Two of the CFL's best teams compete in the best soccer city in the country, with the ultimate prize on the line in a three-game losing streak.
It doesn't get much better than this.
The 112th Gray Cup kicks off on Sunday when the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes battle it out in front of a sold-out crowd at Princess Auto Stadium.
To get you ready for kickoff (5:00 p.m. CT), here's a special edition of 5 Gray Cup storylines.
ALEXANDER WATCH
Davis Alexander is a future superstar.
He is extremely talented, confident (to the point of arrogance), and not afraid to ruffle feathers with harsh talk.
Most importantly, he's a perfect 13-0 in his career (including playoffs) as a starter and is determined to keep his record unblemished through 2026.
“I would die for this team. I would die for the Gray Cup,” Alexander said Friday.
“I will do everything I can to make sure we come home and celebrate in our beautiful city.”
He also has a bad left hamstring.
This problem has been going on since April and is the reason he has only played eight games this season. He made the situation worse after winning the Eastern final 19-16 last week in Hamilton and is doing four to five recovery sessions a day to get as close to 100 percent on Sunday.
Regardless, he's starting, but it remains to be seen if he can play at his usual level or be able to finish the game.
If the Als are worried, they hide it well. They went 2-8 without him this year.
“To go out there and watch the last two practices, watch the way he throws the ball, watch the way he moves, I’m not sure you can tell there’s anything wrong with him,” head coach Jason Maas said Thursday.
HARRIS UNDER THE CENTER
Alexander is 27 years old and hasn't even reached his prime yet. Most likely, he will return to the championship on Sunday.
The same can't be said for 39-year-old Riders defenseman Trevor Harris. This could be his last shot at Gray Cup glory.
He won a couple as an alternate but went on record as saying that didn't count and he wanted one in the starting line-up. His only Gray Cup start came in 2018 with Ottawa, which lost 27-16 to Calgary at Commonwealth Stadium.
If recent history is any indication, the Riders should be in good hands with their veteran center fielder. In six of the last nine Gray Cups, the winner has come back after falling behind in the fourth, and Harris has already proven his worth. He successfully led the team 76 yards down the field in the final minute of the Western final and scored the game-winning touchdown against BC.
He's playing for his fifth CFL team and has been through a roller coaster of recovering from multiple stints and injuries to find himself just four quarters away from a career-defining moment.
“Completing a job is what motivates me, not something to do with my career,” Harris said earlier this week.
It's also a classic mentor versus mentee story. Harris joined Montreal in 2022, when Alexander was a rookie.
DOMINANT DEFENSE
Defensemen have dominated the headlines this week, but let's not forget that this is a battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 defenses in the league.
Montreal came in first and was particularly tough against the pass, limiting their opponents to 256.9 air yards per game and the fewest big plays, 37.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's bread and butter is stopping the flow. They hold opponents to a measly 76 yards per game, a new club record all-time.
The last 10 Gray Cups have averaged 51.5 points. It wouldn't be a shock if this year's edition doesn't achieve that.
TRUST LAUTER
If push comes to shove, Riederville will likely be on the ropes – and not because of an injury from their 13th Gray Cup loss in 2009.
Veteran kicker Brett Lauter had a dismal season.
He made 39 of 54 attempts for a 72.2% conversion rate, the lowest in the CFL.
On Thursday, 3DownNation reported that the Riders at one point approached the Toronto Argonauts about acquiring kicker Lirim Khairullahu, but were turned down.
Lauter, however, gave everyone cause for encouragement with his performance in the Western final. The 35-year-old was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals and earned a pair of extra points.
With that said, the Nova Scotia product's longest attempt of the night was just 34 yards.
Lauter is 21 of 23 (91 percent) in his playoff career.
Montreal forward Jose Maltos Diaz has made 58 of 65 field goals this year (89.2%).
TRAVELING FANS
Will Readerville paint Princess Auto Stadium green on Sunday?
Saskatchewan has only four Gray Cup titles in franchise history, and the last time they made it that far was Weston Dressler catching touchdowns from Darian Durant (2013).
This may be the first time since 1966 that the Riders finished the regular season first and won it all.
With Regina being a six-hour drive away, the stage is set for this game to feel like a home game for the Western Division champions.
It will also be the first time in a decade that the West will be represented by someone other than Calgary (2016-18) or Winnipeg (2019-25).
The Bombers have the best fans in the league, but the watermelon heads can make a statement.
Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor interned twice with Vince Leah in the Free Press newsroom while pursuing a joint degree/diploma in communications at the University of Winnipeg and Red River Polytechnic College. He signed a full-time contract in 2019 and primarily covers the Blue Bombers, curling and basketball. More about Taylor.
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