Inside the CFL: Grey Cup primer? Riders, Ti-Cats meet in battle of division leaders

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 14, 2025.

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he Game of the Year, at least at the halfway point of the season, features the division leaders, Hamilton and Saskatchewan, Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.

Billed as a Grey Cup preview, a showdown for bragging rights in the CFL.

It’s THE BIG GAME.

Both teams future Hall of Fame-level quarterbacks in Bo Levi Mitchell and Trevor Harris. A statistical analysis after each club played seven games reveals the Ti-Cats were first in points, Saskatchewan third. Hamilton was fourth in total offence, the Riders second. Saskatchewan was third in rushing with A.J. Ouellette, while Greg Bell and the Ti-Cats ranked eighth.

Bo Levi Mitchell leads the most potent passing attack in the land, but Trevor Harris isn’t far behind at third.

Statistically, Hamilton’s over-all defensive rating is third best, Saskatchewan’s fourth, and seventh against the pass. They say numbers don’t lie, but these ones do. The Roughriders have the best defence in the league.

In terms of offensive efficiency, the Riders are first, Hamilton second. The Green and White are first in time of possession and sacks while the Black and Gold rank third and seventh in those categories.

The 6-3 Tiger-Cats have been the Beasts of the East. Before losing last week’s 41-38 shoot-out to B.C., Hamilton was on a six-game winning streak. The Roughriders are 7-1, their only defeat coming at the hooves of the Stampeders, 24-10 in Regina on July 12.

Not only have the Easterners played one more game than Saskatchewan, they haven’t had a bye week for two months. Saturday’s game is their eighth straight without a break. Several of their games have been played during heat waves which take a lot out of a team. They should be very tired Tabbies taking the field at Mosaic.

Considering their schedule, it is remarkable that Hamilton has had the fewest players on the Six-Game Injury list. It is also remarkable the Roughriders have only tasted defeat but once, considering they have the most names on that ledger, including five Canadian starters, receivers Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaeffer-Baker (both might not be back this year), as well as O-linemen Sean McEwan, Phillippe Gagnon and DL Lake Korte-Moore, and American linebackers C.J. Avery and Aubrey Miller Jr. and O-linemen Trevor Tate.

Adding excitement to Saturday’s showdown is the fact the quarterbacks are favoured to represent their divisions in the CFL Most Outstanding Player Award sweepstakes.

Some commentators have said the youngster, he’s 35, Levi Mitchell is having the finest year of his career. Considering he won two of five Grey Cups with Calgary along with two MOP trophies, that is high praise indeed.

Other commentators say elder statesman, he’s 39, Harris is also having his finest campaign ever and doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, so this season he should go from most underrated to most valuable.

Of course, when it comes to league awards, Vernon Adams Jr. and Nathan Rourke might have something to say about that. If Cody Fajardo herds the Elks into the playoffs, he might win some hardware.

Come Saturday, Mitchell and receivers Kenny Lawler, Tim White, Kiondre Smith and Shemar Bridges will put the Rider secondary to the test. I expect last year’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Rolan Milligan, Jr., to have a great game at the halfback spot.

Superb D-linemen Malik Carney, Micah Johnson, Mike Rose and Shane Ray will come after Bo with everything but the kitchen sink. The linebackers will shut down the run and short passing game. That leaves Milligan and the secondary which is the best in the league.

Harris will throw to KeeSean Johnson and Dohente Meyers, eighth and ninth among CFL receivers as well as Dhel Duncan Busby, Joe Robustelli, Tommy Nield and the always reliable Mitchell Picton.

There is only one rookie starter, albeit an important one, left tackle Peyton Collins.

Saskatchewan’s Achilles’ heel is place kicker Brett Lauther who ranks dead last with a 71.4 per cent success rate. His counterpart Marc Lieggho stand at 91.3 per cent. He was 35 for 35 going into the Lions game but missed two of three as his Ti-Cats lost 41-38. A fun feature of Saturday’s game could be the returners, Hamilton’s Isaiah Wooden Sr., who has five return TDs, and Rider Mario Alford, who has three.

By the way, the Labour Day game is sold out.

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 53 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.