Roughriders ready to finish the regular season in great style

The Saskatchewan Roughriders hope to celebrate first place with a third jersey.

The Saskatchewan CFL team will wear its Obsidian Green uniform during Saturday’s final regular season game against the Calgary Stampeders (5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).

Rider Nation’s alternate jerseys were unveiled in game conditions on July 19, when Shea Patterson, starting at quarterback in place of the 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 unveiled during a May 30 event at the Riders’ Mosaic Stadium store.

Now he’ll finally be resplendent in obsidian gear for the first time and with shoulder pads.

“I’m excited about this,” said Harris, who has stood out 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 wearing the jersey this week will be cool.”

Even better would be to finish in first place in the Western Division.

For the Roughriders to clinch the pennant, two results must go in their favor on Saturday.

To start, the Montreal Alouettes would have to defeat the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1 p.m., CTV). Winnipeg (10-7-0) can clinch first place with a win.

If Montreal does a good job for Saskatchewan, the next order of business would be for the Green and White (Obsidian) to defeat a 4-12-1 Calgary team that is winless on the road and with no hope of making the playoffs.

Either way, the Roughriders will exit Saturday’s action with a home playoff game (tickets are available HERE).

Saskatchewan will host the Western semifinal (Nov. 2) or divisional championship game (Nov. 9).

DECISIONS IN GAME TIME

The outcome of the Montreal-Winnipeg game could well determine the Roughriders’ final roster decisions for the impending showdown with Calgary.

For example, will Harris start at quarterback if it turns out that Saskatchewan versus Calgary won’t influence the West seeding?

Without elaborating, Roughriders head coach Corey Mace said with a smile that a “smart” decision would be made.

Harris was asked during his pre-game media availability if he had been informed of the plans that were in place should Winnipeg win first place.

The Roughriders quarterback responded respectfully by referring 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 are all adults here. “We can figure it out.”

ONE 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 marveled. “Trevor Harris and I were talking about it yesterday. He mentioned, “Man, coach, this is our last real practice of the regular season.” It happens very quickly, so you shouldn’t take anything for granted.

“We know that our season will continue in the second season, but we really try to push ourselves to win every day. That’s the focus.

“I think the fact that there are a limited number of games is the obvious thing. We just hope to do enough to play last.”

FLASHBACK OF FIRST PLACE

In fact, this is the 10th year in the Roughriders’ modern history (i.e., after World War II) that they have been competing for the top spot in the final week of the regular season.

The toughest last week up to this point was 1951, when Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Winnipeg were 8-6-0.

The deadlock was broken in Saskatchewan’s favor using the following formula, as described by The Canadian Press: “Playoff positions are based on an average of points for and against. (Saskatchewan) with 277 in favor and 219 against has an average of 1.26 obtained by dipping the number of points in favor into the number of points against. Edmonton at 306-262 has an average of 1.16 and Winnipeg with a record of 303-311 has an average of 0.97”.

Heading into the final week, the Roughriders were also part of the first-place speculation in 1954, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1988, 2009, 2019 and, yes, 2024.

Saskatchewan celebrated successful results right up to the wire in 1951, 1976, 2009 and 2019.

The Roughriders had secured first place before the 1966, 1968, 1969 and 1970 regular season finals.

HISTORY OF ROTATIONS

With one game remaining in the regular season, the 2024 Roughriders boast a plus-25 turnover differential, best in the CFL. Montreal, at +10, is a distant second.

Saskatchewan has committed 47 turnovers and turned the ball over just 22 times in the first 17 games.

Ideally, the Roughriders will eclipse the franchise record of plus-27 in a single season, set in 1994.

At the moment, that was the most recent year in which the Roughriders led the league in turnover differential. The other season that set the pace: 1969 (plus-24).

The Roughriders improved to +25 on October 12 by going +6 en route to defeating the visiting BC Lions 39-8.

In the modern era, there have been 18 games in which the Roughriders emerged with a turnover differential of plus-6 or more.

A team-record plus-9 was recorded when the Roughriders won 31-12 in Calgary on September 20, 1969.

There have been five plus 8, two plus 7 and 10 plus 6.

In those 18 games, there have only been four in which Saskatchewan did not abandon football:

October 13, 1947: Winnipeg 6 at Saskatchewan 27 (plus-8). The Roughriders recorded five interceptions and recovered three fumbles.

November 5, 1999: Saskatchewan 18 at BC 19 (plus-6). It is unlikely that the victorious team was -6. The Lions lost five of their seven fumbles and were also intercepted once. Saskatchewan scored on a 47-yard punt return from Curtis Mayfield and a seven-yard pass from Steve Sarkisian to Jeremy O’Day.

August 26, 2006: Saskatchewan 51 at Hamilton 8 (plus-8). Four fumble recoveries (including two by Eddie Davis and a 15-yard touchdown 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 completion in the CFL (a 14-yard pass to Shermar Bracey) and a carry (for 20 yards).

October 12, 2024: 8 a.m. C. in Saskatchewan 39 (plus-6). The Roughriders’ most recent win completed a hat trick for O’Day, who has been involved in the last three games that fit into this niche category. He was a reserve offensive lineman (and short-yardage receiving target) on 11/5/1999, starting center on 8/26/2006, and vice president of football operations/general manager on 10/12/2024.

EXTRA POINTS

• A request to the fans of catcher Kian Schaffer-Baker: “We just ask that you bring the most energy you have ever brought to this stadium for this game (Saturday) and then for the next home game when we return. for the playoffs.”

• Saskatchewan leads all playoff-bound Western teams in points scored (466), overall touchdowns (44), offensive touchdowns (40), touchdown passes (26), passer efficiency (99.7), net offense (364.2 yards/game), the fewest. catches allowed (32) and net clearance average (36.8).

• The 32 sacks allowed in 17 games represents a 20-point improvement over last year at this time. Notably, there is a reduction of 39 games compared to 2022’s total of 17 games.