John is the sixth man … Saskatchewan’s starting defensive line will have a new look, now that defensive tackle Mic’hael Brooks has been placed on the six-game injured list. Makana Henry will start and Curt Maggitt will relieve him at tackle alongside Zack Evans, with Charleston Hughes and Willie Jefferson as the ends. Tobi Antigha, Chad Geter, Jordan Reaves and Eddie Steele are the backups, as is Paul Dawson. The former NFLer has been activated off the practice roster to take Brooks’ roster spot … Sam Eguavoen, Sam Hurl and Derrick Moncrief are the starting linebackers, with Cameron Judge and Kevin Francis as the primary backups … There are two changes in the secondary. Cornerback Jovon Johnson returns to the starting five, bumping Crezdon Butler to a backup spot. Halfback Matt Elam comes off the six-game injured list to replace Loucheiz Purifoy, who was put on the six-game injured list after suffering an undisclosed injury during practice this week … Corner Nick Marshall, halfback Ed Gainey and safety Mike Edem are the other starting DBs … Punter Josh Bartel, kicker Brett Lauther and long-snapper Jorgen Hus once again are the Roughriders’ specialists. Lauther is riding a streak of 12 consecutive successful field-goal attempts, the last of which was a 56-yarder in Toronto that provided the margin of victory … Bagg takes the roster spot of special-teamer/linebacker Micah Teitz, who has been placed on the six-game injured list.
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