Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders
McMahon Stadium
Saturday, July 22
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Radio: News Talk 770, Sirus XM167
TV: TSN, ESPN3

Returning to McMahon after a 23-day absence, the Stamps will be looking to get back in the win column as the Roughriders come to town for the first of three Calgary-Saskatchewan meetings this season.

“We’ve got a few guys that look like they’re (healthy and) ready to go,” said head coach Dave Dickenson after wrapping up the final day of practice on Thursday. “Offensive line, we’re cleaning that up a little bit and (are) making sure we get the right guys out there. And it looks like Charleston (Hughes) should be back which is good. We’ve got to take ownership and we’re going to go up against a great group. It’s always great to get your leaders back in there and some of your vets that have produced for you over the years.”

Calgary (2-1-1) is in search of a home triumph over Saskatchewan (1-2) for the 75th time in franchise history and will be looking to avenge a Week 4 loss while paying a visit to the Alouettes.

In last Friday’s defeat, Kamar Jorden tallied 140 receiving yards but the Stampeders found the end zone on only one occasion, instead settling for five field goals off the right foot of Rene Paredes.

A 2016 two-game series-sweep of Saskatchewan saw the Red and White rack up eight quarterback sacks and both Joe Burnett and Ciante Evans recover a fumble. It was the third straight campaign in which Calgary went undefeated against their bitter rival.

The Riders are coming off a bye week after previously picking up their first victory of the year due in large part to Naaman Roosevelt’s 10 catches for 167 yards and Cameron Marshall’s 5.9 yards per carry against Hamilton.

“He finally got some carries last week,” Dickenson offered regarding the opposition’s tailback. “We’ve got to stay as a group and gang-tackle and keep gap integrity and hopefully make some plays on him.”

Eight current Roughriders once suited up for the Stamps including starting quarterback Kevin Glenn and 2016 Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Derek Dennis.

Jerome Messam, one of just two players presently in Calgary who once played for the Riders, will be in search of his first touchdown since opening night when he goes against the only defence yet to surrender a 20-yard rush by an opposing running back.

Saturday’s two combatants have scored more points per game than any of the other seven CFL squads and are also the only teams averaging more than 400 yards of net offence thus far in 2017.

“It’s going to happen at some point,” admitted Dickenson when asked about the Stampeders having not dropped back-to-back contests since way back in 2012. “Hopefully not this week, but the league is too balanced with too many good teams. We just feel like honestly most of the time you’re not on the road a bunch (for long stretches) and we have done a great job at playing at our home field. We really are keyed-in to try to protect our home turf and get the crowd support to get us into it and we’ve been playing really well at home.”

Additions to this week’s 46-man roster are Tunde Adeleke, Shane Bergman, Charleston Hughes, Rory Kohlert and Marken Michel. The five subtractions will be Juwan Brescacin, Rob Cote, Reuben Frank, Osagie Odiase and Justin Renfrow.

These western rivals will square off again on Sunday, Sept. 24 at the brand-new Mosaic Stadium before one final showdown back in Southern Alberta on Friday, Oct. 20.