Kickoff: Sunday, September 1st, 6 p.m. CDT; Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Sk.
TV/Streaming: TSN, CBS Sports Network, CFL+
Radio: 680 CJOB
Streaks: Wpg: 3W; Sask: 2L
Road/Home: The Blue Bombers are 1-4 on the road, their last game away from home a 20-11 victory over B.C. in Vancouver; the Roughriders are 3-2 at home, dropping their last two at Mosaic.
Scene Setter
They are three words that mean everything to football fans in these parts, words that represent the passion of two rabid fan bases and the annually the absolute best of the Canadian Football League:
Labour. Day. Classic.
Now, couple that with this being a Week 13 battle for first place in the West Division and, well, it’s little wonder this one and the sequel next week in Winnipeg in the Banjo Bowl will be played before sold-out audiences.
“A game like this, it already is a big game every single year,” running back Brady Oliveira told bluebombers.com this week. “Everyone always has this one circled on their calendar. It’s always back-to-back big games, no matter what the standings look like. We go there for the Labour Day Classic and then we’re all on a short week when they come here for the Banjo Bowl next Saturday.
“Two massive games that everyone looks forward to. It’s a great Prairie battle, a great Prairie rivalry. Two great fan bases going at it. There’s a magnitude to it even if the standings don’t matter. So to have it for first makes it that much bigger.”
The Blue Bombers, 5-6, are on a mini-heater, having won three straight and going 5-2 after a horrific 0-4 start. The Roughriders, meanwhile, are 5-5-1 and winless in their last five at 0-4-1 — their last victory a 19-9 decision over Winnipeg in Regina on July 19th.
Winnipeg simply made too many mistakes in that meeting, including a Zach Collaros interception inside the Rider 25-yard line, a Nic Demski fumble after a 50-yard reception to Saskatchewan’s 15-yard line inside the final three minutes with the Blue Bombers trailing by a TD and then a turnover on downs on the last possession.
“You look back at that last game… We were so close,” said Oliveira. “There were so many mistakes that we made, so many self-inflicted mistakes and if a couple plays go differently we win that ball game. We lost that game.
“Since then we’re on a trajectory we want to go in with winning these games and putting a streak together. This is our team now. We’re a younger team that needed to mature and every single week we’ve been maturing and we’re in a good spot right now.
“We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I like where we’re at.”
THE DEPTH CHART
The Blue Bombers have made four changes to the depth chart this week. On are LB Adam Bighill, WR Drew Wolitarsky, DT Tanner Schmekel and OL Micah Vanterpool.
Off are OL Stanley Bryant, DL Devin Adams, OL Gabe Wallace and FB Bailey Feltmate. Bryant, Feltmate and Wallace have all been moved to the six-game injured list, while Adams has been transferred to the practice roster.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
1. THE GOAT TO THE INJURED LIST; TWO VETS RETURN
The biggest news from the release of the depth chart this morning is the injury to Bryant, who left last week’s game on the first series on a stretcher and an IV before being discharged from hospital with what was listed on Friday’s injury report as ‘illness.’ The move to the six-game for Bryant is either concerning or procedural, and an update will likely be provided later today at head coach Mike O’Shea’s press availability in Regina.
Bryant, the most-decorated O-lineman in CFL history, did not practice all week, with Kendall Randolph moving from right guard to left tackle — as he did during the win over Hamilton — and with Tui Eli moving into the guard spot. As well, rookie Micah Vanterpool has been activated to make his first CFL appearance as the sixth man, with the unfortunate injury to Wallace. So, with Bryant out and Pat Neufeld missing his fourth consecutive game, the O-line will feature Randolph and Lofton at tackles, Eli and Liam Dobson and guard and with Chris Kolankowski at centre.
A stat worth pointing out here: Bryant has appeared in 214 regular-season games, all starts, in his storied career. Neufeld has 123 starts himself, giving the veteran pair of all-stars 337 starts combined. And the starting five for the Blue Bombers in the LDC? Try 93 combined — Kolankowski (44), Lofton (28), Dobson (13), Eli (five) and Randolph (three).
The added gulp here — the Riders lead the CFL in sacks with 28, including six from veteran tackle Micah Johnson and four each from ends Malik Carney and Bryan Cox, Jr.
Countering the loss of Bryant and the trickle-down effect to the O-line are the returns of linebacker Adam Bighill and receiver Drew Wolitarsky, both of who bring experience to the defence and offence — and a stabilizing influence in a game that can occasionally consume newcomers.
2. ZACH AND THE ‘O’
Even with all the injuries to both the receiving corps and the offensive line and even with the new faces in the receiving corps, the Blue Bombers offensive numbers are, frankly, appalling given the totals they’ve amassed over the last few seasons — last in offensive points, last in touchdowns, second-last in passing yards.
And Collaros’ totals look completely upside down — even with his stellar work on the game-winning drive late in the win over Hamilton — with six passing touchdowns against 12 interceptions.
There are clear reasons for all those struggles, particularly in the score zone as we said in a story earlier this week from assignment and alignment mistakes, to penalties and critical errors in enemy territory.
“In the score zone we’ve got to have more togetherness and all be on the same page,” said receiver Kenny Lawler. “We’ve all got to be locked in because if we have even one guy mess up that can be the end of the score zone trip.
“That’s what’s got to improve because in the CFL possessions are so short so if you mess up on one play then that could stall out the drive or really impact what you do on second down.”
3. THE HARRIS EFFECT
The Riders have been without veteran Trevor Harris off and on during his two years in Regina and it’s been a while since the Blue Bombers faced the grizzled pivot. Now 38, Harris lit up Winnipeg’s defence the last time he faced them, throwing for 413 yards and three touchdowns in a Saskatchewan loss last June.
He was injured later that summer and it was Jake Dolegala who started both the Labour Day Classic and Banjo Bowl last season and Shea Patterson under centre in the Riders win in July of this year.
Harris, FYI, is 4-8 in his career in a dozen starts against Winnipeg.
“Trevor’s done a great job in this league for a long time,” said Bighill. “He’s typically a high-percentage guy who puts the ball in great locations for his guys to make plays. Savvy… he’s got probably the quickest release time in the CFL. He knows where he wants to go with the ball and it proves he watches the tape and puts in the work to try and put him and the team in the best position to win and be successful. No doubt, a lot of respect for him.
“He’s a fantastic quarterback who is finding himself with a new play-caller (offensive coordinator Marc Mueller) and getting the sense of who they are. They’re capable.”
The Last Word:
“It’s a pretty interesting place to play, going into Regina. The fans are certainly passionate. Everybody you look at when you’re there will be wearing green of some sort. They all have jerseys, they all probably have second jerseys, they travel far to go to the games and they’re passionate fans.
“Every player, whether it’s home or away, wants to play in front of a full house. That makes it pretty special. Our fans are special, too. Bomber fans do not take a back seat to anyone in the CFL any more.” — Mike O’Shea on the Labour Day Classic.