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WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (9-9) AT TORONTO ARGONAUTS (9-9)
Saturday, October 31, 1:00p ET
The biggest headline of the week leading up to this matchup was the announcement of a new five-year, $5.5M guaranteed contract extension for Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly, making him the first player in CFL history to earn over $1M annually. The 32-year old quarterback set career-highs across the board this season, including 5,067 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.
Despite missing the regular season finale due to a knee injury, Kelly has been cleared to play for the Semifinal matchup. However, the status surrounding Winnipeg signal-caller Zach Collaros remains in question after suffering a rib injury last week. Should Collaros be unable to go, Dru Brown, who went 2-4 as a starter this season, would get the nod.
Look for the Blue Bombers to ride locomotive Brady Oliveira early and often in this contest. The CFL leading rusher has been gaining steam of late, finishing with 1,493 yards on 6.3 yards per carry. Ultimately, this game is likely to be determined in the trenches. Toronto led the CFL with 44 sacks, while the Blue Bombers allowed the most sacks with 42.
Prediction—» Toronto 36, Winnipeg 29
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SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (10-8) AT BC LIONS (10-8)
Saturday, October 31, 4:30p ET
There is something to be said for the experience of 40-year Roughriders signal-caller Trevor Harris. After guiding Saskatchewan to the championship last November and earning his first Grey Cup, he proceeded to lead the CFL with 5,370 passing yards this season in one of his finest campaigns yet.
A big reason for the success of Harris is the loaded supporting cast for Saskatchewan, which is full of big-play weapons such as 1,000-yard receiver KeeSean Johnson, breakout star Dhel Duncan-Busby and last year’s Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian Samuel Emilus. With a proven postseason battering ram in AJ Ouellette, the battled-tested Roughriders will be a difficult out.
However, BC has a rifleman of their own in Nathan Rourke, who is as good as any quarterback in the league when all things are clicking. The Lions had a trio of 1,000-yard wideouts in Keon Hatcher Sr., Justin McInnis and Jermaine Jackson, so points could come in bunches. When you factor in the one-two backfield duo of James Butler and Zander Horvath, the Lions are equally capable.
Prediction—» Saskatchewan 33, BC 30
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FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK QUICK HITS
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The 2026 CFL regular season saw 17 receivers reach the 1,000-yard mark, the most in a single season since 2005, when 19 receivers accomplished the feat.
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The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed Bo Levi Mitchell to a two-year contract extension, keeping him in Black and Gold through the 2028 season.
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The UFL Colorado team will be branded as the Colorado Stampede.
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Former 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula has been named the new CEO of the American Football League Europe.
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A new study found that about three-in-four deceased NFL players from 2008-to-2023 had CTE.
—» Football Notebook originally published for Inside The League. Subscribe to ITL Friday Wrap (Free), for more top stories on the business of football.