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They can’t change history, but Nathan Rourke and the B.C. Lions can exorcise a few demons Saturday night.
B.C. opens its season in Regina against the Roughriders. That’s also where the Lions ended the 2025 campaign, dropping a 24-21 West Division final decision to Saskatchewan as Trevor Harris’s three-yard TD pass to Tommy Nield with 11 seconds provided the dramatic finish.
Saskatchewan went on to down the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 in the Grey Cup. The Riders will unveil their championship banner before the opening kickoff Saturday.
Last season was a historic one for Rourke, who threw for a career-high 5,290 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also ran for 564 yards — tops among CFL quarterbacks — and averaged 9.2 yards per carry while scoring 10 TDs, being named the league’s outstanding player and top Canadian.
Rourke’s 5,290 passing yards were a single-season CFL record for a Canadian quarterback. The Victoria native’s 31 TD strikes were second-most by a Canadian behind the legendary Russ Jackson, who had 33 in 1969.
Rourke is 3-3 all-time versus Saskatchewan. But like last season, Rourke will have plenty of weapons at his disposal with a receiving corps anchored by Keon Hatcher Sr. (102 catches, 1,688 yards, nine TDs) and running back James Butler (1,213 rushing yards, 5.3-yard average, 11 TDs).
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However, Harris, who was the MVP of Saskatchewan’s Grey Cup win, will have history on his side. The 40-year-old quarterback is a stellar 10-4 versus B.C. and will be supported by a ground game that features A.J. Ouellette (1,222 yards, 4.9-yard average, eight TDs).
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But Harris will have to be wary of B.C. defensive lineman Mathieu Betts, the CFL’s top defensive player last season after posting a league-best 15 sacks.
Pick: B.C.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Thursday night)
At Winnipeg, the Bombers (1-0) got three sacks from defensive lineman Jake Ceresna in last week’s 30-28 road win in Calgary. Sergio Castillo’s 38-yard field goal on the game’s final play provided the winning margin. Brady Oliveira ran for 113 yards and a TD, his 22nd career 100-yard performance, to move into a tie with Jon Cornish for second among Canadian-born players behind Andrew Harris (29). Winnipeg is a stellar 44-8 at home since 2019, and starter Zach Collaros is 9-5 in games against Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell.
Veteran linebacker Wynton McManis (knee) will miss a second straight game for Hamilton (0-1), which comes off a disappointing 30-27 home overtime loss to Montreal despite leading 24-10 in the third quarter. Mitchell completed 34-of-39 passes for 307 yards, but Robert Kennedy III’s 54-yard interception return TD not only cut the Alouettes’ deficit to 24-17 but also provided a huge momentum shift. Hamilton looks to avoid starting 0-2 for a sixth straight year and was 6-3 on the road last year, its best mark since 2019.
Pick: Winnipeg.
Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes (Friday night)
In Montreal, the Alouettes (1-0) look to build upon last week’s win in Hamilton. Tyler Snead had nine catches for 163 yards — both career highs — and a TD while Davis Alexander threw for 336 yards and two TDs, improving his regular-season mark to 12-0, the CFL record to start a career. He’s also 2-0 versus Toronto. After his pick-six, Kennedy forced a fumble on Hamilton’s opening overtime possession that Kabion Ento forced out of bounds, setting up Jose Carlos Diaz’s winning 17-yard field goal.
Mike Miller makes his CFL head-coaching debut for Toronto (0-0) and also serves as offensive co-ordinator. Chad Kelly, the CFL’s outstanding player in 2023, sees his first league action since suffering a leg injury at Montreal in the 2024 East Division final, a span of 581 days. Kelly has a 4-1 record versus the Alouettes. This game marks the return of defensive lineman Ralph Holley, linebacker Adarius Pickett and defensive back DaShaun Amos to the Argos.
Pick: Montreal.
Last week: 0-3.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
