Roughriders feeling rested, ready to face Lions in Western semi

Field Level Media|published: Fri 1st November, 16:42 2024

Jun 16, 2024; Hamilton, Ontario, CAN; Saskatchewan Rough Riders quarterback Trevor Harris (7) throws a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Hamilton Tiger Cats at Tim Hortons Field. Mandatory Credit: Gerry Angus-Imagn Images

Trevor Harris refers to the playoffs as bonus football.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders' veteran quarterback hopes he has three extra games of football remaining in his season, starting Saturday when they host the B.C. Lions in a Western Conference semifinal.

Harris actually got last week off for good behavior. More specifically, he was rested when Winnipeg clinched the West regular-season title with a last-play field goal in Montreal. Saskatchewan coach Corey Mace decided to rest several starters in what had become a meaningless game for the team, which lost 27-12 to Calgary.

"I don't know why they demoted me to third team," Harris joked after a practice this week. "But shoot, we get to travel this path now. Sometimes you don't get the opportunity to do this, and it's just really fun that we get to get out here and tee it up this week."

The Roughriders (9-8-1) had won four straight to clinch home field for the first round, but Mace wasn't particularly upset by losing to the team with the worst record in the CFL last Saturday.

"You want to have as many people available to you as you head into the playoffs," he said. "From that standpoint, I'm very happy."

Meanwhile, B.C. (9-9) comes into the postseason off a bye week. Its last game was on Oct. 19, when it routed Montreal 27-3 in a game that meant nothing to the Alouettes. Still, the Lions looked impressive as newly-minted starting quarterback Vernon Adams threw for 385 yards and two touchdowns.

Adams' scoring strikes were the second and third by a B.C. quarterback since Sept. 6, which explains why the team went from being the West leader to scraping into the last playoff spot.

The Lions' main goal is to stop Saskatchewan's running game, which boasts a 1-2 punch of A.J. Ouellette (130 carries, 550 yards) and Ryquell Armstead, who rushed for 623 yards for Ottawa before his release on Sept. 3. Armstead ran for 207 yards in his first game with the Roughriders against Calgary on Sept. 20.

"We need to make sure we put our guys in good spots," B.C. coach Rick Campbell said of stopping the run.

The teams split their regular-season meetings, each winning decisively at home. The winner travels to Winnipeg next weekend for the conference title game.

--Field Level Media