The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hoping to celebrate first place in a third jersey.
Saskatchewan’s CFL team is to wear its Obsidian Green uniforms during Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Calgary Stampeders (5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
The Rider Nation Alternate Jerseys were unveiled in game conditions on July 19, when Shea Patterson — starting at quarterback in place of an injured Trevor Harris — helped the Roughriders defeat the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers 19-9.
Harris was among the original models when the dark, dark, dark, dark green jerseys were introduced during a May 30 event at the Riders’ Mosaic Stadium store.
Now, at long last, he will be resplendent in Obsidian gear for the first time while wearing shoulder pads.
“I’m excited about it,” said Harris, who has excelled in eight games since returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for six weeks.
“I saw the guys wearing them this year when we played Winnipeg and it was really cool, so getting to wear the jersey this week is going to be pretty neat.”
Better still would be a first-place finish in the West Division.
For the Roughriders to claim the pennant, two results must go in their favour on Saturday.
For starters, the Montreal Alouettes would have to defeat the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1 p.m., CTV). Winnipeg (10-7-0) can clinch top spot with a victory.
If Montreal does a solid for Saskatchewan, the next order of business would be for the (Obsidian) Green and White to defeat a 4-12-1 Calgary side that is winless on the road and without any hope of making the playoffs.
Either way, the Roughriders will emerge from Saturday’s action with a home playoff game (tickets are available HERE).
Saskatchewan will stage the West semi-final (Nov. 2) or the division championship game (Nov. 9).
GAME-TIME DECISIONS
The outcome of the Montreal-Winnipeg game could very well determine the Roughriders’ final roster decisions for the looming matchup with Calgary.
For example, will Harris start at quarterback if it turns out that Saskatchewan versus Calgary will not influence the West standings?
Without elaborating, Roughriders Head Coach Corey Mace said with a smile that the “smart” decision would be made.
Harris was asked during his pre-game media availability whether he had been advised of plans that were in place in the event of a first-place-clinching win by Winnipeg.
The Roughriders’ quarterback respectfully responded by deferring all comments to the head coach.
“I would probably just let him do it, but I think you can probably read between the lines,” Harris said. “We’re all adults in here. We can figure it out.”
SINGLE-DIGIT SCHEDULE
Counting this weekend’s games, plus the playoffs, there are only nine games left in the 2024 CFL season.
“It goes by quickly,” Mace marvelled. “Trevor Harris and I were talking about that yesterday. He mentioned, ‘Man, Coach, this is our last real practice of the regular season.’ It goes by real fast, so you don’t want to take anything for granted.
“We know that our season will continue into the second season, but we really just try to push to win each day. That’s the focus.
“The fact that there is a limited number of games, I think that’s the obvious thing. For us, we just hope we do enough to play in the last one.”
FIRST-PLACE FLASHBACK
This is, in fact, the 10th year in the Roughriders’ modern history (i.e. post-Second World War) in which they have been in contention for top spot on the final week of regular-season play.
The most complicated closing week to this point was in 1951, when Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Winnipeg were all 8-6-0.
The deadlock was broken in Saskatchewan’s favour via the following formula, as described by The Canadian Press: “The playoff positions are based on a points-for-and-against average. (Saskatchewan) with 277 for and 219 against has a 1.26 average obtained by diving the number of points for into the number of points against. Edmonton with 306-262 has a 1.16 average and Winnipeg with a 303-311 record has a .97 average.”
Heading into the final week, the Roughriders have also been part of the first-place speculation in 1954, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1988, 2009, 2019 and, yes, 2024.
Saskatchewan celebrated successful down-to-the-wire outcomes in 1951, 1976, 2009 and 2019.
The Roughriders had secured top spot leading into the regular-season finales of 1966, 1968, 1969 and 1970.
TALE OF THE TURNOVERS
With one regular-season game remaining, the 2024 Roughriders boast a CFL-best turnover differential of plus-25. Montreal, at plus-10, is a distant second.
Saskatchewan has created 47 turnovers while surrendering the football only 22 times over the first 17 games.
Ideally, the Roughriders will eclipse the franchise single-season record of plus-27, set in 1994.
For the time being, that was the most-recent year in which the Roughriders led the league in turnover differential. The other pace-setting season: 1969 (plus-24).
The Roughriders improved to plus-25 on Oct. 12 by going plus-6 en route to defeating the visiting B.C. Lions 39-8.
In the modern era, there have been 18 games from which the Roughriders have emerged with a turnover differential of plus-6 or higher.
A team-record plus-9 was recorded when the Roughriders won 31-12 in Calgary on Sept. 20, 1969.
There have been five plus-8s, two plus-7s and 10 plus-6s.
Over those 18 games, there have been only four in which Saskatchewan did not relinquish the football:
Oct. 13, 1947: Winnipeg 6 at Saskatchewan 27 (plus-8). Roughriders registered five interceptions and recovered three fumbles.
Nov. 5, 1999: Saskatchewan 18 at B.C. 19 (plus-6). Improbably, the victorious team was minus-6. The Lions lost five of their seven fumbles and were also intercepted once. Saskatchewan scored on a 47-yard punt return by Curtis Mayfield and a seven-yard pass from Steve Sarkisian to Jeremy O’Day.
Aug. 26, 2006: Saskatchewan 51 at Hamilton 8 (plus-8). Four fumble recoveries (including two by Eddie Davis and a 15-yard scoop-and-score by Fred Perry), three interceptions and one turnover on downs. A 38-yard, fourth-quarter interception return by Donald Ruiz set up Darian Durant’s first CFL completion (a 14-yarder to Shermar Bracey) and carry (for 20 yards).
Oct. 12, 2024: B.C. 8 at Saskatchewan 39 (plus-6). The Roughriders’ most-recent victory completed a hat trick for O’Day, who has been involved in the past three games which fit this niche category. He was a reserve offensive lineman (and short-yardage receiving target) on 11/5/1999, the starting centre on 8/26/2006 and the vice-president of football operations/general manager on 10/12/2024.
EXTRA POINTS
• A request to the fans from receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker: “We just ask that you bring the most energy that you’ve ever brought to this stadium for this game (on Saturday) and then the next home game when we’re back for playoffs.”
• Saskatchewan leads all playoff-bound West teams in points scored (466), overall touchdowns (44), offensive TDs (40), TD passes (26), passer efficiency (99.7), net offence (364.2 yards /game), fewest sacks allowed (32) and net punting average (36.8).
• The 32 sacks allowed over 17 games represent an improvement of 20 over last year at this juncture. Most notably, there is a reduction of 39 compared to the 17-game total from 2022.
