Six Roughrider storylines heading into Week 6 against Calgary

WATCH: Despite an air quality warning on Friday, the Riders were set to take on the Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium. Donovan Maess has more.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are headed into Week 6 of the Canadian Football League (CFL) season atop the West Division, but they may be facing their toughest challenge yet in the Calgary Stampeders Friday night.

Calgary (3-1) sits second place in the division, just two points back of the Riders in first.

“[Mosaic Stadium] should be mental,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “Friday night versus a good team: this is this is exactly what you envision when you’re a part of this organization.”

“This will be a good one to watch,” he added.

This is the first of just two meetings between the two teams in 2025 with many intriguing things to watch this week.

“You want to beat the teams ahead of you,” Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson told Stamps TV after the team’s practice Wednesday. “[Saskatchewan] is ahead of us, that’s what we did last week. They’re off a bye, we’re off a big win, both teams should enter the game with confidence.”

“A big challenge, no doubt about it,” he added.

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Undefeated

Coming off a bye, Saskatchewan (4-0) is the lone remaining undefeated team in the CFL so far this season.

Despite their best start to the season since 2008 when the Roughriders went 6-0 to start the year, quarterback Trevor Harris believes they have yet to play their best football.

“I don’t think we’ve played clean games,” Hariis told reporters after Thursday’s practice. “Our defense has done a good job scoring touchdowns a few games for us, setting us up in good and putting us in good spots.”

“We are where we need to be,” Harris told reporters Thursday after practice. “You hope we wouldn’t lose some of the people that we have. At that point it’s like, ‘man, we’re really decimated.’ But here we are.”

In 2024, Saskatchewan also started the season 4-0 but lost their fifth game of that season.

• https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/quarterback-vernon-adams-jr-stampeders-face-another-unbeaten-challenge/

Injuries a plenty

Injuries have plagued the Riders across the board early this season.

On offense, weapons like Samuel Emilus and Shawn Bane Jr. remain week-to-week with injuries, while RB Thomas Bertran-Hudon and Kian Schaffer-Baker remain on the six-game injured list.

Saskatchewan also has four offensive linemen out with injuries.

“We’re testing our depth early,” Harris said. “Hopefully we get some of those guys back and we’re able to kind of keep going up a notch. We’re 4-0, but that doesn’t mean anything at this point this week. We’re trying to go 1-0.”

On defense, DB Tevaughn Campbell is out with a groin injury. It is unknown if he will miss more time after this week.

Linebacker C.J. Avery has also been on the six-game injured list after sustaining a bicep injury in Week 2.

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Stingy Stamps defence

Through four games in 2025, Saskatchewan has scored a league-high 29.3 points per game, but their visiting opponent Stampeders have allowed just 20 offensive points per game – the fewest in the CFL.

“It’s not really a shock where they sit currently,” Mace said. “That’s a good football team, and it’s going to be a challenge for us. If we want to get to where we want to get to: we have to be ready to play teams like this. It’ll be a great test.”

Calgary also leads CFL defenses allowing just four plays of 30+ yards. Last time out against Winnipeg, the Stampeders’ defense scored two touchdowns on interceptions.

“They do a tremendous job of doing what they do,” Harris added. “Often the best defenses do that. They find out what they’re really good at and they get really, really good at it. We’re a difficult test for them as well.”

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Tale of two tailbacks

Saskatchewan running back A.J. Ouellette has averaged over 6 yards per carry over his last three games, adding three touchdowns as well. In all three games, Ouellette rushed for more than 90 yards, including his first 100+ yard rushing game as a Roughrider Week 4 against B.C.

“[Ouellette] is a downhill runner who makes one cut and gets up the field from there,” Stamps’ DL Jaylon Hutching said.

On the Calgary side, Dedrick Mills also has three 90+ rushing yard games this season. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry and he leads the league with five rushing TDs.

“They have a great running attack,” Saskatchewan linebacker A.J. Allen said. “It’s one part of it is just attention to detail. Be where you’re supposed to be, that’s half of the running game itself. Trust your teammates, trust the scheme – that’s the biggest part of stopping the run and being gaps down.”

“He’s explosive runner,” defensive lineman Micah Johnson said about Mills. “But he still has the ability to run in between the tackles and make [you] miss. For us, he has great vision and can make you pay if you’re undisciplined in your gaps.”

Harris record watch

Harris has won a career-best seven consecutive regular-season starts going into Week 6. Over that span, he has passed for over 70 per cent in each game; one short of the CFL record (8) – a record Harris holds, alongside Dane Evans.

“No pressure,” the QB joked when asked about the record. “I did not know that and I won’t think about it, honestly. If it doesn’t happen tomorrow , start a new streak next week.”

The Rider pivot is a career 3-11-2 against Calgary.

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Calgary dominance in Regina

The Roughriders have won four of their last five games at Mosaic Stadium. The team’s only loss in that span is against Calgary Week 21 of 2024.

In fact, the Stampeders have won 10 of the last 11 games in Mosaic Stadium.

Stamps QB Vernon Adams Jr. has a career record of 4-2 versus Saskatchewan. He needs two TD passes to reach 100 in his career.

Ahead of what may be the most anticipated game of the 2025 CFL season so far, Harris poked fun at the Stampeders’ recent win – a game dubbed the ‘Stampede Bowl.’

“Whatever gets the fans excited and here to watch some great football, I’m all for it,” he said. “Call it whatever you want. Call it the ‘Rider Bowl,’ if you want to.”

“This is a battle of two good teams to start the season. Who we’re going to beat later in the season will be completely different. And to me, it’s about what type of team will be coming in [Friday].”

Kickoff was scheduled for 7 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium and on TSN.

However, according to an email from the CFL just after 5:30 p.m., kickoff has been delayed to 7:45 p.m.

The email said the decision to delay the game was made by the league, the competing teams, and the CFL Players’ Association.

“The league will continue to monitor the situation in Regina. Should the status of the game change, further updates will be provided,” the email read.

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