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Features October 31, 2025

7 Things – Stamps @ Lions – Western Semi-Final

1. Us

The Stampeders (11-7) are heading west to Vancouver to take on the BC Lions (11-7) in the Western Semi-Final at BC Place on Saturday, Nov. 1 with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. MT.

The Red and White head into the contest having won their last three games of the regular season. The winner of the WSF matchup will advance to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western Final in Regina on Nov. 8.

2. Them

BC is riding a hot streak that has won them their last six games of the regular season heading into the playoffs. The Lions offence has averaged 36.5 points per game during that time and will look to continue that trend on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions offence led the CFL in 2025 with 559 points scored, much to the credit of MOP (Most Outstanding Player) nominee Nathan Rourke and the weapons to his avail. Receiver Keon Hatcher topped the league in receiving yard with 1,688.

3. Head to Head

The Lions swept the regular season series between the clubs, outscoring the Stamps 90-47 in the two meetings. 

Calgary’s last two West Division Semi-Finals appearances have been against the Lions, with BC taking both of those games. The Stamps will look to flip the script and win their first playoff game since hoisting the Grey Cup in 2018.

4. Fast Facts

  • Calgary was 7-3 against West Division opposition during the regular season and 5-4 on the road.
  • On the special teams front, BC’s Sean Whyte (88.8-percent career success rate) and Calgary’s René Paredes (87.5 per cent) are the two most accurate field-goal kickers in CFL history while the Stamps’ Mark Vassett was the CFL’s net-punting leader in 2025 and set a franchise single-season record with a gross punting average of 50.0 yards.
  • The quarterback matchup features two of the five players this season to hit the 4,000-yard milestone in passing – Calgary’s Vernon Adams Jr. (4,247 yards) and BC’s Nathan Rourke (5,290 yards, just six behind league leader Bo Levi Mitchell of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats).

Thanks to our Director of Communications Jean Lefebvre for handing off these facts!

5. Who’s Where

6. Players to Watch

Stamps: QB Vernon Adams Jr.: Adams will have an extra fire lit for this one as he takes on his former team in the Lions that he helped lead to the Western Semi-Final last season. The Stamps pivot and the offence have averaged 33.6 points per game through their three-game winning streak to end the regular season. Adams is entering the playoffs coming off a season that’s seen him surpass the 20,000 passing yard milestone for his career.

Lions: QB Nathan Rourke: Rourke has torched opposing defences all season en route to being named a West Division All-CFL. The Canadian pivot finished the regular season second in passing yards (5,290 yards) and touchdowns (31). In two games against the Stamps this season, Rourke has posted six touchdowns and two interceptions.

7. Quotable

“They got a lot of weapons, we gotta tackle and play as a group of twelve and raise some havoc.” – General manager and head coach Dave Dickenson speaks on limiting the Lions offence in the Western Semi-Final.