Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders
McMahon Stadium
Friday, Oct. 20
Kickoff: 7 p.m. MDT
Radio: News Talk 770, Sirius XM 167
TV: TSN

In their only October game day at McMahon Stadium, the Stamps look to remain undefeated both at home and against divisional foes when they square off with one of their fiercest rivals.

The Stampeders (13-1-1), without a loss since mid-July, can wrap up the regular-season West Division crown with a win over Saskatchewan Roughriders tomorrow night.

“You want a home playoff game and then you want the bye (in the first round of the playoffs),” declared head coach Dave Dickenson. “We’ve accomplished one and we know it’s in our court. We need to play well and we’re playing a good team this week and we’re at our house.”

A Winnipeg loss to the Argos at BMO Field this weekend would also secure a first-place finish for the Stamps. Meanwhile, the Riders can secure a post-season berth with a victory or a BC defeat against the Eskimos on Saturday.

After two prior encounters with Saskatchewan this year, Jerome Messam has averaged 131 rushing yards and Rene Paredes has made all seven of his field-goal attempts. Both matchups went in favour of the Stampeders, claiming victory by 17 points in July and by six points in September.

“We have beaten them twice but both games were in doubt in the fourth quarter,” Dickenson recalled. “I feel that will be the same case this week.”

Calgary is coming off a 28-25 triumph in Hamilton as Paredes’ 17-yard field goal try split the uprights on the game’s final play. Ciante Evans had seven tackles and an interception with William Langlais and Kamar Jorden providing the touchdowns for the Stamps.

Immediately following the Red and White’s outing, Saskatchewan faced the RedBlacks from Regina in a matchup that also went down to the wire. Third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley broke the plane with four seconds remaining to cap off the come-from-behind effort. With the 33-32 loss, the Riders dropped into fourth place with an 8-7 record.

Having conceded only 267 points in 2017, the Stampeders are the only team to surrender less than 300 thus far. The Riders have given up the second-fewest at 383.

“I try to call a game and manage a game that I feel will win the game,” stated Dickenson. “Stats and all the rest of it is for other people to worry about. We know that (Riders head coach Chris Jones) will have new stuff, and I don’t know exactly the flavour he’ll call, but we’ll certainly have practised against all the looks we’ve seen. Hopefully we get some good calls against what he calls.”

Through Week 17, Calgary has never trailed after the first quarter of play. The Roughriders have been down after the opening 15 minutes on five occasions, winning twice.

Marquay McDaniel and Randy Richards are absent from this week’s 46-man roster. Reuben Frank and Spencer Wilson have been activated.