The Saskatchewan Roughriders will encounter their first challenge of the regular season Saturday night – as they face off against the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium. The matchup comes after a 1-1 performance in the pre-season for the Riders. Despite the fact they are the reigning champs, former Roughrider and 2007 Grey Cup champion Wes Cates believes the team must go into the endeavour with confidence – while recognizing the landscape has changed drastically since last November. “You’ve got to still earn it again, and kind of start from square one. I think that was one thing we did really well in 08, then the camaraderie of the team is the biggest part that you can pull and draw from that previous season,” he told CTV News. “Usually, championship teams get along well, that’s part of winning, and I think that carries over into the next season a little more, and then the new guys you have coming in understand that you’re a championship team, so they kind of fall into line a little better and grasp the culture.” Despite major changes to the roster, some things are staying the same – such as quarterback Trevor Harris’s annual tradition of creating mottos for the team. RELATED STORY: Riders’ defensive starters come into focus after key departures In 2024 it was “Don’t Flinch.” In 2025 it was “SR Time.” This year, Harris has come up with a pair of phrases – “Check Ball” and “R Factor.” The 40-year-old veteran QB told reporters that no matter the situation the team is in – it will be one to respond accordingly. “We’ve kind of embodied what we have in this wristband, and so I think we’re going to be people that respond this year,” he said. “I think we’re going to just say ‘line up and play, spot the ball,’ don’t matter, that’s just going to be who we are and what we embody.” Harris added that other teams, and perhaps a certain opposing quarterback in B.C.’s Nathan Rourke, are trying to take the ‘it’s our time’ mantra. “People have tried to steal that saying, and say someone else’s when it’s really, it was really ours,” Harris added. RELATED STORY: Coan or Schager? Riders with choice to make at backup quarterback Cates believes the Riders will have their work cut out for them when facing Rourke. “There’s a reason why Nathan Rourke is the highest paid player in the CFL, because his skill set demands that, right? He has a great arm, he’s really accurate, and he can run. He had some long runs for touchdowns last season,” he said. … He’s a great player, and hopefully he’s a little rusty going into the first game of the season, because he’s going to be tough to contain." The last time the Roughriders met the Lions was the 2025 West Final, where they defeated them 24-21. Kickoff for Saturday’s matchup is scheduled for 5 p.m. With files from Donovan Maess
