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Welcome to the November 4, 2026 edition of the All Access Football Report, CFL Playoff Edition, as we count you down to the 113th Grey Cup in Calgary.
The CFL Semifinals went much like the regular season did, with a pair of exciting games that went down to the wire. We are now down to the final four and 11 days until we find out which team will be the last one standing.
Below, we preview the CFL Division Finals, which will be held this Saturday, along with game notes and predictions. Catch all the playoff action on CFL+.
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WINNIPEG (10-9) AT MONTREAL (14-4)
Saturday, November 7, 3:30p ET
The CFL Division Finals kick off on Saturday afternoon with a scrappy Winnipeg Blue Bombers team visiting the Montreal Alouettes, who finished with the best record in the CFL and earned a first-round bye. Winnipeg is not to be written off after last week’s heroics, which included quarterback Dru Brown finding wide receiver Nic Demski for a touchdown with just 44 seconds remaining to upset Toronto 25-22. The big question this week is who will start at quarterback for the Blue Bombers?
Starter Zach Collaros left last week’s game after suffering a rib injury. He had previously missed three games with a neck injury. The Blue Bombers are expected to hold a closed practice on Wednesday—their first of the week—leaving a mystery for the Alouettes as they prepare. Regardless of who gets the nod, Winnipeg will lean heavily on running back Brady Oliveira once again. Last week, he rumbled for 95 yards on 20 carries; expect more of the same.
For Montreal, star quarterback Davis Alexander and playmaking wideout Tyson Philpot will look to exploit the Winnipeg defense with big plays. A dual-threat signal-caller, Alexander threw for 5,257 yards and 35 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Remarkably, Philpot accounted for 1,809 of those yards on 124 receptions, including 13 touchdowns.
The Blue Bombers did a strong job shutting down the Argonauts’ passing attack last week, limiting Chad Kelly to just 18 completions on 33 attempts. The defence will need to deliver for a second consecutive week in order to contain the Alouettes and move on. The two teams split the regular season series, with Montreal winning the latest matchup 37-10 last month.
Prediction—» Alouettes 35-27
All Access Football counts you down to the 113th CFL Grey Cup in Calgary. Your home for EVERYTHING pigskin.
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BC (11-8) AT EDMONTON (13-5)
Saturday, November 7, 6:30p ET
The second game of the day promises to be an exciting matchup between BC and Edmonton. Last week, the Lions rallied from a 30-9 deficit to defeat Saskatchewan 33-26, ensuring that a new Grey Cup champion will be crowned in 2026.
BC quarterback Nathan Rourke delivered in the clutch, passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in the win over the Roughriders. He’ll need another clean game against an Elks defense that created a league-high 42 turnovers this season and converted them into a whopping 178 points. A stout Lions defense is led by veteran Darnell Sankey, who sets the edge against both the run and the pass.
After clinching the West Division, Edmonton earned a first-round bye. They now host their first playoff game since 2015 in front of a thirsty fanbase. All-purpose dynamo Justin Rankin finished the year with 1,810 total yards and 10 touchdowns, while leading the league with 11 runs of 20 yards or more. Elks defensive back Tyrell Ford led the league with seven interceptions.
Both offenses are capable of exploding in this contest. While Edmonton can strike with big plays, BC generated six plays of 15 yards or more last week. The Elks will need to limit those explosive plays. Meanwhile, the Lions must get ahead early, as the Elks are 11-0 when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter. The two teams split the regular-season series, though both games were played back in July.
Prediction—» Elks 36-33
DARNELL SANKEY NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
BC Lions linebacker Darnell Sankey has been named the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Most Outstanding Defensive Player. The former Sacramento State Hornet is the 11th Lion to win the award, and his selection marks the 16th time the franchise has claimed the honour. Defensive lineman Mathieu Betts, who previously won it in 2023, became a two-time recipient last year.
In his first season with the Lions, Sankey led the CFL with 136 defensive plays. His league-leading 114 defensive tackles also made him just the second player in CFL history to record 100 or more tackles in three consecutive seasons, joining Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Willie Pless. The San Jose, Calif., native set a career high with 12 pass knockdowns while matching personal bests of three sacks and four tackles for a loss.