In a battle for first place in the West Division, the 4-1 Saskatchewan Roughriders host the 5-1 Edmonton Elks in Regina on Thursday night.
The Riders come into the game following a tragedy as linebacker and team captain Jayden Dalke passed away on Saturday in a car accident. The team will hold a pregame ceremony and wear Dalke's initials on their helmets for the matchup.
Saskatchewan now has the difficult task of playing an important game with heavy hearts. The front office signed defensive back Millard Bradford - a two-time All-Big 12 honourable mention in 2022 and 2023 at TCU, and defensive lineman Derick Roberson who had 15 sacks in his senior season at Sam Houston State on Sunday for additional depth.
Edmonton Elks vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders Preview + Stats
Thursday night's game is the marquee matchup of the Week 8 slate in the CFL. After finishing with a sub-.500 record in six consecutive seasons, the Elks have won five of their first six games and are fresh off two consecutive wins against the Ottawa Redblacks and the BC Lions.
The defense has performed well in recent years and they're elite on that side of the ball this season. They rank No. 1 in points allowed per game (23.0), and No. 2 in yards per game allowed, but another key to their success has been the offense taking a step forward this season compared to last year.
Running back Justin Rankin has been at the forefront of the team's offensive production with his 522 rushing yards and league-leading six rushing touchdowns while averaging 7.1 yards per carry - tops in the CFL for rushers with a minimum of 25 carries.
Quarterback Cody Fajardo has also played well - he's completed 70% of his passes for 1,781 yards (third in the CFL) and nine touchdowns. Wide receiver Austin Mack has been his most consistent target with 30 receptions for 406 yards and three scores. Mack is one of ~20 receivers on pace to clear the 1,000-yard mark in a single season, as he's been part of a league-wide offensive boom this season - the record for 1,000+ yard receivers in one season is 17.
Edmonton's all-around proficiency on offense has led them to become a solid unit on both sides of the ball, and they're ranked No. 6 in points per game (27.8).
On the other side, the 2025 championship-winning Roughriders have been explosive on offense and solid on defense. They average 34 points per game (third in the CFL) as quarterback Trevor Harris has been solid with 1,629 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, running back AJ Ouellette has been his usual terrific self when healthy, and a wrinkle with running-QB Tommy Stevens in the redzone has been effective.
Despite not throwing a single pass yet this season, Stevens is tied for second in the league with five rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, Saskatchewan has been the best passing defense unit in the CFL, only allowing 253 yards through the air per game. However, Rankin could have a big night against the Riders as they allow over 100 rushing yards per game.
This game marks the first of a back-to-back set between the two teams - they'll matchup again on Saturday, August 1st in Edmonton. Let's get into how you can watch this big game with lots on the line in the West Division standings:
How to Watch Edmonton Elks vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders - Week 8
Edmonton Elks vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 8 of the CFL regular season will be broadcast on TSN for viewers in Canada and on the CBS Sports Network for fans in the United States.
You can also tune in to the came on CFL Plus - a free live streaming service for the CFL. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT / 6:00 PM PT from Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan.
West Division Standings
Team | Record |
Edmonton Elks | 5-1 |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | 4-1 |
Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 4-2 |
Calgary Stampeders | 2-4 |
BC Lions | 1-4 |
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