It's a good problem to have, but can the Saskatchewan Roughriders keep the rust off during the 28 days between significant football games?
For the first time in 55 years, Roughriders get to burn for weeks after sewing up first place in the Western Division. The Riders had finished first three times, dating back to a franchise-record 14–2 season in 1970, but they always had to play big games until the very end and had never been in first place this early.
Pointless games and rest vs. rust discussions aren't unique to the Riders or the Canadian Football League, but never in half a century have Saskatchewan fans looked at such shameful riches with so much time left in the regular season.
The Riders next play in Winnipeg on Friday before returning home to British Columbia next weekend to wrap up the regular season. These games are significant for the playoffs of the other teams involved, but not for the Roughriders themselves. However, starting quarterback Trevor Harris doesn't want his head coach to sit him out completely.
“I'm going to fight him. Guys, be sure to tell him I said that,” Harris joked after The Riders' final win over the Argos for first place in Week 19..
He also isn't worried about any interruption hurting his attack ahead of the Western finals on Nov. 8.
“No, we have championship locker room DNA and the guys are going to use the time wisely. But we have a game next week, so we'll turn the page on that. We'll be excited about it.”
For his part, head coach Corey Mays has plenty of experience dealing with similar issues while playing and coaching in Calgary and Toronto. He's been part of teams that have won six Gray Cups, winning three of them, and he's not worried about that.
“I just think there's definitely a lot of meaningful football left in the past in situations like this,” Mays said.
“With the games we have left and the way we train each week, we have a lot to work on and a lot of meaningful football. However we prepare for it, whether it's during the week of practice and before the game, it's all going to be geared towards getting us to where we need to be to get to the Western final.”
The great Ron Lancaster once openly mused with his Edmonton team in the 1996 dogfight for first place and in the bye week of the regular season about whether he could keep their spirits up during a three-week lull in meaningful action. But just two years later, the little general also told his Hamilton players that bad things can happen in these very important games, so skipping some of them entirely would be a good idea.
The 2025 Roughriders have serious injury problems, particularly in the defensive secondary, that still threaten to derail their Gray Cup plans. The sudden lack of immediate need for Tevon Campbell, Marcus Sayles or Roland Milligan Jr. in the next three weeks is a major boon for a trio that could almost single-handedly crush the hopes of any visiting offensive coordinator in the upcoming Western finals.
The last six times the Roughriders finished first in the West – 2019, 2009, 1976, 1970, 1969 and 1968 – they ultimately failed to win any significant hardware. Either way, the regular season accomplishments won't have any real meaning on Gray Cup Sunday.
However, their first championship win in 1966, when they finished first and played the Western Final at home after a week's break, put Saskatchewan well positioned to win it all.
Since 1987, the team that hosted the Western Final has posted a mediocre 19-18 record in big games, including the 1995 North Division when Calgary hosted Edmonton. It's a rather prosaic record for teams enjoying home advantage after a few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Blue Bombers have won the Western Final at home the last four years in a row, thanks in part to a November style of football that includes great running play and even better defense. Today's Roughrider group shares many of the same traits.
For his part, Roughrider linebacker AJ Allen, who had seven career tackles, an interception and a quarterback sack in a win over Toronto, doesn't want too much of a break that could cool him off.
“I don’t want to get off the field,” Allen said. “I love this job and every shot is a blessing because you never know what your last one will be. You really never know. I try to keep that mentality every game.”
“If you asked me, I'd want to play every snap. But it's not my decision. It's Coach Mays' decision. He's my coach, and I'll follow him through a brick wall.”
There is no doubt that other riders feel the same way. The problem is that at this last stage there is no brick wall waiting for them.
